Saint Benedict wrote his Rule and shaped the monastic tradition at an interesting moment in human history. Nobility frequently believed it was to their advantage—and to the child’s—to offer a son or daughter to the monastery in service to God. The poor often felt the same way. Sister Joan reminds us that it was not until the Council of Trent that the Church established an age at which a person might freely profess and become a monastic.
Benedict’s concern was real. He sought to establish conditions that respected the child, the family, and the integrity of the monastic community.
While this chapter clearly speaks to community and equality, at its heart is Benedict’s concern for the seriousness of spiritual commitment. From his wisdom concerning the dedication of children to God, Sister Joan draws a beautiful reminder for us today:
We must learn to complete in faith what we begin in enthusiasm; we must learn to be true to ourselves; we must continue to become what we said we would be, even when accommodation to the immediate seems to be so much more sensible, so much more reasonable, so much easier.
Her words move the chapter beyond its historical setting. Enthusiasm may begin the journey, but fidelity completes it.
In closing, Sister Joan reminds us of the smelting effect of a communal spirituality. We are shaped, refined, and purified through the difficult and patient work of living together. It is in that journey with one another that we learn from one another, grow through one another, and slowly move together toward God.
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