Benedictine spirituality offers an important voice in our world today, a voice which informs our praying, living and discerning. It is one among many schools that speak to contemporary hearts, yet it is particularly unique in its lasting impact on Western Christianity.
Saint Benedict
Benedict of Nursia lived from ca. 480 to 547 CE in Italy. The Rule of St. Benedict (RB) became a foundational text for monasticism in the West, having emerged in the sixth century as the Roman civilization was collapsing. 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. What we know about St. Benedict himself comes to us mainly through Gregory the Great (ca. 540-604 CE), who praised Benedict for his discretion and moderation.
The Rule of Saint Benedict (RB)
According to monastic scholar Fr. Columba Stewart OSB, the 73 brief chapters of the RB make up four major sections. 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. Orbis, 20-21). RB 73, the final chapter, is more or less a bibliography for all that precedes it.
The RB is saturated with Scripture and, as Esther de Waal has suggested in her book Seeking God: The Baptismal Invitation of the Rule of St. Benedict (Liturgical Press, 2009), the Prologue exemplifies this as a model of baptismal instruction.” For example, “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),” or “Run while you have the light, that the darkness of death may not overtake you (John 12:35).” Scripture and baptism undergird the Benedictine vision of Christian discipleship, a vision which relies on a prayerful orientation toward God and relationships which support us in Christ-centeredness. Thus prayer and community, to borrow again from Stewart, are at the heart of the Benedictine school of spirituality.
Core Values of Benedictine Spirituality
Among the many available lists of core Benedictine values, I find that of Saint John’s Abbey to be one of the most helpful. For the reader’s convenience, I will include only six of them here along with a simple explanation. As you read, pay attention to the one or two which resonate most for you today. 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).
Moderation
Balance is less about achieving perfect equilibrium than it is a pendulum which continuously swings back toward a central point. How are we being invited to swing back toward Christ-centeredness? What does it mean for us to learn contentment with living simply? That kind of movement toward moderation is especially important as we live the open and complex questions.
Dignity of Work
We each hunger to make a meaningful contribution to our world. How have we been equipped by God to do so? It is a matter of self-respect and purpose which we see clearly in the changing nature of retirement. What do I make (or make possible) with the precious energy of my life?
Listening
The discipline of slowing down to pay attention renews our orientation toward receiving the presence of Christ. What calls us to attention? What helps us practice setting down our agendas in order to be more fully present? Stop the madness; listen to the God who loves you.
Common Good
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 God’s larger and longer story, living a legacy which was a gift to us and inspiring others who will follow.
Stewardship
We are moved to profound respect for the ways the Creator puts resources at our disposal to further the kingdom of God. How do we “respect all things as vessels of the altar” (RB 31:10).
Justice
People are tired and worn out from striving against unhealthy systems. Unfortunately, Jesus never indicated discipleship would be easy. How are you being called to participate in God’s work of reconciliation, healing, and in shaping structures that support values like these.
Reflection
Which value speaks to your heart most strongly at this time and why?
How are you feeling called to commit that value to practice in the days ahead?
Continue to Prayer and Community: Benedictine Spirituality (Part 2)
FAQs
Ten core values can be distilled from the Rule of Benedict: love, prayer, stability, conversatio, obedience, discipline, humility, stewardship, hospitality and community. Individual monastics steep themselves in these values, striving as best they can to embody them as wholeheartedly as possible. St.
What are the pillars of Benedictine spirituality? ›
The Benedictine spiritual disciplines include common prayer, serving God though hospitality and mutual service, conversion of life, relationships and solitude. Our energy naturally flows towards others. Relationships direct us toward God.
What is Benedictine spirituality? ›
540), Benedictine spirituality is essentially monastic. It focuses on the desire to seek God under the guidance of an abbot. The abbot was originally elected for life. The monks' chief work (opus Dei) is the praise of God, in the form of a community recitation or chanting of the Latin Psalter.
What are the three Benedictine rules? ›
Benedictines take three vows: stability, fidelity to the monastic way of life, and obedience. Though promises of poverty and chastity are implied in the Benedictine way, stability, fidelity, and obedience receive primary attention in the Rule-perhaps because of their close relationship with community life.
What is the motto of the Benedictine spirituality? ›
St Benedict's motto was Ora et Labora (prayer and work). Laborare Est Orare (to work is to pray), detail of a nineteenth century painting by John Rogers Herbert, showing Benedictine monks at work.
What is the main idea of the Benedictine rule? ›
Benedict wrote that everyone in the community needed to listen to one another, and that sometimes God speaks through the youngest person in the community. Nonetheless, it is the Abbot who needs to make the decisions in end, and each member of the community must obey him. Obedience can be a heavy word for us today.
What are the prayer practices of Benedictine spirituality? ›
Prayer, in a Benedictine monastery, was to consist of the opus Dei (the work of God – Psalms recited in common) and lectio (the reflective reading of Scripture whereby God's word becomes the centre of the monastic's life). Prayer was marked by regularity and fidelity, not mood or convenience.
What are the Benedictines mission? ›
We will minister to the body, mind, and spirit of those whom we encounter, especially the poor and the powerless. We will care for the earth, our common home. We will support and encourage those who seek vowed religious life and will nurture alternate forms of Benedictine life.
What is the charism of Benedictines? ›
In essence, the charism of Benedictine life is simple: to worship God, to practise true Christian charity, to work and to study.
What is the essence of Benedictine spirituality? ›
The Essence of Benedictine Spirituality
The Benedictine goal is to seek God. Those who follow the Rule of St. Benedict are rooted in Scripture and prayer and an effort to seek and find God in each person or experience in daily life. Life is to be lived in moderation with a healthy balance between work and prayer.
Bénédictine (French pronunciation: [benediktin]) is a herbal liqueur produced in France. It was developed by wine merchant Alexandre Le Grand in the 19th century, and is flavored with twenty-seven flowers, berries, herbs, roots, and spices.
What is life like as a Benedictine? ›
Benedictine Oblates study the Rule and aim to live in the world according to the principles of Benedict's vision: robust community, dignified manual labor, daily prayer and reading, balance between work, study and prayer, humility, silence, and good zeal.
What are the 12 rules of Benedict? ›
Saint Benedict's fifth-century guide to humility is a fundamental spirituality for those who work and pray. For the record the twelve steps are fear of God, self-denial, obedience, perseverance, repentance, serenity, self-abasem*nt, prudence, silence, dignity, discretion and reverence.
What is the Benedictine Rule of humility? ›
From The Rule of St. Benedict (Regula) , Chapter 7, on Humility. Brothers, the Holy Scripture cries to us, saying: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11).
What are the Benedictine simple vows? ›
Benedictine monks take three vows—obedience, stability, and conversatio morum.
- Obedience. Obedience is the vow in which the monk dedicates himself to listening to others more than to self. ...
- Stability. Benedictine monks vow stability to the community in which they choose to live. ...
- Conversatio Morum.
Through the three tables characterised by the Benedictine Core Values: Community – where recognition of who a person is takes place. Faith - where recognition of the value of a person takes place. Scholarship – where these are drawn out by the opportunities to discover the world and take responsibility for it.
What is the charism of benedictines? ›
In essence, the charism of Benedictine life is simple: to worship God, to practise true Christian charity, to work and to study.
What are the values of Mount Michael Benedictine? ›
SERVICE – COMMUNITY – HOSPITALITY – MODERATION – INTEGRITY.
