In this essay, I would like to illustrate how forms of simplicity and humility are used as foundations of Christian values and creations in monastic life. In post -Benedictine societies, there is a large desire to live more simply, reflecting on one’s being in relation to God and his/ her connections to the natural world. Whether through Saint Benedict’s rules on monastic life, Lockhart’s descriptions of Carthusian beliefs, or Sheldrake’s and Suger’s different interpretations of the church’s scarred structures, monks are convinced that the core of existence is divinely simple. The inspiration to live simply and humbly establishes one’s self-identity, and this lifestyle also becomes a guide that sets a basis for possible divine interaction
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At times, “patience”, “acceptance”, and “obedience” allow one to think in new ways and thus allowing for new self-understanding (Saint Benedict, RB 7). Even though, humility often has the connotation of passivity, meekness, and self-effacement, it really means coming to a true sense of oneself and one 's gifts. Humility includes stretching toward one 's fullest self, being willing to take risks, including the risk of failure, and it is the gentle act of getting oneself out of center, and inviting God to fill that central place in our lives. Also, humility is based on acceptance of one 's strengths and limitations, of one 's role as a part of the family of humankind, of being a part of God 's beloved creation. Humility is a balance of acceptance of God 's will and following that will. Humility involves acceptance of responsibility, working hand in hand with obedience. By inviting God into the center of one 's being, one is open to be led into all kinds of …show more content…
They have been saved not merely by human will clinging firmly to a Law, but above all by the humility of hearts that abandoned themselves to the Spirit Who dictated the Law. In Lockhart‘s Halfway to Heaven, the sense of community and not self is emphasized as he believes “it is much better to celebrate the merits of our neighbors than our own” (122). This illustrates the importance of listening/ learning and how they guide peaceful relationships and allow for internal growth/ formation of a new identity. Peacefully, humility allows the monk to face his reality: the truth and the holiness of God, which he must learn to confront in the depths of his own nothingness. Lockhart also talks about how modern society needs to understand how to live simply, learning how to not get tempted by others and physical desires. He emphasized how “peace is born of silence” (128), which illustrates how much is gained from understanding and building a community free of useful speech that could get taken the wrong way. Listening simply is not an act of worship but a connection to the divine, a reflection one’s sin, which has a scriptural foundation and also creates a basis for humility (Saint Benedict,
At times, “patience”, “acceptance”, and “obedience” allow one to think in new ways and thus allowing for new self-understanding (Saint Benedict, RB 7). Even though, humility often has the connotation of passivity, meekness, and self-effacement, it really means coming to a true sense of oneself and one 's gifts. Humility includes stretching toward one 's fullest self, being willing to take risks, including the risk of failure, and it is the gentle act of getting oneself out of center, and inviting God to fill that central place in our lives. Also, humility is based on acceptance of one 's strengths and limitations, of one 's role as a part of the family of humankind, of being a part of God 's beloved creation. Humility is a balance of acceptance of God 's will and following that will. Humility involves acceptance of responsibility, working hand in hand with obedience. By inviting God into the center of one 's being, one is open to be led into all kinds of …show more content…
They have been saved not merely by human will clinging firmly to a Law, but above all by the humility of hearts that abandoned themselves to the Spirit Who dictated the Law. In Lockhart‘s Halfway to Heaven, the sense of community and not self is emphasized as he believes “it is much better to celebrate the merits of our neighbors than our own” (122). This illustrates the importance of listening/ learning and how they guide peaceful relationships and allow for internal growth/ formation of a new identity. Peacefully, humility allows the monk to face his reality: the truth and the holiness of God, which he must learn to confront in the depths of his own nothingness. Lockhart also talks about how modern society needs to understand how to live simply, learning how to not get tempted by others and physical desires. He emphasized how “peace is born of silence” (128), which illustrates how much is gained from understanding and building a community free of useful speech that could get taken the wrong way. Listening simply is not an act of worship but a connection to the divine, a reflection one’s sin, which has a scriptural foundation and also creates a basis for humility (Saint Benedict,