Chapters 17 and 18

All,

Chapter 17 and all of 18 which was broken up over at least 5 days continued on the recommendation and edicts of the recitation of the Psalter during the various times of the day that the Liturgy of the Hours is to be said.

As I've explained prior, St. Meinrad does this differently, and the end of chapter 18 which is extremely GOOD, does mention that if one knows of a better way to accomodate the Psalter then that's fine.

The end of 18 goes further...

It basically says that whichever the monks choose they are to complete the ENTIRE Paslter in the time of a week. That means that all the Psalms are to be recited in completion within one week. That is pretty amazing to me. St. Benedict goes on to tell us that this is still weak at best. He references how in the "days of old" the forefathers would recite the Psalter in just ONE DAY. Now I can tell you from just doing my own small part, I am not getting through the entire Psalter in a weeks time. Take today for example, where I labored arduously outside ALL DAY, and then ran errands, and cooked dinner, and put the fire pit together...I mean where in those required things was I to have the time???

Granted that I am far from even being close to the aspects of a monsatic life, but I am hemming the themes within the relationship I have with God as I progress through this process.

To think that anyone would do the Psalms, with prayer, readings, Antiphons and the whole gig in a day is one heck of calling. If I hadn't been married, I would have followed a path similar to this I'm fairly certain. And while this is slightly tangental, it's important to note that this process IS a calling. One that is both rewarding and extremely challenging to me as I continue to work to improve myself to do what I need to do. Granted there are continued flaws that are a part of those things which I have no control, and those things I can control but ultimately choose not to...I am still trying.

So I enjoyed St. Benedict's musings on the matter of the past because it reminds me of me in so many ways!

I am always telling my UC people about how things WERE and how they USED TO BE. Granted times have changed, but even Benedict KNEW that some things stand the test of time, and are a true tranformative force within the world. Now nothing I've done at UC is world affecting, but there were MANY transformation there that I helped to create or did create, and I feel an overwhelming sense of pride for those things. I was uniquely suited for the task, and got the job done, and whether the kids today get it or not...I helped to build one heck of an impressive system, policy, offices, organizations, etc. to help make thier lives a little easier which no one would do for me.

I find that is how my life is.

I see something wrong. I work to remedy the situation. Put things into place that fix the issue. Get ZERO credit for it ever...and just go fix the next thing. I've been praying on this now for YEARS! And it dawned on me the other day while I was finishing reading Compline on my last work trip...It doesn't matter.

While it would be nice to get something for the work we do...it rarely happens in the way we expect. I never got thanks from people. Usually grief. But behind the scenes God was setting the stage for my remarkable re-conversoin to the faith. Behind the scenes He was setting me up for the relationship with my wife. Behind the scenes He was setting me up to move on with life and do so with a profound appreciation for Him, what I accomplished BECAUSE of Him, and to learn how better to be the man I am growing to become...His man!

I still have a ways to go...and doubt I will actually get there before I die...but I will LITERALLY die trying! LOL:-) I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity TO serve at all. To help others. To be a friend and brother to those that needed it most at the RIGHT time, everytime. To have the empathy I possess to FEEL the things and people around me are gifts of Grace I couldn't have appreciated without His intervening in my life again, and in a profound way.

All this from a SHORT reading in an OLD book that barely anyone actualy ready anymore...simply amazing.

So that was my thought today. :-)

Pax!

Nick