Meditations

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Ephesians 4:28

“Basil requires the monk to work, not merely as a cure for idleness, but also ‘that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need’. The monk was not to escape the ordinary obligation of the Christian to deeds of charity, but rather to make his love of the poor a proof of his great devotion to God.”
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Basil of Caesarea (330-379) as recounted in Basil and His Rule (London: Oxford University Press, 1912) 123.

Notice for Basil that work is a cure for idleness as Paul notes (cf. Paul’s instructions in 1 Thessalonians 4:9–12 and 2 Thessalonians 3:6–16) and positions the worker to have resources to give as noted in today’s Scripture. Giving for Basil (and Paul) also demonstrates proof of love.

Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it. 2 Corinthians 8:24

As we think about our own generosity, if you can work, you should work. Idleness leads to other sins, such as hoarding for self, which is stealing in the biblical mindset. Also consider what proof you want to put forth.

God give us strength to work and help people see your love through our generosity. Amen,

Whether anyone who wishes to avail himself of the monastery only for a short time, is to be allowed admission Basil’s decision is as follows:

“It is right to give him admission, even though the result may be doubtful. For perhaps he will be benefited by his short stay, as not infrequently happens, and become completely enamoured of our life, when he has made full proof of our discipline, and has found it to be very different from what he had suspected.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) as recounted in Basil and His Rule (London: Oxford University Press, 1912) 122.

As we dig into the Rule of Basil of Caesarea we learn an interesting insight about generous living. When we urge people to try it, they may realize it is “very different” from what they expected.

Isn’t that true about many aspects of life? We often have fears or misconceptions about the unknown. But when we try it, we realize by experience it is actually really good.

If you want to encourage someone to grow in generosity, you don’t have to invite them to live in a monastery. Invite them to take steps as God leads. They too may find it it be “very different” than they suspected.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 1 John 2:15

“Visitors are not to go away with an impression that the monks live in luxury. If a guest does not care for the entertainment provided, he need not come again. Suppose that a stranger comes to us. If he is a brother, and leads the same life, he will not object to having the same table. For he will only find what he has left at home…

But if he is of the world, he will learn from our deeds that which words could not teach him, and will see a practical example of frugality with contentment. He will go away with a recollection of true Christian fare, and of poverty endured without shame for Christ’s sake. If, however, he is not thus impressed, but is disposed to ridicule our doings, he will not trouble us a second time.”

Basil of Caesarea (330-379) as recounted in Basil and His Rule (London: Oxford University Press, 1912) 121.

Early church fathers, like Basil of Caesarea, taught fellow disciples to avoid giving the impression of living in “luxury” but to exhibit “frugality with contentment.”

What impression do people get when they see how you live?

This relates to generosity, for Basil, in that our way of living is to provide a practical example for others how to live. If they love the world, they will not embrace it.

If are likeminded, they will feel right at home.

Jesus wants us to look different our culture (a.k.a. “the world”) where we live. “True Christian fare” reflects hospitality and poverty and is countercultural and generous.

For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:14

“The Lord grant you the grace to observe these precepts with love as lovers of spiritual beauty, exuding the fragrance of Christ by the goodness of your lives; you are no longer slaves under the law, but a people living in freedom under grace. These precepts should be read to you once a week, so that you will see yourselves in this little book as in a mirror and not neglect anything through forgetfulness. When you find yourselves doing what has been written here, thank the Lord, the giver of all good gifts. However, if anyone of you realizes that he has failed on a specific point, let him be sorry for the past, safeguard the future, and continue to pray for his offences to be forgiven, and that he not be led into temptation.”

Augustine of Hippo in The Rule of St. Augustine 8.1-2. The text of the rule is adapted from George Lawless’ translation in Augustine of Hippo and His Monastic Rule (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987), included in Constitutions of the Order of Preachers (Dublin: Dominican Publications, 2012).

This is the last day looking at The Rule of St. Augustine. I hope you have enjoyed it.

Following God’s design for life and living produces goodness (a.k.a. generosity). We don’t have to try to be generous, it happens.

For Augustine, this conclusion to his rule aims to remind fellow disciples that grace enables us to follow it. In so doing, God blesses with gifts.

The gifts are to be enjoyed and shared, while offences are to be forgiven. I can only imagine how a weekly reminder of this would transform a community of disciples.

God may our goodness and forgiveness draw others to you. Amen.

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Acts 5:3-4

“Whenever anyone brings anything to sons or relations who reside in the monastery, an article of clothing, or anything else that is considered necessary, the gift is not to be pocketed on the sly but given to the superior as common property, so that it can be given to whoever needs it.”

Augustine of Hippo in The Rule of St. Augustine 5.3. The text of the rule is adapted from George Lawless’ translation in Augustine of Hippo and His Monastic Rule (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987), included in Constitutions of the Order of Preachers (Dublin: Dominican Publications, 2012).

