tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-512647349909812502.post7971005702194905891..comments2024-01-01T03:37:28.909-05:00Comments on Oblate Blog: Balance: the answer to all questions? A Benedictine oblate blogJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01438934904276002548noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-512647349909812502.post-14060853413133960492008-11-11T13:55:00.000-05:002008-11-11T13:55:00.000-05:00This is exactly what makes monastic spirituality s...This is exactly what makes monastic spirituality so attractive to me - moderation, which Benedict was so careful to develop. Still, monasteries have never been completely detached from their surrounding communities. Today many are, in a number of ways in touch with the world. Places like Gethsemene are even dependent on internet commerce to support the monastery. Then too, they are engaged in prayer for the world, the most powerful form of support and interaction there is.<BR/><BR/>Keep up the good work --<BR/><BR/>Ron MoffatAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-512647349909812502.post-234077316331624642008-11-10T14:51:00.000-05:002008-11-10T14:51:00.000-05:00Yes, you are right. As I reread my blog I thought...Yes, you are right. As I reread my blog I thought that “balance” might not be the right concept when viewed from the outside of being an oblate — because of what you wrote: there is only one extreme, "our love and loyalty to God. All else pales." That is exactly how I see it. <BR/><BR/>I am just like you in terms of secular- themed activities — for those activities that I cannot avoid, I try to have as little involvement as possible. And our relationship to Christ is the constant activity placed above all others. <BR/><BR/>From where I view it, my life is gaining greater balance under the Rule of St. Benedict. But I can also see how I would have viewed such statements during my 37 years as an atheist — as being out of balance with a rational interaction with the world which holds so many worthwhile activities.<BR/><BR/>Great comment Plain Catholic, thank you.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01438934904276002548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-512647349909812502.post-2593324253424448562008-11-10T11:22:00.000-05:002008-11-10T11:22:00.000-05:00O aye: as a Plain Catholic we still attend a regul...O aye: as a Plain Catholic we still attend a regular parish, still volunteer with others. There is only one extreme permissable according to St. Benedict: our love and loyalty to God. All else pales.<BR/><BR/>We also stay out of many secular themed activities to cultivate our relationship with Christ.PlainCatholichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00795596623546394780noreply@blogger.com