Can you spot the difference between these two images of the same piece of rock?
The growth of Mont Saint-Michel from a humble community of Benedictine monks established in 966 AD to a UNESCO world heritage site spans over a thousand years of history. The notable gap in the otherwise unbroken practise of prayer and hospitality is the two hundred year period from the French Revolution to the year 2001 when a small monastic community was re-established. The two models tell you most of what you need to know: The Abbey had grown from a humble cluster of buildings to a glittering edifice which was seen by the revolutionaries as a bastion of privilege to be swept aside rather than a tower of justice to emulate.
At another site I visited the (secular) tour guide was comparing the austere life of the monks to the lavish excesses of the Abbot. I asked him whether the Abbot was bound by the same rule of Benedict as the other monks? His reply was telling: yes in theory, but in practise the Abbots were more often political appointees who enforced the Rule on others rather than following it themselves.
Jesus warned those who sought to gain the whole world that they would lose their soul in the process. As the OMS continues to grow we may one day face the same test that medieval monasticism across Europe largely failed: to retain our essential character and our first love as growth leads inexorably to prestige and influence. And the first indication that the rot is starting to set in is often the emergence of leaders who operate out of pride rather than humility.
It helps (a bit) that the original OMS adopted a strict principle of equality among its members. But rules on paper aren’t enough. They must also be written in our hearts. Please pray for me in my role as Global Convenor and for all who serve and lead across our Order. Spiritual battles can be expected to come with the territory, and when at mid-day I stop to pray ‘lead us not into temptation’, it’s not just a rote prayer but a living and desperate heart-cry.