God sees everything. When He saw the sin on the sly of Ananias and Sapphira, He acted swiftly to send the church a message. I think most have missed it the message and continue to pocket on the sly.

I am not saying I am perfect here. Goodness, I will log in as chief of sinners. What’s key here is that keeping possessions for ourselves is not God’s design or desire. He knows whatever we hold on to gets a hold on to us.

So, Augustine urged everyone who followed his rule to see everything, including gifts, as common property. Every good and perfect gift comes from God for our enjoyment and sharing, not our keeping.

Giving is possible coupled with keeping, but it’s not generosity, in the biblical sense of the word. Generosity only happens when we serve as conduits of material and spiritual blessings.

God, forgive me for pocketing on the sly and teach me to see everything as common because You own it all. Amen. 

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Matthew 6:25

“Keep your clothes in one place under the care of one or two, or as many people as may be needed to air them out and prevent damage from moths. Just as a single storeroom furnishes your food, so a single wardrobe should supply your clothing. Pay as little attention as possible to the clothes you receive as the season requires. Whether each of you receives what he had turned in or what was worn by someone else is of little concern, so long as no one is denied what he needs.

If arguments and grumbling occur among you, and someone complains that he has received worse clothing than previously and that it is beneath his dignity to be dressed in clothes which another brother was wearing, you thereby demonstrate to yourselves how deficient you are in the holy and interior clothing of the heart, arguing as you do about clothes for the body. Even though one caters to your weakness and you receive the same clothing, you are to keep the clothes you are not wearing at the present time in one place under common supervision.

In this way, let no one work for himself alone; all your work shall be for the common purpose, with greater zeal and more concentrated effort than if each one worked for his private purpose. The Scriptures tell us: ‘Love is not self-seeking.’ We understand this to mean: the common good takes precedence over the individual good, the individual good yields to the common good. Here again, you will know the extent of your progress as you enlarge your concern for the common interest instead of your own private interest; enduring love will govern all matters pertaining to the fleeting necessities of life.”

Augustine of Hippo in The Rule of St. Augustine 5.1-2. The text of the rule is adapted from George Lawless’ translation in Augustine of Hippo and His Monastic Rule (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987), included in Constitutions of the Order of Preachers (Dublin: Dominican Publications, 2012).

I hope you are enjoying this exploration of the Rule of St. Augustine. Today he offers us a glimpse into contentment with basic food and clothing that demonstrates obedience to our Lord.

Jesus told us not to worry about what we eat or drink or what we wear. The Apostle Paul echoed him saying: But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 1 Timothy 6:8

So Augustine sets forth that people should be content with any clothes, even those worn previously by others in a “single wardrobe” just like a “single storeroom” of food should be sufficient.

And notice that we should give care to steward the clothing we have, lest moths eat it, while avoiding any grumbling. Why do this? Our earning is not about caring for our needs only but the Christian community.

Let us adopt this mindset, so that our hearts remain in love and aim at generosity rather than advancing our private interests which cause us to be consumed with the necessities of life.

God, help us care for others ahead of ourselves empowered by your enduring love. Amen.

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place where He Himself intended to go. Luke 10:1

“Do not allow your clothing to attract attention; seek to please not by the clothes you wear, but by the life you live. Whenever you leave the house, go together; wherever you are going, stay together. In your walk, posture, all external comportment, do nothing to offend anyone who sees you. Act in a manner worthy of your holy profession.”

Augustine of Hippo in The Rule of St. Augustine 4.1-3. The text of the rule is adapted from George Lawless’ translation in Augustine of Hippo and His Monastic Rule (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987), included in Constitutions of the Order of Preachers (Dublin: Dominican Publications, 2012).

As we go, we must focus on going together and adorning ourselves with good deeds. This counsel from Augustine fits in line with the explicit instructions of Jesus in today’s Scripture.

The world focuses on pleasing people with fancy or fine clothing. Sadly, this perspective has found its way into the Church. It’s a matter of the heart and reveals whom we are seeking to please.

This also may mean not to have shabby clothing either that might attract negative attention. Simple living that makes margin for generosity calls for simple clothing.

And notice the reason why we must “go together” with keen attention to our comportment according to Jesus. We must go where He is leading and then He will show up. Notice the faith required on our part.

Friends, whatever God is calling you to do today. Dress simply, travel light, go together, and trust that God will show up in a powerful way. But each of us must take the first steps in obedience.

You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. Ezekiel 34:3-4

“Sick people necessarily take less food so as not to aggravate their condition. During convalescence they are to receive such care as will quickly restore their health, even if they come from the lowest level of poverty in the world. Recent illness has afflicted them with the same frailty which the wealthy possess from their previous manner of life. When sick people have fully recovered, they should return to their happier ways, which are all the more fitting for God’s servants to the extent that they have fewer needs. Food formerly necessary to remedy their illness should not become a pleasure which enslaves them. They should consider themselves richer since they are now more robust in putting up with privations. For it is better to need less than to have more.”

