Introduction
In recent years there has been a great deal of fuss and bother, argument and denunciation on the subject of Holy Matrimony, especially concerning who can take up those blessed bonds. While watching this battle and contradiction within the Body of Christ I found that a spirit had come to me suggesting that I compose a little Rule for those who take up the yoke of marriage even though I have only ever taken up the monastic yoke. Since this spirit has not departed I have found the temerity offer this little Rule for those who have chosen to pursue the perfection required of all who have been united to our Lord in baptism in and through marriage, although I take comfort from the foundations monasticism which is nothing less than the Christian life intentionally lived as thoroughly and emphatically as mortal skill can guarantee (better, we pray, by God's grace, without which no human endeavour can come to its fullest flower). Still, please pray for me to the Most High that he may strengthen and sustain me as I compose this Rule, and in his mercy bring a blessing out of this work. If any goodness or wisdom is found in this Rule give glory to God from whom it came, and reserve to me the blame for the weaknesses in this work.
Prologue
Listen carefully, my sisters and brothers, to the Lord's commands, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. They are advice from a Father who loves you. Welcome them and faithfully put them into practice, because the labor of obedience will bring you back to the One from whom you had been dragged by the terrible weeds of distraction, and had drifted through the sloth of disobedience. This message is for you, then, if you are ready to give up your own will, once and for all, and armed with the strong, bright weapons of obedience to do battle for the true King, Christ the Lord, amid the changes and chances of this mortal life that, by His grace, you may win through against the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. If, therefore, you desire to win glory for for God from among what the World accounts as small and ordinary, especially the daily routines of which your married life together is composed, pray together and rededicate yourselves to obedience to the Lord's teaching and commandant. Remember above all that the vocation of every Christian is to love God with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, and to love our neighbor, especially those whom we encounter each day, as God has loved us, giving, as we are able, so that they may flourish and grow to the glory of God even when it means suffering and death for us.
Do not be afraid, however, of what is required of the perfect who take up their cross daily. We must each begin with little things, and strive with discretion to grow up into the full stature of Christ, never being content with any minimum standard of living. As long as we do not forget the wisdom of Jacob, who saw that if he drove his herds so hard they would all die in a single day, and so do not drive ourselves beyond the strength God has given us, then God will send his Holy Spirit filling us with his holy fire and carrying us so that we may run on the path that leads to perfection easily and lightly filled with indescribable joy.
In recent years there has been a great deal of fuss and bother, argument and denunciation on the subject of Holy Matrimony, especially concerning who can take up those blessed bonds. While watching this battle and contradiction within the Body of Christ I found that a spirit had come to me suggesting that I compose a little Rule for those who take up the yoke of marriage even though I have only ever taken up the monastic yoke. Since this spirit has not departed I have found the temerity offer this little Rule for those who have chosen to pursue the perfection required of all who have been united to our Lord in baptism in and through marriage, although I take comfort from the foundations monasticism which is nothing less than the Christian life intentionally lived as thoroughly and emphatically as mortal skill can guarantee (better, we pray, by God's grace, without which no human endeavour can come to its fullest flower). Still, please pray for me to the Most High that he may strengthen and sustain me as I compose this Rule, and in his mercy bring a blessing out of this work. If any goodness or wisdom is found in this Rule give glory to God from whom it came, and reserve to me the blame for the weaknesses in this work.
Prologue
Listen carefully, my sisters and brothers, to the Lord's commands, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. They are advice from a Father who loves you. Welcome them and faithfully put them into practice, because the labor of obedience will bring you back to the One from whom you had been dragged by the terrible weeds of distraction, and had drifted through the sloth of disobedience. This message is for you, then, if you are ready to give up your own will, once and for all, and armed with the strong, bright weapons of obedience to do battle for the true King, Christ the Lord, amid the changes and chances of this mortal life that, by His grace, you may win through against the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. If, therefore, you desire to win glory for for God from among what the World accounts as small and ordinary, especially the daily routines of which your married life together is composed, pray together and rededicate yourselves to obedience to the Lord's teaching and commandant. Remember above all that the vocation of every Christian is to love God with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, and to love our neighbor, especially those whom we encounter each day, as God has loved us, giving, as we are able, so that they may flourish and grow to the glory of God even when it means suffering and death for us.
Do not be afraid, however, of what is required of the perfect who take up their cross daily. We must each begin with little things, and strive with discretion to grow up into the full stature of Christ, never being content with any minimum standard of living. As long as we do not forget the wisdom of Jacob, who saw that if he drove his herds so hard they would all die in a single day, and so do not drive ourselves beyond the strength God has given us, then God will send his Holy Spirit filling us with his holy fire and carrying us so that we may run on the path that leads to perfection easily and lightly filled with indescribable joy.
1 comments:
Those who are familiar with monastic Rules should recognize large chunks of this section since it draws very heavily on the Rule of Benedict, especially the 1982 translation.
More sections will follow, but it may take a month or two to compose each section partially because I'm writing them on my smart phone.
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