Choose your destination before you set out on a path. Their law is what they like to do, whatever strikes their fancy. Anything they believe in and choose, they call holy; anything they dislike, they consider forbidden (Rule of St. Benedict, 1.8-9) So . . . if you’re thinking that this is a description of …
Tag Archives: culture
Silent Night, Holy Dawn
Elegant Definition We absolutely condemn in all places any vulgarity. . . . (Rule of St. Benedict 6.8) In the beginning, the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. He spoke, and called forth formed things. To live a holy life is to move within these forms willingly. A holy life is an elegant life. …
Zip It
I said, I have resolved to keep watch over my ways that I may never sin with my tongue. I have put a guard on my mouth…. [Psalm 39:1-3] (Rule of St. Benedict 6.1-6) Keep your mouth shut? It’s awfully hard to do. It’s especially difficult in a competitive environment, where talking is part of the …
Human Reefs Need Saving Too
Do not gratify the promptings of the flesh Galatians 5:16; hate the urgings of self-will. (Rule of St. Benedict 4. 59-60) What is “the flesh”? “The flesh” is a Christian metaphor. The struggle represented by “the flesh” consists of our efforts to do good and to reject evil. It’s this vital spiritual struggle that builds …
Friendly Faces Feel
Have a great horror of hell. Yearn for everlasting life with holy desire. Day by day remind yourself that you are going to die.… Do not love immoderate or boisterous laughter. (Rule of St. Benedict 4. 45-54) There are those who remind you that you’re going to die, and encourage you to think about eternity. …
Fear Of The Lord
The first step of humility, then, is that a man keeps the fear of God always before his eyes and never forgets it. Psalm 36:1 (Rule of St. Benedict 7.10) The practice of humility isn’t so daunting once you realize that it’s not about what other people think of you. It’s about your existence. The first step in this practice …
Communicate Artfully
As often as anything important is to be done in the monastery, the abbot shall call the whole community together and himself explain what the business is; and after hearing the advice of the brothers, let him ponder it and follow what he judges the wiser course. The reason why we have said all should …
Aim For Judgment Day
The abbot must know that anyone undertaking the charge of souls must be ready to account for them. Whatever the number of brothers he has in his care, let him realize that on judgment day he will surely have to submit a reckoning to the Lord for all their souls–and indeed for his own as …
Be A Good Model
Therefore, the abbot must never teach or decree or command anything that would deviate from the Lord’s instructions (Rule of St. Benedict 2.4) Neither should parents. Maybe you fail to hit the bull’s eye, but at least you aim for the target. Your children will imitate whatever they see you do. This means that if …
Live Up To Your Titles: Father And Mother
To be worthy of the task of governing a monastery, the abbot must always remember what his title signifies and act as a superior should (Rule of St. Benedict, 2.1). The father and mother must also remember what their titles signify. Today this seems to require a vocabulary review, even for native speakers. Never in …
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