Social standing, whether based on race, gender, caste, education, or anything else lends opportunity to elitism. However, community built on the wisdom of St. Benedict’s Rule is a community of equals. Sixth century Roman culture exuded elitist values. Those who joined a monastic community would bring the seeds of “personal privilege” with them. Benedict purged those divisive seeds by restricting what they may receive. He had no desire to reflect the culture around them by importing possessions from family and friends. The purpose of the monastic life is to discover that the possession of God is far more satisfying than anything we can collect in material things.
Our contemporary culture views possessions as the measure of success. A saying is that “the one who dies with the most toys wins.” But we are left questioning what is that thing that one wins? Samuel recognized, “The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread.”[1]When the culture around us shouts for more and more, we strive for a life of internal wealth, unencumbered by external things. We strive to rescue the threatened value of dependence on God. Consumerism and greed are the source of many ills in the world, but those things teach that nothing satisfies, and everything is never enough. We strive discover the living water that fully satisfies, and the spring that wells up to overflowing.
[1]1 Samuel 2
