Editor's Note

February 21, 2024

Man was not made for the sabbath, but the sabbath for man. With this important teaching, our Lord overturns a misplaced priority accorded to the Law and directs us toward the reason for the Law. I am led to consider that teaching about the sabbath this particular week, as I am soon to begin a sabbatical, a period of time whose name is linked to the sabbath. The sabbatical, it would seem, was made for me. And I hope I might receive the grace to reorder my own priorities, to “enter into His rest” on this sabbatical. This does mean that I will be away from the editorial desk of The Current for some time, and with an additional member of our team also away for theological study, we shall reduce our publication rate to once per month. With God’s further grace, we hope to return to our weekly pace in September. By the will of God, may I “see you in September”!

Peace,
Blake Billings

February 13, 2024

Lent typically means, for the school calendar, a big vacation. This sounds a bit disconcerting to the weak-willed layman such as myself, who would like to plan (if not complete) an edifying program of sacrifice for the holy season. But rather than facing the rigors of routine and persevering through the ascetic disciplines of the desert, I am able to anticipate a nice holiday. For the monks, the absence of the school means a simplicity and a contemplative time, well-suited to the opportunities a Lenten regimen should provide. For myself, it presents the challenge of integrating a Lenten plan into an irregular, open, responsibility-free break from work. This becomes particularly difficult when it incorporates travel. My working solution to this is to frame the Lenten time as a pilgrimage. This notion of the “Lenten journey” is, of course, commonly employed. And it is perhaps easy for a creature of routine like me to feel somewhat deprived of the routine while traveling. The usual sources of spiritual nourishment are not there; my roots search for nutrients but find themselves suddenly in shallow ground. But as a pilgrim, this uprootedness gains a sense of depth, the disorientation a sense of purpose, the absence of continuity becomes a blessed deprivation. This all may be one great rationalization: to equate “Spring Break” with “Lenten Desert”! But keeping in mind the sacred destination, remembering that each step is guided by that star, all pointing “forward to holy Easter” as St. Benedict frames it – maybe this actually can change even an extended vacation into a holy pilgrimage. I will pray on that!

Peace,
Blake Billings

February 7, 2024

As we approach Ash Wednesday with all that it signifies, one may think that for Benedictines it is just “business as usual.” St. Benedict notably remarks in his Rule that the monastic life should always have a Lenten character. It may be worthwhile to reexamine his chapter on the season (italics mine):

The life of a monk ought to be a continuous Lent. Since few, however, have the strength for this, we urge the entire community during these days of Lent to keep its manner of life most pure and to wash away in this holy season the negligences of other times. This we can do in a fitting manner by refusing to indulge evil habits and by devoting ourselves to prayer with tears, to reading, to compunction of heart and self-denial. During these days, therefore, we will add to the usual measure of our service something by way of private prayer and abstinence from food or drink, so that each of us will have something above the assigned measure to offer God of his own will with the joy of the Holy Spirit (1 Th 1:6). In other words, let each one deny himself some food, drink, sleep, needless talking and idle jesting, and look forward to holy Easter with joy and spiritual longing. (RB, Chapter 49)

The chapter then directs monks to make known to the abbot just what it is they intend to do, and that it “ought to be done with his prayer and approval,” so as to avoid “presumption and vainglory.” May we find inspiration through Benedict, that all our Lenten practices avoid such faults and draw us “forward to holy Easter.”

Peace,
Blake Billings

January 29, 2024

One of the more humorous of the “Class Quotes” found in the Healey Plaza near the fitness center on the School campus is the expression, “Nothing is set in stone.” The ironic humor lies in the fact that these words themselves, indeed, lie there carved in a stone tablet, left as a token to the class of 2014. Brother Sixtus provides us with some background on our Abbey Artist, John Howard Benson, whose connection to the monastic community reached back to its early days. The family business has been all about carving in stone, creating memorials that will endure. The remarks offered by Abbot Michael in this issue, however, speak of change, of conversion, of what is not set, what must not endure. On the feast of Paul’s conversion, the Abbot spoke of his own. He also spoke of the Benedictine vow of change, of “conversatio morum” – an unchanging commitment to change, to allowing what is set to be… upset. This leads me to consider a modification of the Portuguese proverb, “God writes straight with crooked lines.” Maybe it would go something like, “God changes through lines set in stone.” And, to note, this may express some of the power of lectio divina, explained by Br. Sixtus in our first article. May we all discover the proper belonging-together of what must change and what is set in stone.

Peace,
Blake Billings