Stay at a House
In this week’s Gospel Mark 6: 7-13 Jesus tells us ‘Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.’ I believe he is urging us to embrace stability in our lives. This is one of the cornerstones of Benedictine Spirituality. St Paul practiced this concept on his missionary journeys. When he visited Corinth he stayed at the home of Priscilla and Aquila for approximately 18 months, while he evangelized the city.
There is a difference between stability and stagnation. A sapling in the forest with a large stone at its side, they are both stable, but over the years the tree grows and stretches out its branches, while the stone just lies there. Jesus is calling us to be like trees. He is calling us to practice stability so that we can focus on growing our spirituality.
As in all Jesus teachings, this calls for discernment. Jesus is not saying not to change homes, change jobs, change parishes over the years, but to try to have some aspect of our lives that is stable. For me, stability has meant being married to Sandee for 46years and ministering, with her, to family life for almost 40 years.
A priest friend of mine attended a secondary school run by a religious order, then went on to become a priest in that order, returned to the school, taught there his entire working life, retired as principal and now lives on the compound in his retirement. For most of us today this may sound extreme, but over the years he has formed thousands of young men who have gone on to lives of leadership.
We ask ourselves how can we embrace stability in our lives? Perhaps it starts with recognizing the areas where we can plant roots and grow. This might be in our relationships, our faith community, or our personal practices that ground us daily. Stability doesn't mean a lack of change but rather a firm foundation from which we can grow and adapt.
By creating these stable anchors in our lives, we give ourselves the strength and resilience to face life's challenges and continue to develop spiritually and personally, much like the sapling growing into a mighty tree.
One of the areas I am trying to develop stability in my life is praying the Liturgy of the Hours. On becoming a deacon, I have to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, especially the Morning and Night prayers. Two and a half years into the diaconate, I am still struggling to find stability in this practice. But I am committed, I fall and get up and start again. As with all practices, I know that if I continue I will find stability.
I also have a vision of stability in this online ministry, that I started 6 months ago, on turning 68years. I look forward in hope for many years to come. It is never too late to embrace stability in our lives so that we can grow our spirituality. What have you been dreaming of starting as an anchor in your life? What is holding you back?
Taking that first step toward stability can be daunting, but it's crucial to remember that even small, consistent efforts can lead to significant growth. Reflect on your passions and aspirations, and consider how you can incorporate them into your daily routine.
Whether it's a new spiritual practice, a commitment to community service, or nurturing relationships, identifying and cultivating these anchors can provide a sense of purpose and direction. Embrace the journey, knowing that with perseverance and faith, you can create a stable foundation that will support and nourish you for years to come.
NOTICE BOARD
Friends, one way of practicing stability in our lives is embracing a Benedictine Spirituality for Home and Work. This is why I started the Benedictine Spirituality program. Join us by clicking on the link below. Start by reading and viewing the back posts.
Great post Hilary. I’m always amazed how you come up with so many insightful comments on just a little phrase from the gospel of the week.
I will copy this to the Benedictine spirituality Payhip group, but the stability I’m working towards in my life from a spiritually perspective is the practice of Christian meditation twice a day or more at set times and a Benedictine inspired way of life in our home.
The startup of a company that will hopefully not only provide us with income needed for the family but also help asset owners create a strategy to deal with climate change from a risk management perspective, and also contribute to planet sustainability. I know there will be sacrifices for example getting education and study to stay relevant and abreast of you developments. I also need to nurture a network of people motivated by the same passion.
Finally seeking stability in our 21 year marriage, which is hitting some challenges, simply due to passing of time and unfortunate events that happen in our lives, but I’m dedicated to nurture our marriage so we can produce much more fruits than we have so far with the help of extended family community and friends.