Visel, Jeana, OSB

English

College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University: DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU

Obsculta Volume 5 Issue 1 Article 10 July 2014 Arrival at Perfect Love and the Steps of Humility Jeana Visel OSB College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University, obsculta@csbsju.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/obsculta  Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, and the Christianity Commons ISSN: 2472-2596 (print) ISSN: 2472-260X (online) Recommended Citation Visel, Jeana OSB. 2012. Arrival at Perfect Love and the Steps of Humility. Obsculta 5, (1) : 34-36. https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/obsculta/vol5/iss1/10. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Obsculta by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@CSB/SJU. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@csbsju.edu. 34 obscultaArrival at Perfect Love and the Steps of  Humility 6LVWHU-HDQD9LVHO26%            In  Chapter Seven of  The Rule of  Saint Benedict%HQHGLFWdraws on Cassian’s Institutes and The Rule of  the Master to develop WZHOYHVWHSVRI KXPLOLW\%HJLQQLQJZLWKWKHIHDURI WKH/RUGDV WKH ÀUVW VWHS %HQHGLFW EXLOGV D WUDMHFWRU\ IRU PRQDVWLFprogress in this most central virtue of  monastic life. Ultimately, progress leads to the twelfth step, where a monk manifests KXPLOLW\´LQKLVEHDULQJµLQDOOKHGRHV5%DQGWKHQWR“that perfect love of  God which casts out fear (1 John 4:18, 5%µ 1 Here the monk can do all things “no longer out RI IHDURI KHOOEXWRXWRI ORYHIRU&KULVWµ5%+DYLQJEHHQSXULÀHGRI YLFHVWKHPRQNHQWHUVDQHZZRUOGZKHUHthe love of  God and neighbor completely orients his life.     In considering the context of  the arrival at perfect love, ZHFDQVHHWKDWLQ%HQHGLFW·VYLHZVXFKEOLVVFRPHVRQO\DIWHUDVFHQGLQJDOOWKHRWKHUVWHSVRI KXPLOLW\5%$WWDLQLQJperfect love of  God and one’s neighbor does not happen overnight, but comes as the conclusion of  a long process RI  JURZWK DQG FRQYHUVLRQ %HQHGLFW GUDZV RQ KLV VRXUFHVfor this material: while Cassian simply enumerates signs of  humility to be noted in monastic progress (Inst. ,92 the Master takes these and builds them into rungs of  a ladder to be climbed (RM 10).37KRXJK%HQHGLFWVRIWHQVVRPHRI WKH“climbing” language by simply describing each of  the steps as stages to be lived, clearly he still sees such progress as a SURFHVV RI  XSZDUG PRYHPHQW WRZDUG D VXPPLW 5%       In the reality of  lived experience, in all likelihood %HQHGLFW·V VWHSV RI  KXPLOLW\ UDUHO\ DFWXDOO\ RFFXU LQ WKHparticular order he describes. Yet in placing fear of  the /RUGDVWKHÀUVWVWHS5%%HQHGLFWVHWVXSDEURDGHUFKLDVWLF FRQWH[W IRU GHYHORSPHQW WRZDUG SHUIHFW ORYH %\ZRUNLQJ IURP IHDU WRZDUG D ÀQDO VWDJH ZKHUH ´SHUIHFWORYH« FDVWV RXW IHDUµ 5%  KH FUHDWHV D FKDSWHU RQhumility which ultimately denotes how one is to move from fear to love of  God. The evocative language of  1 John  SURYLGHV %HQHGLFW WKH JURXQGLQJ IRU KLV EULHI  EXWalluring description of  the goal: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.”1  As quoted from Timothy Fry, ed., RB 1980: The Rule of  Benedict in Latin and English with Notes (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, +HUHDIWHUDOOUHIHUHQFHVWRWKH5XOHRI %HQHGLFWIURPWKLVYHUVLRQZLOOEHLQGLFDWHGE\5%IROORZHGE\FKDSWHUDQGYHUVHnumber, and all biblical references (outside of  the ones that are GLUHFWTXRWDWLRQVIURP5%ZLOOEHWDNHQIURPThe New American Bible1DVKYLOOH71&DWKROLF%LEOH3UHVV2 -RKQ&DVVLDQ-HURPH%HUWUDPWUDQVOThe Monastic Institutes (London: Saint Austin Press, 1999), 64.3  Luke Eberle, transl., The Rule of  the Master (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1977), 131-139.     