Reflective Reading: Center of Things
“Agitation drives out consciousness of God. When we’re driven by agitation, consumed by fretting, we become immersed in our own agenda, and it’s always exaggerated. We get caught up in things that, in the final analysis, simply don’t count, in things that pass away, in things that are concerned with living comfortably rather than living well. We go to pieces over crying children and broken machines and the length of stoplights at intersections. We lose touch with the center of things. Joan Chittister in The Rule of St. Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century These words from Sister Joan Chittister seem especially relevant in the days we are living. I read this passage a few weeks ago in the introduction to her book on the Rule of St. Benedict. (I always feel like it’s going to be a great book when I’m already highlighting passages in the introduction!) We are living in such powerful and interesting times. I find myself swinging between anxiety, trust, hope, and fear. It’s hard to know how to read the times. Ultimately, I’m hopeful. We get the opportunity to rethink patterns and rhythms that just two months ago seemed untouchable. Maybe like in the passage we had lost touch with the center of things, and now we get the chance to realign. This passage is crammed full of wisdom and ideas to consider. When we are driven by agitation, we are consumed by our own agenda and it’s always exaggerated. I’ve been thinking about this for several weeks. It’s true. (at least in my life!) Living comfortable rather than living well…I mean. Yes. It’s true. I get caught in this trap all.the.time. I don’t love wearing a mask when I go out. It fogs my glasses, I hate having things around my ears (is that a thing or just me?), BUT it seems like my mask, in this season is a small sacrifice I can make to live well, not just for me, but for others. I love the practice of reflective reading because I’m asking myself to slow down and engage ideas, rather than just skim over them. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable. It would have been a lot easier to skim past this paragraph, rather than highlight it and walk around with it and ask myself the hard questions: Where is my agitation coming from? How does my agitation result in exaggeration? Where am I caught up in things that don’t count? Am I more concerned with living comfortably than living well? Do I let children, machines, and stop lights take me away from the things that matter? Where, when, why, how have I lost touch with the center? What does this passage have for you? “Agitation drives out consciousness of God. When we’re driven by agitation, consumed by fretting, we become immersed in our own agenda, and it’s always exaggerated. We get caught up in things that, in the final analysis, simply don’t count, in things that pass away, in things that are concerned with living comfortably rather than living well. We go to pieces over crying children and broken machines and the length of stoplights at intersections. We lose touch with the center of things. Joan Chittister in The Rule of St. Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century Read the passage slowly once or twice and look for the word or phrase that stands out to you. As you slowly read the passage, notice how it makes you feel. Is there an invitation for you in the passage? Are you starting your day with the Be More Journal? It’s available on Amazon.
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