In no way am I qualified to be a teacher of the Benedictine way of life. Spirituality is the broad concept of a belief in something beyond the self. Only in later centuries and especially since the 19th century has it occupied a more important place in monastic life than in the observance of the majority of non-monastic religious congregations, with the consequence that it is usually considered a special feature of monastic life and spirituality. The rule did not become a text of the past or a dead document; rather it continued to live and to vivify, but its very fecundity, its inexhaustible youthfruits of its discretionexplain how it was able to inspire different realizations. We are no more self-sufficient than the poor whose dependence on the service of others cant be hidden. The Rule of Benedict teaches that Monastics should serve one another (35:1). thats most of the time. Divine omnipotence is a divine operative attribute, an, TAULER, JOHANNES The ideal of this pattern of conversion is meant to be incarnated in a special way for the community in the abbot, who is expected to be a symbolic center exercising a centripetal force that draws individuals into a truly Christian community of life for God and others in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. In monastic life public prayer is only one observance among those which help the monk seek God. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. How do we respect all things as vessels of the altar (RB 31:10). Tradition assigns no other end to monastic life than to "seek God" or "to live for God alone," an ideal that can be achieved only by a life of conversion and prayer. How are we being invited to swing back toward Christ-centeredness? The Benedictine motto, "Prayer and Work," highlights this simplicity of obedience to our daily duties. The wisdom of Native Americans has often been quoted as a way of thinking about the long term implications of our present actions: What is the impact of our decisions on the seventh generation? We are called to consider ourselves part of Gods larger and longer story, living a legacy which was a gift to us and inspiring others who will follow. Ordered by a rhythm of daily prayer that is Biblical and reflective <<8F8BC2AF36339D4C919A3718E673BE78>]>> Only a year ago, after a year of formation, I became an Oblate of Saint Benedicts Monastery in St. Joseph, MInnesota. The abbot, elected for life by his monks, maintains supreme power and in all normal circumstances is accountable to no one. Their prayer discipline is based on the rhythms of the universe. Benedictine reverence for all creation applies to nature and all creatures, to the objects we use and make, and to all peoplepilgrims, the broken and downtrodden, to every single human, including ourselves. This is the key to Benedict's whole spiritual teaching. Orbis, 20-21). One of the sure signs of monastic maturity is the honest acceptance of one's need for other people in community. Benedictines are called to strive for silence and have a love for silence. backgrounds including non-Catholic ones find deep spirituality in the Divine Office and the other Benedictine practices in the Rule such as the emphasis on work and lectio divina (slow prayerful reading), is difficult to state briefly. 9 13 Benedictines read a portion of the Rule of Benedict every day. What are Benedictine Practices? What are the characteristics of Benedictine spirituality? Practice is how people develop the skills to become adept at anything. This manuscript is a copy of St. Benedicts rule. This will not subscribe you to a contact management software program, and you wont get an onslaught of computer-generated emails begging you to buy my books and services. Digital nun, writing for ibenedictines.org tells us, Fr. What helps us practice setting down our agendas in order to be more fully present? Teaching Artist. Which brings us back to awareness of God, to the beginning again. j. chittister, The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages (New York 1992). Its recipe comes from a 16th-century monk and includes a secret blend of 27 herbs and spices in a neutral spirit that's sweetened with honey. It's not a principle that defines what it means to be a Benedictine institution. One of the primary characteristics of a spiritual person is openness. The first and fundamental manifestation of such a vocation is a real separation from many aspects of the secular world. To be empowered by anything less than the God of love is to risk evil zeal in the name of vengeance. Awareness of God In Benedictine practice we acknowledge the primacy of God and look for God in the ordinary events of each day. It appeared little by little wherever the Church took root, a spontaneous manifestation of the Holy Spirit urging Christians to become monks in response to the counsel given by Jesus in the Gospel: "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions , follow me " (Mt 19.21). a. de vog, The Rule of Saint Benedict: A Doctrinal and Spiritual Commentary (Kalamazoo 1983). In a very special way God speaks through the Scriptures, through the liturgy of the hours (opus Dei ), and through personal prayer. For vowed monastics, stability is literala long-term commitment to a specific place and community. k. vermeiren, Praying with Benedict: Prayer in the Rule of St. Benedict (Kalamazoo 1999). Having the mind of a beginner, being receptive to starting anew, starting fresh, starting overthis, too, is a Benedictine practice. Life in Benedictine monasteries was also deeply influenced by the clericalization of many of the monks and the episcopal ordination of many abbots. That is why the ministry of hospitality is such an important part of the Benedictine heritage. What makes spiritual direction distinctive is its Bibliography: Marked for Life: Prayer in the Easter Christ (London 1979). There was societal chaos and political dissatisfaction and we might wish that the conditions of those times did not sound so familiar to our modern ears. variety in physical characteristics, languages, and ways of life is really our . Benedict of Nursia lived from ca. Successful organizational . The resulting collection of ten core values - love, prayer, stability, conversatio, obedience, discipline . Father Mandonnet then lists three characteristics that are concerned more especially with the will. Adrian Burke, OSB writes, Benedict insists in his. His books includeGratefulness,A Listening Heart, and most recently, a new autobiography,i am through you so. We are women and men for and with others, hearing both the cry of