Distance: 27 km, Intermediate
In religious orders, sisters, brothers, and priests follow a particular rule of life. For Benedictines, it is the Rule of St. Benedict; for Augustinians, the Rule of St. Augustine; and on and on and on. Sometimes also called Constitutions, the Rule provides a structure to support the daily living of a vowed religious life.
To an outside observer, a rule of life might seem constricting or domineering. The same might also be said of a vow of obedience. Yet, if understood as a means to discerning the will of God through the practice of intentional living, the old adage about the rule rings truer than ever: “Keep the rule, and the rule will keep you.”
For the pilgrim, this adage might be adapted to apply to the rhythm of the Way, as if to say: “Keep the rhythm and the rhythm will keep you” or, more simply put, “Put one foot in front of the other, rinse and repeat.”
As we walk the way, the hope is that we fall into a rhythm. Our trekking poles swing in time with our feet; we rise early and glide into our next town before the day’s heat gets to be too much.
The rhythm of our days holds us steady and holds us accountable.
The same can be said on the spiritual journey. We must remain intentional in our doing and being. We set a time to pray or walk and we stick to it. That way, when we’re less motivated to enter into prayer, the rhythm we’ve established can carry us. The “rule” that we’ve agreed to will meet us with a familiarity that is not rote, but which is right- guiding us and giving us a pathway to follow, so that we might discover newness amid the familiar and the practiced.
Today, as you settle into the rhythm of these days, reflect on “the rules” that guide your life. What promises have you made to God, others, and yourself that help to keep you steady and on track? Are there rhythms in your life that need to be shaken up or are there rhythms you’ve fallen away from that might help give you stability?
Reflect on all this today. Read and pray with Jan Richardson’s poem “For Those Who Have Far to Travel” to explore the promises we make as we journey.