On the Road Again

Willie Nelson famously extolls the pleasures of being “on the road again, goin' places that I've never been, seein' things that I may never see again.” Those of us with wanderlust find great joy stepping out our front door. But starting a journey can be hard. And stepping back onto the road after losing your way can be even harder.

Being on the road is a prominent New Testament theme, so Benedict uses it to describe the Christian life. He promises, “The labor of obedience will bring you back to him from whom you have drifted through the sloth of disobedience” (Prol. 2). The word, “sloth” might make us think of giving in to the desire for sleep even when there is important work to do. But sloth is actually a kind of willful lethargy. Imagine the sinner resting too much and thereby losing sight of his ever-moving God. Obedience then is the work of rising again and “catching up to God.” Is this a threat? Keep up with God or get left behind? Certainly not. This is an invitation and an exhortation. Walk with God. He will take you places you have never been.

When weariness sets in, and I feel I’ve lost sight of God, I remember the story of the two disciples walking away from Jerusalem, toward Emmaus, after Jesus’ crucifixion (LK 24:13-35). We are not told why the two disciples are on the road. But they look scared and sad, their hope shaken, and they are bewildered by the report of the empty tomb. They seem weary in heart and mind. Jesus is dead, and they see no way forward.

Then they meet a fellow traveler they don’t recognize. As he explains the scriptures to them, their hearts start burning with joy, hope, and love. Maybe that burning is why they convinced him to stay with them even though he was ready to leave. And in the breaking of bread, their eyes are opened. Jesus is with them. Their way forward has not changed. They can still walk in communion with Christ.

So Benedict exhorts his readers, “Let us get up then, at long last, for the Scriptures rouse us when they say: It is high time for us to arise from sleep (Rom 13:11)” (Prol. 8). He continues, “What, dear brothers, is more delightful than this voice of the Lord calling to us? See how the Lord in his love shows us the way of life” (Prol. 19-20). And finally, “Do not be daunted immediately by fear and run away from the road that leads to salvation. It is bound to be narrow at the outset. But as we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God’s commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love” (Prol. 48-49). I can think of no other road I would rather walk.