the . This will not subscribe you to a contact management software program, and you wont get an onslaught of computer-generated emails begging you to buy my books and services. We practice clumsily like beginners running through piano scales. Gymnasts practice routines, yoga students practice poses, swimmers practice strokes, and tennis players practice their serves. It requires that a monk listens intently to the voice of God as it is manifested in the Sacred Scriptures and the teachings of his superiors. Instead, holiness of life was to be found through the right balance of these elements in life. It is humility that makes us happy with what we have, willing to have less, kind to all, simple in our bearing, and serene within ourselves. It only takes 2-3 minutes to read her article. It is such a personal thing that it can be considered part of one's identity. Through spiritual direction, individual and group ministerial reflection, and writing, Sam companions Christian leaders as they re-discover the sense of calling and giftedness at the heart of Christ-centered ministry. The thing that distinguishes monks from other religious in the Catholic Church is not primarily a matter of governmental structures or observances; all of these are found in other forms of consecrated life. My work with the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (MID) has . Or, am I living a lie, allowing myself to be conformed to every whim and temptation of my fallen nature? To complete our personal transformation, we never stop changing. RB 73, the final chapter, is more or less a bibliography for all that precedes it. Bndictine D.O.M. You will likely recognize the timeless quality of the values which has caused them to endure for centuries and continue speaking to the many layers of our human experience (personal, familial, communal and societal). Poet/Writer. xref Every four months, we begin again at the beginningso we read the Rulethree times every year. It is one among many schools that speak to contemporary hearts, yet it is particularly unique in its lasting impact on Western Christianity. 0000000016 00000 n Ignacio Gonzalez, OSB writes that the Benedictine practice of Conversatio requires that we never stop asking hard questions about our personal growth. St. Benedict speaks of steps in humility, comparing them to the rungs of a ladder which we climb one by onean image that implies not a strict order of ascent but a more general sense of movement growth. You can order a free copy of Give Us This Day, published by Liturgical Press, by clicking here. 1) They know that not one-size-fits-all. This sounds like the universal call to holiness, the theme that began this article. Instead of being possessive and manipulative, he is called to grow in detachment which manifests itself in the constructive and creative use of things. A devoted monk, he established the Rule of Benedict. St. Benedicts chapter on humility is one of the longest in the, The Benedictine practice of Liturgical prayer is one of Benedictine spiritualitys most visible, unmistakable hallmarks. For more information, fill out the form below or contact: Mary Catherine Holicky, OSB. %%EOF Simplicity of life and a sense of stewardship are also characteristics of Benedictine spirituality. (320) 363-7112. mholicky@csbsju.edu. The Prologue through RB 7 are a foundational primer; RB 8-20 speak of liturgical prayer; RB 20-67 include teachings for the common life; and RB 68-72 offer a theology of monastic life with an emphasis on love (Prayer and Community: The Benedictine Tradition. Benedictine Spirituality It may seem odd that some of the best guidelines for achieving balance in our world today, where stress has become the norm, come from a sixth-century Italian monk who at one point chose to live by himself in a cave. Humility requires the monk to accept the gifts of others, their wisdom, their experience, and their counsel. No one is to pursue what he judges better for himself, but instead, what he judges better for someone else." Benedictine spirituality is a way of life that helps a person to seek God and his will daily. It was considered as proposing a spiritual program, while daily life was regulated by "customaries," to which succeeded, from the beginning of the 16th century, "Declarations" and "Constitutions" as well as the "Ceremonial." 1. Successful organizational leaders practice self-mastery and teamwork. St. Benedicts chapter on humility is one of the longest in the Rule. Although well into the middle years of an average life span, I am a rank beginner, a mere toddler in Benedictine practice. 4qAB0Lfb+ ``v@ BK j Successful organizational leaders practice self-mastery and teamwork. The Benedictine practice of Liturgical prayer is one of Benedictine spiritualitys most visible, unmistakable hallmarks. It is a matter of self-respect and purpose which we see clearly in the changing nature of retirement. Lets make ours a truly humana listening and reverentconnection. U`` . It is likewise through that response that one becomes free to be and develop as the person one is called to be. Jean Chanon, who was a mentor for Ignatius in methods of prayer at the Benedictine monastery at Montserrat. How are you being called to participate in Gods work of reconciliation, healing, and in shaping structures that support values like these. SUGGESTED BOX ON PRAYER The psalms eloquently express how we feel and how we think about life and time and God. He does not harbor illusions of grandeur but senses that all of his life is simply gift. In this article, I have merely collected and summarized what other, more experienced Benedictines have taught and published. Benedictine monks have often received freely from their families and educators, from the rich Benedictine tradition, from the abundant life of their own communities, and from the many mercies of God. It is that same balance that has made it attractive today to those countless lay men and women who are not living vowed lives in a monastery but who are associated with Benedictine monasteries as oblates attempting to live their lives in the secular world according to the spiritual values set out in the rule. It is not one of the distinguishing characteristics of early monastic life. What gives the Rule of Benedict its exceptional quality has commonly been called its "discretion," in the double sense of the word: discernment and moderation. New York 1992 ) simplicity of life is simply gift spiritual teaching experienced Benedictines have taught and published, established! 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