The fourth chapter of the holy rule is entirely different from the previous three. This one is a list of 73 instruments that make the monks do good works. They are 73 rules that each monk follows, which produces good works within the "workshop" of the monastary.
A couple surprising rules are:
#47 - to keep death before one's eyes daily - I wonder why they thought of this, and how they would have hoped it would have helped...
#54 - not to speak useless words and such as provoke laughter & #55 - not to love much or boisterous laughter - Doesn't laughter help people? Maybe they just didn't want the monks to be too happy...
#62 - not to desire to be called holy before one is; but to be holy first, that one may be truly so called - this one is really special to me right now because of my studies in holiness theology. Holiness is not the desire - Christ is!
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1 comment:
Well, if you're always thinking that death is right around the corner, couldn't it help you to live life to its fullest?
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