Several years ago, I took a vow to live a Rule of Life. Before that, I didn’t know much about living a Rule, but as a part of my time with that group, we learned about the history of a Rule and the elements of our particular Rule. Alongside all that I learned from living a Rule, I’ve always held onto the words of my priest at the time. When I told him I had taken a vow to live a Rule, he said, “Just remember, it’s not a sin to break your Rule. Your Rule of Life is aspirational. It reminds you of who you want to be.”
While that Rule of Life group no longer meets, I have held onto the idea of a Rule for myself ever since. Who do I want to be? What are the practices that can help me be that person?
The most widely known Rule of Life was developed by Saint Benedict in the sixth century and is still followed today by Benedictine priest and nuns. The Rule revolves around five practices: Prayer, Work, Study, Hospitality and Renewal. These practices are lived out alongside the Benedictine vows of vows of stability, conversion, and obedience.
People who live by a Rule are most often part of a monastic community of some sort. I clearly do not fit this description, so why am I drawn to living a Rule? It goes back to the wisdom that my Rule reminds me of who I want to be. If I long to be the person God made me to be, I must orient my life that way. I won’t simply become that Shannon by wishing to be so. A Rule of Life provides guardrails to keep me traveling along the Way and also serves as a trellis, so that I grow in the direction and way of Jesus.
The Rule I lived previously was oriented around eight principles. I struggled to memorize those eight things, despite numerous attempts. When the COVID pandemic arrived and my Rule of Life group disbanded, I chose to spend time pondering what my own Rule of Life should be rather than jumping back in immediately. That pondering has been running in the background of my mind for several years.
Last Advent, I attended a zoom meditation offered by Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest, where my daughter currently lives and serves. The meditation had four parts - one for each of the organization’s pillars: faith/spirituality, ecological and social justice, simplicity and community. At the end of that session, those four pillars stayed with me. After time and prayer have worked their way through me, I think I have my Rule.
I long to live a just, faithful, generous, simple life in community.
My husband and I have recently been in the process of selling our house and buying a new home. I’ve tried to frame the decision around these five guidelines of justice, faithfulness, generosity, simplicity and community. That framing will not stop with our move. The move will simply give me more opportunity to live in the way I long to live, to become more closely the person I was made to be, to love more like Jesus.
In the coming weeks, I’ll write about each of the five elements of my Rule— not out of a desire to convert you to my way of living, but as an invitation to ponder your way of living. Who do you long to be? How can you provide a framework to help yourself grow in that direction?
Book Corner:
What I’ve Been Reading Lately
via eBook:
Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz
My husband loves this series and talked me into reading one. The main character Nowhere Man aka Evan Smoak is likable and complex, but the violence from start to stop was too much for me. This will be my only thriller with Orphan X, but if you like a Jack Reacher type, give this a try.
via Library loan:
Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer
This was a delightful cozy mystery. Jane is an engaging and interesting protagonist and the setting in 1920s Egypt was fun. The vibe of the book was a bit “Miss Fischer’s Murder Mysteries,” which was great for the self imposed spring break I took last week. I look forward to future volumes with Jane Wunderly.
The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett
The Grace of Wild Things was just the book I needed. Grace herself is delightful with her long stories, curiosity and open heartedness. Her guardian The Witch is also more than she seems. I loved these characters and the gentle nods to Anne of Green Gables. On top of great characters, I loved the themes of friendship, healing and how one might be “wicked” and also take care of others at the same time. This is altogether a delightful book!
May you have the grace to notice what things in your life draw you deeper into who you long to be.
Love,
Shannon