Читать книгу Listen My Son - Dwight Longenecker - Страница 18

We have asked the Lord, my brothers, about the kind of man who dwells in his house, and we have heard what is required in order to do so. So let us fulfil the task of such a dweller. That means that we must make ready our hearts and bodies to engage in the warfare of holy obedience to his commands, and because our nature has not power to do this, we must ask God to send forth the help of his grace to our aid. And, if we wish to escape the punishment of hell and reach eternal life, then while there is still time, while we are still in this body and this life gives us the light to do all these things, we must hurry to do now what will profit us for ever.

The Prologue to Benedict's Rule is full of loving encouragement and gentle enthusiasm. But it is also full of straight talking. In today's reading Benedict makes it clear that he is calling us to spiritual warfare and that we had better take him seriously if we wish to escape the pains of hell. The spiritual quest is not an option for people ‘who like that sort of thing’. Our soul's destiny is at stake and time is short.

This is the uncompromising language of one who speaks with authority. We are unused to such language because the concept of authority has been eroded in our society. A cynical, questioning and rebellious attitude has become not only fashionable, but expected. The idea that we submit ourselves to a greater authority is shocking to most modern people, yet this is exactly what is required if we are to achieve stability and prosper spiritually. So Benedict makes no mistake when he likens his disciples to spiritual warriors. Like any soldier they must learn to take orders. And if a soldier must take orders, the commanding officer must take the greater responsibility of giving orders well.

In our age fathers are experiencing a crisis because their traditionally authoritarian role has been undermined. If the wrong kind of authoritarianism has been eroded, that may be a creative step forward. However, for the family to be secure the father still needs to exercise authority in the right way.

Christian authority is always shared in a vertical manner. Authority comes down from God through Christ to those with whom he shares his authority. In the Church his authority is shared with the successors of the apostles – the bishops. In the home God's authority is given to the parents since God has already shared with them the work and joy of the creative act. So as God gave Adam dominion over creation (Gen. 2.15), so God gives the man dominion within the family.

As Benedict does in today's reading, the one who holds authority must sometimes speak and act with firmness. While there is no call for the abbot or father to be tyrannical there is also no room for him to be pusillanimous. There are surely some men who err on the side of being too strict and dictatorial, but many more make the mistake of being too weak, lazy and complacent. For our homes to prosper men need to take up their God-given authority as fathers. We need to do so with maturity and humility, with good humour and without apology.