Augustine of Hippo in The Rule of St. Augustine 3.5. The text of the rule is adapted from George Lawless’ translation in Augustine of Hippo and His Monastic Rule (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987), included in Constitutions of the Order of Preachers (Dublin: Dominican Publications, 2012).

This timely section of the Rule of St. Augustine sets out the care of sick people. On my break which ends today, one of the matters I have been praying about is the role of those who are healthy during the current COVID crisis toward those who are sick.

We must not miss the message here. Augustine wants those who are healthy not to become enslaved by the pleasure of food but give thanks for their good health and share the abundance they have with those who suffer. Notice the reason why.

“It is better to need less than to have more.” Soak in that idea for awhile.

When we need less we show that we are finding meaning not in pleasures, possessions, or power, but in the person of Christ. When we need less we show that we are not dependent on things but on God who supplies them for enjoyment and sharing.

With this counsel, Augustine is not trying to rob the healthy but to restore the sick. Will we?

God, show us what this looks like for each of us, and for the sick around us. Amen.

Happy Mother’s Day to my mom, Patsy Hoag, my wife, Jenni Hoag, and all the other mother’s out there who have sacrificed to serve their children both at times of sickness as well as health.

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:16

“Those who enjoyed some measure of worldly success ought not to belittle their brothers who come to this holy society from a condition of poverty. They should endeavour to boast about the fellowship of poor brothers, rather than the social standing of rich relations. They are not to think well of themselves if they have contributed to the common life from their wealth. Sharing their possessions with the monastery ought not to become a greater source of pride than if they enjoyed these goods in the world.

As a matter of fact, every other vice produces evil deeds with a view to doing evil, but pride sets a trap for good deeds as well with a view to destroying them. What benefit is there in giving generously to the poor and becoming poor oneself, if the pitiful soul is more inclined to pride by rejecting riches than by possessing them? Live then, all of you, in harmony and concord; honor God mutually in each other; you have become His temples.”

Augustine of Hippo in The Rule of St. Augustine 1.7-8. The text of the rule is adapted from George Lawless’ translation in Augustine of Hippo and His Monastic Rule (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987), included in Constitutions of the Order of Preachers (Dublin: Dominican Publications, 2012).

In the early church and today, wealth and social standing lead to pride which can destroy good deeds. Each of us must watch out for this. We are all equals in the “holy society” of followers of Jesus.

Augustine wanted those around him to avoid becoming prideful for contributions to common life and Christian community by living in harmony with others and honoring God in each other realizing we have become God’s temples.

Think of the practical implications of this.

God wants His light and love to be made know through us. That gets snuffed out when we are stuck up or thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to for our service, our contributions, or anything we bring to the proverbial table.

The only path to take was charted by Paul in His letter to the church in Rome.

Harmony is found through association with others realizing we may have different backgrounds but we are all on the same plane before God. We are all in need of the same love and care.

We are not temples for ourselves but His temples. Remembering this is the only way for our ongoing generosity to glorify God or in plain terms for our good deeds to remain good.

God, help us honor you mutually in each other so that our good deeds gloryify you. Amen.

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. Acts 4:32

“The chief motivation for your sharing life together is to live harmoniously in the house and to have one heart and one soul seeking God. Do not call anything your own; possess everything in common. Your superior ought to provide each of you with food and clothing, not on an equal basis to all, because all do not enjoy the same health, but to each one in proportion to his need. For you read in the Acts of the Apostles: ‘They possessed everything in common’, and ‘distribution was made to each in proportion to each one’s need.’ Those who owned anything in the world should freely consent to possess everything in common in the monastery.”

Augustine of Hippo in The Rule of St. Augustine 1.2-4. The text of the rule is adapted from George Lawless’ translation in Augustine of Hippo and His Monastic Rule (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987), included in Constitutions of the Order of Preachers (Dublin: Dominican Publications, 2012).

The Rule of St. Augustine had eight sections. We will explore them in the coming days.

Notice the opening portion of the rule explains why possessions were to be held in common. It was to follow the example of the early church in Acts to maintain oneness of heart and mind in seeking after God.

Stuff distracts us and those around us from connecting to each other and to God.

This should inspire each of us to determine what portion we need and to resolve to share the rest. By this way, each of us maintains a posture of dependence on God and interdependence with each other as a community of stewards under spiritual authority.

We’ve strayed from this pattern! What if we chose to live this way? 

Jesus said the road would be narrow and few would take it. If we can’t find other stewards living this way, rather than follow cultural patterns, let us start a group where we are. It started with Augustine in Hippo, it depends on us where we are.

God, help us be one and not let possessions separate us from each other or you. Amen.