Rule of Life (2) - Purpose and Value

THE PURPOSE AND VALUE OF A RULE OF LIFE

Last week, I suggested that the discipline of a Rule of Life can enable those of you who are serious about your discipleship to grow in the spiritual life.

Today, I want to spell this out in greater detail before we begin to look at the possible content of such a Rule in the following three weeks.

But first, what is a Rule of Life?

As I said last week, the word 'Rule' is a literal translation of the Latin word 'regula' which means rule, pattern, model or example.

And when you stop to think about it, all of our lives have a set pattern to them.

As some of you know, I am not an early morning person. I get up at 7.30am, shave, shower, dress and then go downstairs for breakfast, always feeling guilty that some of my parishioners are already at work in their London offices.

At 9.00am I meet with Giles to say the Daily Office of Morning Prayer and to pray for parishioners and the needs of the parish, as those of you who come to clean the church early on a Friday/Saturday morning will know. We then have a short staff meeting, except Mondays when we spread ourselves as we review the past week, look at the week ahead and do some forward planning.

Then it is the post. I suppose on average there will be some nine or ten letters and I shall prepare replies ready for when my Secretary comes on a Tuesday/Thursday to do the typing. The rest of the morning will be spent on parish administration which may be interrupted with funerals, sick communion, callers at the door, school assemblies and diocesan and deanery meetings.

Lunch is at 1.00pm when I watch the news and read the newspaper. I also try to do some reading for half an hour.

About 2.30pm I aim to be out visiting parishioners in their homes or hospital and the various organisations which meet in the community.

At 5.30pm Giles and I meet in Church for the second Daily Office of Evening Prayer. Our prayers will focus very much on what we have been doing and will be doing later that day.

After a further brief staff meeting, I go home in time for the 6pm news and have dinner. I then try to spend some time with my wife before the evening schedule of meetings, Confirmation classes, Baptism visits or just general visiting.

At 10pm I watch the news again. As you can see, I am a news fanatic! I then watch the video recording of anything I may have wanted to see whilst I was out.

And so to bed about 11-11.30pm where I read some non-theological book until midnight. Often about 2-4am you will find the light on in the study as I prepare sermons and talks when there is no distraction, which is probably why I cannot get up early!

That is the basic pattern of my daily life. It is the framework in which my many and varied activities take place. Of course there are exceptions, such as a day off on a Wednesday, but basically, each day follows the same pattern.

Now I am not alone in this. All of you have a basic pattern to your life which will vary according to circumstances. Each day has a regular routine. Because it is so automatic, you may not be aware of it. Nevertheless, it is still there giving a basic framework or pattern to your daily life.

And that is what a Rule of Life is about. It is about giving a pattern to your spiritual life. A pattern which becomes so much second nature that you are hardly aware of it, but which nevertheless enables you to be proficient in your discipleship.

However, a Rule of Life is not an end in itself, but rather a means to an end. A Rule of Life is a means of growing closer to God and thereby becoming more Christ-like, day by day. It is a voluntary expression of our personal intention to give some shape or pattern to our spiritual life. This will obviously vary from person to person reflecting the stage of our own particular spiritual journey.

How then can a Rule of Life help us to grow? May I suggest three answers to that question?

Firstly, it can enable us to persevere when difficulties and temptations are encountered. It is all too easy to give up when we encounter disappointments, doubts, tiredness, busyness, frustration or when we simply do not feel like it. In such circumstances, a Rule is like the stake beside a standard rose. It gives support to the spiritual life and prevents it from becoming damaged by outside pressures.

For instance I was greatly encouraged when a PCC member recently asked me to give consideration towards a midweek evening Eucharist for those unable to make the Eucharist on a Sunday. It revealed to me a real desire on the part of that person to be at the Eucharist week by week and I have been greatly encouraged by the response of others to the Thursday evening Eucharist. There is no doubt that some people are beginning to take seriously the need to be present at the Eucharist, at least once a week.

Secondlv, a Rule of Life can help us to assess spiritual growth. It is not always easy to see to what extent we are growing. A Rule helps us to stand back and see how we may have changed over a period of time. It also helps us to focus on different areas of our spiritual life where change and growth may be desirable, if not necessary. A Rule should not be so demanding that we are unable to keep it and therefore become depressed and disappointed when we fail to achieve our intention. Neither should it be so easy that it provides no challenge for growth. A Rule of Life therefore needs to be subject to revision, say, annually. Lent is a good time for doing this when we are particularly concerned about deepening our devotion through the exercise of discipline.

Finally, a Rule of Life enables us to set realistic goals. It is all too easy in the spiritual life to go round and round in circles and never get anywhere. A Rule of Life, enables us to stand back and say, not only "Where have I got to?” but also, "Where ought I to be going?".

You see, my friends, there is a danger when we are young and enthusiastic in our faith, to try to run before we can walk, let alone crawl. It is therefore important to set ourselves realistic goals which can be achieved and which can be further developed and built upon as we mature in the spiritual life.

For instance, someone recently said to me that they had decided to read the Bible from cover to cover, starting with the book of Genesis. Needless to say, they had not got very far. I suggested as a preliminary step, they should read the whole of St Mark's Gospel in one sitting. It is only 15 chapters long and will take about 1½-2 hours. Then to go through it bit by bit on a daily basis thinking about what is being read, having first got an overview. This I considered to be a realistic goal and target to set oneself. I suggested that having done this, they should return and discuss the next realistic goal or target.

To sum up; a Rule of Life seeks to provide a pattern for our spiritual life. It enables us to persevere; to assess spiritual growth and to set realistic goals for growth.

Next week, I shall begin to examine the possible content of a Rule of Life.