Discerning a Diocesan Rule of Life
By the Rt. Rev. Deon K. Johnson
Each day during the school year, I have a pretty good sense of how my mornings will unfold. The morning routine in my house has been honed almost to being a science. Most mornings in our house go a little like this: Get up. Check that our teenager is awake. Make tea. Let the dog out. Remind our teenager about getting out the door. Prepare breakfast. Feed the teenager. Get the teenager out the door. Write and post a prayer. Get dressed. Begin my workday. Repeat.
This morning ritual helps bring order to my morning and sets the tone for the rest of my day. Of course, there are days that the alarm doesn’t go off, the dog doesn’t want to go outside (usually because it’s raining), or I have an early morning meeting. But our routine is pretty set. One thing that has been and continues to be spiritually life-giving for me is the morning habit of writing and posting a prayer on social media. In an authentic way, this has become a part of my rule of life. Taking the time to craft, create, and share a prayer each morning expands my prayer life, enhances my sense of God’s presence, and deepens my spiritual practice. Having that grounding as part of my morning centers me for the day ahead.
Over the last several months, members of the Religious orders in the Diocese have been engaged in intentional listening as they help us discern a Diocesan Rule of Life. In a sense, they invite us to, as a Diocesan household, create a daily habit that deepens our connection to God and to each other.
A Diocesan Rule of Life helps us to collectively and individually respond to the love of God revealed in Jesus. As we are led by the Holy Spirit, the rule assists us in becoming more Christ-like in our practices and in our everyday actions, knowing that we are not alone in seeking and serving Christ. A Rule of Life, then, is a way of putting our relationship with God into practice, a way of balancing action and reflection, a way of living out the things we say with our lips in our everyday lives.
Rules of Life are a way of fostering a connection with the well of spiritually while interweaving a sense of connected community. They are simple, intentional actions to help us be accountable to each other while deepening our commitment to following Jesus.
This year our Diocesan Convention’s theme is “ONE: One Lord. One faith. One Baptism.” This year’s theme lends itself nicely to developing a Rule of Life that flows from our Oneness with God and each other.
Diocesan Rules of Life can be as simple as “Loving. Living. Serving.” or as specific as “Called to pray, read and learn. Sent to tell, serve, and give.” How each community of faith and individual lives out the rule varies dramatically, but they find unity in a common purpose. A Diocesan Rule of Life isn’t about ‘keeping the rules’; it is about discovering how we can grow as Christ’s disciples in the rhythms and relationships that make up our everyday lives.
So rather than just letting life happen, we can choose to live for God in every area of our lives. We can stop and listen to God’s invitation to receive and respond to God’s love in Christ, creating a Rule of Life that will support us in living out our particular calling. It is a way of making our faith a part of our daily routine. It is a way of developing holy habits that draw us closer to God and each other. It’s a way of saying ‘Yes’ to the God who says ‘Yes’ to us.