The fuller biblical context of  1 John 4:18 describes God’s love for us and the way we are to love each other. In 1 John 4:7-21, the author of  1 John calls Christians to participation LQ WKH ORYH RI  *RG ,W LV *RG ZKR ÀUVW UHYHDOHG ORYH WRus (through Christ) and enabled us to love each other (4: 9-12, 19). In acknowledging Jesus as the Son of  God and in loving, we remain in God and God remains in us (4:14-17). Ultimately, love is brought to perfection as we develop FRQÀGHQFHLQ*RG·VORYHIRUXVWRWKHSRLQWZKHUHZHGRQRWfear judgment. Fear of  punishment has slipped away (4:17-18). Yet if  our love for God is to be true, we also must love our neighbor (4:20-21). The verses immediately surrounding -RKQGHDOSDUWLFXODUO\ZLWKFRQÀGHQFHLQ*RGLQWKHface of  judgment (4:17), and the fact that we are able to love EHFDXVH*RGÀUVWORYHGXV7KHVHYHUVHVVSHDNWRWKHrelational shift that happens as we respond to God’s great love for us. When we come to trust in God’s love for us, at a certain point we do not fear being punished. We know God’s PHUF\DQGKDYHFRQÀGHQFHLQRXUVDIHW\LQ*RG·VSUHVHQFH7KLVWKHPHRI FRQÀGHQFHLQ*RGDOVRLVEURXJKWRXWLQthe New Jerome Biblical Commentary on this passage.4&RQÀGHQFHdoes not just arrive with the development of  a personal relationship with God, but through growth in love as lived in the Christian community. The ability to love may come from God’s initiative, but it takes root in humanity only through love for one another. We must keep God’s commandment to love, which necessarily includes love both for God and for one’s EURWKHUVDQGVLVWHUV7KHQFRQÀGHQFH LQ*RG·V ORYHIRUXVarises in part because in our living we love each other in such DZD\WKDWRXUFRQVFLHQFHVDUHFOHDU1-%&&XOWLYDWLQJwarm feelings about God isn’t enough in Christianity; we have to live the life and do the hard work of  loving people.       This larger scriptural framework shapes the meaning of  %HQHGLFW·VXVHRI -RKQLQ5%:KHQ%HQHGLFWspeaks of  arriving at perfect love, he implies that love for God has EHHQGHYHORSHGWKURXJKWKHORQJVRPHWLPHVGLIÀFXOWH[HUFLVHof  loving one’s brothers and sisters. Practice leads to habit. Certainly the monk may come to the point where observance FRPHV´ZLWKRXWHIIRUW DV WKRXJKQDWXUDOO\µ 5%EXWperfect love of  God is tightly bound to long practice of  love for neighbor, the latter rarely coming easily in every situation.     0RUHRYHU LI ZHFRQVLGHUKRZ%HQHGLFW URRWV5% LQ4  Pheme Perkins, “The Johannine Epistles,” in The New Jerome Biblical CommentaryHGV5D\PRQG(%URZQ-RVHSK$)LW]P\HUand Roland E. Murphy, (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990), 992. Reference from this source will be cited in the body of  WKHWH[WDV1-%&IROORZHGE\VHFWLRQQXPEHU35obscultaCor Mariae&KDVH%HFNHUthe growth toward perfect love described in 1 John, we can see that all the steps of  humility are grounded in love for RQH·VQHLJKERU ,Q´ORYLQJQRW >RQH·V@RZQZLOOµ 5%VXEPLWWLQJ WR D VXSHULRU 5%  DQG IROORZLQJ ´ZKDWLV HQGRUVHG E\ WKH FRPPRQ UXOH RI  WKH PRQDVWHU\µ 5%7:55), one respectfully allows the collective wisdom of  the community, or of  a superior, to guide one’s life. In enduring KDUGVKLSV 5%  RU EHDULQJ KDUVK WUHDWPHQW 5% RQH SUDFWLFHV VDFULÀFH IRU WKH VDNH RI  WKH RWKHU ,QFRQIHVVLQJ VLQIXO WKRXJKWV WR VXSHULRUV 5%  DQGDGPLWWLQJRQH·VLQIHULRULW\5%RQHSUDFWLFHVWUXVWin the goodness and gentleness of  others. In controlling RQH·V VSHHFK DQG ODXJKWHU 5%   RQH OHDUQVto express only kind things about others. Humility is not about masochism or self-degradation, but about honesty regarding one’s place in the world, a recognition that I am one among many other people equally loved by God. To be in right relationship with God, we must work to be in ULJKW UHODWLRQVKLS ZLWK HDFK RWKHU :LWKLQ %HQHGLFWLQHcommunity, monks and sisters have the opportunity to 36 obscultaA northern Illinois native, Sr. Jeana Visel is a Benedictine sister from Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Indiana. She is pursuing a Master of  Arts degree in Theology at Saint John’s School of  Theology·Seminary, concentrating in Monastic Studies with a minor in Liturgy. She also is Director of  Faith Formation and Assistant Director of  Liturgy at Saint John’s University Campus Ministry. Sr. Jeana has been writing icons since 2006, most recently under the direction of  Russian master iconographer Xenia Pokrovsky and her assistant Marek Czarnecki. Community allows us to practice patience with the faults and differences of  others. When we can bear with each other in love, we can build trust, knowing that we are safe and accepted, even with our imperfections.practice