“It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools” -Ecclesiastes 7:5.
The devil is clever.
So often, he presents his temptations so that they appear beautiful and joyful. The fools of our world sing songs of drunkenness, lust or greed that appear to bring joy and happiness, but really only lead to emptiness and sorrow.
We all face songs that tempt us as they appear to be a fun or easy path to happiness, while the truth of being Catholic is hard and sacrificial. It means not only attending Mass and being charitable but also (most importantly and probably most difficult) it means a conversion of heart — a giving of oneself wholly to God the Father.
Being a good Catholic means opening our hearts to improvement. This means we must not only allow — but even seek out — the rebukes of the wise. We must choose the difficult path of self-criticism and improvement instead of the easy and ignorant path of the foolish. We should always be searching for ways to become more like the person God created us to be.
Carefully listening to the rebukes of the wise is a hard path to choose, but it is the only path to true happiness with God! Chapters 43 through 46 of the Rule of St. Benedict, followed by Benedictine monks around the world, focus on what should be done to those monks who make mistakes in regard to a multitude of offenses.
St. Benedict emphasizes the importance of admitting fault with humility and seeking correction from the abbot (who is his religious superior.) Anyone striving to live a good life should constantly be seeking the rebukes of the abbot in his life. This abbot may come in the form of a parent, a parish priest, a teacher or a spiritual advisor. They must be someone who can be harsh enough to recognize and voice the faults of their mentee even when the mentee themself cannot.
A good Christian must be strong enough to appreciate this criticism not as degrading but as a way to build them up, understanding that this wise person in their life is rebuking their actions so that they may grow to become a better and happier person.
Though it may be difficult, the Catholic cannot live a stagnant life. They must constantly be moving closer to the perfection of Christ. This constant movement means the Catholic must depend on the wisdom of those around them to improve themself and move beyond their faults.
Anna Constantino is a parishioner of St. Benedict Church in Subiaco. She is currently studying philosophy, theology and business at Benedictine College.
