Chapter 60 of the Rule sets forth an essential element—namely, that no one comes to the community with any claim to superiority over anyone else.
One of the tests of our commitment to Christ is whether we are willing to put ourselves into submission to the community we seek to enter. In the case of the Benedictines, this meant that a priest could not enter and expect to be given “special treatment” because he was already a “man of God.” Instead, he was to take his place along with everyone else and be subject to the discipline of the Rule just like anyone else.
On a broader scale, we’re dealing with hurt feelings. We need to be on the lookout for those who come into community expecting to get special attention or recognition, and who become “pouty” when they do not. This is a sure sign that they came to us only to have their egos stroked in some way.
When I went on a Walk to Emmaus, we were not allowed to introduce ourselves at our table by anything other than our name—no titles, no “previous experience,”—just our names. Everyone was on the Walk as an equal.
There is no “inside track” in the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1). Sometimes, one of the best ways to tell what’s going on is to see who’s willing to serve on the “clean-up crew” after the awards’ ceremony is over. If the one who received the “Person of the Year Award” is the first one to ask for a broom, things are in pretty good shape.
Oboedire 