daily the love of  neighbor that is part of  loving God.What impels growth in love? As 1 John 4:19 says, “We love EHFDXVHKHÀUVWORYHGXVµ*RGLQLWLDWHVORYH$WWKHKXPDQlevel, often it is another’s love for me that invites me to love in a similar way. In one sense this is about modeling behavior. The everyday stuff  of  love is based on very basic actions. Yet at another level, as we are loved, God opens up something within us that allows us to love from our own hearts. This FDQ EH D EHDXWLIXO JLIW DQ XQH[SHFWHG ÁRZHULQJ RI  JUDFHWe likewise can do this for others. As John of  the Cross says, “Where there is no love, put love, and you will draw forth love.”5 As %HQHGLFW NQHZ VRZHOOthough, being loving toward those who grate against our own sensibilities is more GLIÀFXOW &RPPXQLW\allows us to practice patience with the faults and differences of  others. When we can bear with each other in love, we can build trust, knowing that we are safe and accepted, even with our imperfections. Yet love also means risking pain. Care, openness, and trust can be rejected or scorned. Few people can be completely loving and patient with others all the time; some hurt is inevitable. “Tough love” can mean making excruciating choices out of  respect for the common good. Even the purest of  love is subject to the agony of  separation by death or other natural parting. To grow in love, though, means to take the risk of  pain. It means shutting one’s mouth when it would be easier to talk back. It means offering oneself  when one may not necessarily be ZHOOUHFHLYHG,WPHDQVVDFULÀFLQJWLPHHQHUJ\SUHVWLJHDQGultimately one’s whole being, for the sake of  God and the other. As Terrence Kardong notes, in Christ we have an example RI  WKLV NLQGRI KXPEOH VDFULÀFLDO ORYH6 Likewise, in being 5  John of  the Cross, “Letter to Madre Maria de la Encarnacion, 6th July 1591,” as quoted in St. John of  the Cross, by Peter Tyler, (New York: Continuum, 2010), 143.6  Terrence Kardong, Benedict’s Rule: A Translation and Commentary &ROOHJHYLOOH01/LWXUJLFDO3UHVV´5%2YHUYLHZµMRLQHGWRWKH%RG\RI &KULVWZHKDYHKRSHRI EHLQJUDLVHGwith him to glory. For Jesus, no level of  abasement is too low. $VYDULRXVSDWULVWLFZULWHUVVXJJHVW%HQHGLFW·VXVHRI 3VDOP21:7 in the seventh step of  humility, “I am truly a worm, not a man” refers allegorically to Christ’s own unspeakable humility LQ EHFRPLQJ LQFDUQDWH DQGEHLQJ FUXFLÀHG7 Jesus’ bridging the ontological chasm between being God of  the universe and becoming as lowly as a worm seems almost unimaginable to us. Yet we are led to believe that no level of  degradation is beyond God’s willingness to inhabit, or beyond God’s ability to redeem. “What can separate us from the love of  Christ?” Paul asks (Rom. 8:35). %HQHGLFW ZLWK 3DXOsees the humiliation of  persecution, and even death, as no match for God’s JORU\ ´%XW LQ DOO WKLVwe overcome because of  him who so greatly ORYHG XVµ 5%  TXRWLQJ 5RP While the Master may seem to suggest we may attain this EOLVV DQG JORU\ RQO\ LQ KHDYHQ %HQHGLFW RIIHUV HYHU\HQFRXUDJHPHQW WKDW RXU JURZWK LQ ORYH FDQ ÁRZHU LQWRdelight and joy in God even on earth. We are told that, having started with fear of  the Lord, after ascending the steps of  humility, one “will quickly arrive at that perfect love of  God ZKLFK FDVWV RXW IHDUµ 5%  HPSKDVLVPLQH 7KURXJKGod’s love, eventually we will live lovingly, not out of  fear of  some hellish afterlife, but “out of  love for Christ, good KDELW DQG GHOLJKW LQ YLUWXHµ 5%  ,Q WKH 3URORJXH%HQHGLFWXUJHVXV´QRW>WR@EHGDXQWHGLPPHGLDWHO\E\IHDUµbut promises that “as we progress in this way of  life and in faith, we shall run on the path of  God’s commandments, our KHDUWVRYHUÁRZLQJZLWKWKHLQH[SUHVVLEOHGHOLJKWRI ORYHµ5%Prol. 48-49). We have every reason to hope that if  we follow &KULVW·VZD\ RI  KXPLOLW\ RXU GHVLUH IRU*RGZLOO EH ÀOOHG7 0DU\)RUPDQ26%´:RUP7KHRORJ\µOHFWXUH6W-RKQ·VUniversity-School of  Theology, Collegeville, MN), November 7, 2011.

Arrival at Perfect Love and the Steps of Humility

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Arrival at Perfect Love and the Steps of Humility

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