Do not gratify the promptings of the flesh Galatians 5:16; hate the urgings of self-will. (Rule of St. Benedict 4. 59-60) What is “the flesh”? “The flesh” is a Christian metaphor. The struggle represented by “the flesh” consists of our efforts to do good and to reject evil. It’s this vital spiritual struggle that builds …
Tag Archives: good
Love Your Enemies
Love your enemies (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6: 27-35). (RB 4. 31) Loving your enemies sounds like a nice idea until you actually have enemies yourself. An enemy is not merely someone with whom you disagree. You can disagree with your friends passionately and perpetually. Nor is an enemy an opponent in a game. An opponent recognizes …
Bear Injuries Patiently
Do not repay one bad turn with another 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter 3:9. Do not injure anyone, but bear injuries patiently. (Rule of St. Benedict 4. 29-30) First of all, bearing injuries patiently is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of goodness. Only the strong bear up. Only the good restrain themselves when …