Slides from a presentation to the Benedictine Oblates of St Scholastica Monastery in May 2014. What do we mean by promising stability, and how do we live it in a modern world of constant change?

1. Staying
a n d
Not
Leaving
Benedictine Oblates
St. Scholastica Monastery
18 May 2014

2. STABILITY

3. Stability (definitions)
1. The state or quality of being stable, especially:
a. Resistance to change, deterioration, or displacement.
b. Constancy of character or purpose; steadfastness.
c. Reliability; dependability.
2. The ability of an object, such as a ship or aircraft, to
maintain equilibrium or resume its original, upright position
after displacement, as by the sea or strong winds.
3. Roman Catholic Church A vow committing a Benedictine
monk to one monastery for life.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
copyright ©2000 by Houghton MifflinCompany.Updated in 2009.

4. Stability and Instability
•Bad types of monastics
•Strong monastics: cenobites

5. Merton observed that St Benedict
"introduced this vow into his Rule
precisely because he knew that the
limitations of the monk, and the
limitations of the community he lived
in, formed a part of God's plan for
the sanctification both of
individuals and of communities."
In making this vow, "the monk
renounces the vain hope of
wandering off to find a 'perfect
monastery.' "
Schlabach, Gerald. (1998). TheVow of Stability:
A PremodernWayThrough a Hypermodern World

6. Stability in the Rule
•Ch 58.4,9, 17: Promise
•Chapter 4:The "location"
for using the Tools for
GoodWorks.
•Ch 60: Stability applies
to priests as well
•Ch 66: Porter's "maturity
will prevent her from
straying about. "
•Ch 64: Abbot/Prioress is
"not excitable"

7. Sources of Instability

8. Modern
America

9. LINEAR TIME, HISTORICAL TIME
Birth Child Youth Adult Death

10. Culture of Perfection

11. Internet: Our second life

12. ChangeYourself!

14. Some people refer
to these blogs and
books as
"productivity
porn."
They have a
common premise:
change is crucial
and we have to do
it ourselves.

15. The results:
•Constant feeling of
dissatisfaction with life.
•Constant anxiety that
one should be better
•Constant attempt to make
the right choice
•Constant sense that I should
be changing something
http://beautyandbedlam.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Frantic-Women-Rat-Race.jpg

16. How can we find stability in such
an upside-down culture?
16
The Whole World in a Crystal Ball by xollob58 at http://www.flickr.com/photos/xollob58/474392091/

17. LEAVING

18. Distractions

19. Overwork

20. Checking out
Children watchingTV.
FromWolfram Hahn’s exhibit “Disenchanted”
http://www.wolframhahn.com/projects/entzaubertdisenchante
d/

21. Giving up & Quitting

22. Staying

24. Community Building in Rule

25. Turn Aside from the Negatives
•Not to grumble or give
service to grudgingly
•Don’t miss community
prayer or events
•Avoid comparing what
you get with others.

26. Simple Practices – but not easy!
•Strive to outdo each other in
mutual love and service.
•Honor the elders,
love the juniors.
•Give a kind word if you
have to say no.
•Never turn away from
someone who needs your love.

27. The importance of "the team"

28. Stability in the Faith Community
•Liturgical Prayer
•Worship
•Regular time together
•Sharing Joy

29. “The external practices of monastic life are directly
connected with our search for God. In and through
these practices we express our spiritual values and
ideals, and daily live out our commitment to God.”
Cummings, Monastic Practices

30. STAYING

31. Lectio Divina
•Monastic reading is a
spiritual encounter
•Nothing rejected as unfit
automatically, if God be sought,
BUT
•Much is better avoided for
guard of the heart
•“Sustained lectio” with a single
text over a period of months or
years”
Sr. Meg Funk
Lectio Matters

32. Gravitas

33. Silence
•Restraint of speech helps us listen to God .
•This allows others to maintain their prayer.
•“The tongue is a small member and yet has great
pretensions. Consider how small a fire can set a huge
forest ablaze.” (James 3:5)
•This also includes choosing what other sounds and
presences to have (TV, radio) and when.

34. STAYING

35. Stability:
Being WhereYou Are,
FixingYour Heart
• Moment-by-moment giving of self to the place and
people with which one is engaged.
• Views relationships as meaningful, rather than
as a means to an end.
• Bears the burdens and behaviors of others as
sharing the suffering of the Body of Christ.

36. The Desert Abbas and Ammas
• Fidelity by removing from
the source of distractions.
• Meditation and focus on
scripture and holy writings:
nothing else
• Well-defined practices so as
not to deceive themselves.

37. “Keep on doing the
things you have learned
and received and heard
and seen in me, and the
God of peace will
greatly rejoice you.”
Philippians 4:9
Continuing Mindfully

40. Staying
a n d
Not
Leaving
Benedictine Oblates
St. Scholastica Monastery
18 May 2014