“Listen carefully to my instructions …
With the good gifts which are in us,
we must obey God.”
From the Prologue in the Rule of St. Benedict and quoted in The Monastery of the Heart:
An Invitation to a Meaningful Life (p. 3) by Joan Chittister
The chimes invite us to listen today. Pause and listen. What do you hear?
Walking another day with Anne Hutchinson
As I do understand it, laws, commands, rules and edicts are for those who have not the light which makes plain the pathway. He who has God’s grace in his heart cannot go astray.
Anne Hutchinson as quoted in Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Reformers (1907) by Elbert Hubbard (“Anne Hutchinson” on Wikiquote)
As shared yesterday: on February 6, 2013, in the “Spiritual Day Hike” (which wanders far and wide in the world without actually leaving St. Margaret’s in Palm Desert, CA) we walked with Anne Hutchinson for a time. Anne is now remembered by The Episcopal Church annually on February 5th.
Born and raised in the faith of the Church of England Anne accepted the teachings of the Puritans and added her own touch.
As you read the excerpt from the Prologue in the Rule of St. Benedict you can easily understand that Anne would have been right at home in the Rule of St. Benedict. Her ‘touch’ added to her Puritan faith was to listen with the “ear of her heart” for the voice and the wisdom of God.
Confident that God was constantly in dialogue with her, confident that she could hear and understand God within her own heart, Anne chose to follow the One who called to her, spoke to her, and led her in Love. She continues to offer her witness to us—listen, listen carefully, trust what you hear in your heart: “You are my beloved child. Always. Everywhere. In every circumstance. Beloved.”
Anne has left quite a legacy. Allow yourself to be amazed by her courage and her confidence in God as you read her story:
- Anne Hutchinson on Wikipedia
- The Antinomian Controversy in the Massachusetts Bay Colony on Wikipedia
- Anne Hutchinson on Holy Women, Holy Men
Image: Wikimedia Commons and JSS Gallery
Hear what the Spirit is saying 
I’ve become fascinated with the life of Anne Hutchinson and am digging a little deeper. I read the transcript of her trial last night — oh my, was she ever feisty! I just now downloaded to my Kindle “American Jezebel,” a biography written by her 11th generation granddaughter, Eve LaPlante. When it published it received a Publisher’s Weekly stared review, so will probably be a good read. Thank you, Father Dan, for the discussion Wednesday. I’m looking forward to more conversation on Sunday. Blessings to all!