How many times should a person be able to deviate/runaway from the group and be accepted back? This question has been posed in various ways in different situations. The disciples asked Jesus how many times a person should reasonably be forgiven. The response was 70 times 7 times--which in that times was an enormous amount--almost infinite. In the Rule, the question is how many times may a person leave and expect to be welcomed back. Benedict's response was 3 times.
Being a person who has to learn through experience and having an affinity for life on the edge, I find comfort in the fact that Benedict does allow opportunity for growth and maturity. He understands that for various reasons a person may need to take a break for a time...a kind of time out to reevaluate their life. He also understands that after this deviation there may be reason to ask to come back to the group with a renewed understanding. Benedict does put a limit on this leave-taking. Stability would encourage me not to leave everytime things do not go my way. Just because I am having a rough week or day is not reason to just totally give up.
Sr. Catherine, OSB
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment