is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. Here are some of the characteristics of Benedictine spirituality: For Benedict, the spiritual life was about listening to Godthrough prayer, Scriptures, the depths of our own experience, through listening to others in our community and the wider church. Practice is how people develop the skills to become adept at anything. The Benedictine practice of Moderation in All Things is another that is trending today, under the word balance. In the blog Echoes from the Bell Tower, Fr. Benedictines believe that the Christian life is best lived not through the extremes of any harsh religious asceticism but in the daily context of good, balanced life in community. U`` . . Even the Cistercians, who in the 12th century had intended to return to a faithful observance of the rule itself, added numerous statutes. Which brings us back to awareness of God, to the beginning again. Digital nun, writing for ibenedictines.org tells us,The practice of mindfulness, which for a Christian must always be the practice of mindfulness of the presence of God, is not something we learn in a few hours or even a few years. It shows itself in the way (emphasis mine) you put up with the many things of your daily life, sickness, death, war, persecution, mishaps and misfortunes of every kind. In other words, without awareness of God and without gratitude, indeed, without the interweaving of all these practices into our lives, patience cannot exist. Benedictine spirituality helps us to: Focus our eyes on God and His Word Be a people of humility Live and pray in community, rather than being too individualistic Maintain prayerful discipline in our lives 1. All these helping ministries place value on the confidentiality of the relationship and may lead to increased personal wellbeing and a more fruitful and productive life. h|X+8v&yh{#||(E AM3. For Benedict, prayer had a particular structure and process. You can order a free copy of Give Us This Day, published by Liturgical Press, by clicking here. 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. Benedicts wisdom and commentary has provided the foundation for Benedictine communities throughout the centuries, and continues to influence many of us in the community of St. Pauls. podcast at DiscerningHearts.com from the Missionary Benedictines of Christ the King Priory, Fr. That is why the ministry of hospitality is such an important part of the Benedictine heritage. Sister Joan Chittister is an extraordinarily prolific writer and among the most famous living Benedictines. It can be described as a state of mind that provides their values and influences how they live their lives and exercise their judgment in such things as deciding between right and wrong. "Let everyone that comes be received as Christ" is one of the most familiar and oft-quoted phrases of the Rule. The whole spiritual life of the monk consists in listening to God by "inclining the ear of the heart." While there are times allotted for prayer and for work, ultimately there is to be no division between the two. Acts 18:18). The rule invites the monk to recognize the presence of God in his life, a presence which is neither gained or won or achieved but simply given. 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." The ascetic and contemplative orientation of the monastic life was accompanied historically by such cultural activities and manifestations as were compatible with a separation from the secular world, conversion, and a life of personal prayer. Seeing the Face of Christ in the Poor. What calls us to attention? Certainly the rule does not see material privation as an end in itself; it is in no way part of the Benedictine tradition to assess everything economically by materialistic standards or to override aesthetic or other values for the sake of cheapness or squalor, for such a mentality narrows the monk's horizons and even creates those very evils accompanying destitution which all Christians have duty to banish from the earth. Poverty of spirit, simplicity, sharing and giving, self-denial prompted by love, freedom of heart, gratitude, care for persons, and sound judgment with regard to created things should proceed from exposure to God in prayer. This practice is not particular to Benedictines, however. The Benedictine tradition has frequently presented examples of spiritual men and women, many of them venerated as saints, who in the line of their monastic vocation have sought to unite themselves to God by the eremetical or solitary life, normally in dependence on their superior and in the neighborhood of their monastery. Sam has experience in parish ministry and holds a masters degree in theology from Saint Johns University (Collegeville, MN). Joan Chittister is a Benedictine sister with an ecumenical outreach and vision who has written more than 50 books. xb```f``x(80 It is a spirituality that transcends ecclesiastical divides because it is rooted in religious sources that antedate the sometimes . The Rule of St. Benedict has often been referred to as a compendium of the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ. Obedience is an act of letting go of the egoistic will. Although well into the middle years of an average life span, I am a rank beginner, a mere toddler in Benedictine practice. You can read more about the Liturgy of the Hours by clicking here, but the best way to learn about Liturgical prayer is to find a monastery and experience it. In his book Humility Rules: Saint Benedicts Twelve-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem, Augustine Wetta, a Benedictine monk, teaches, The sum of all virtues is reverence. In this 2-minute video, Father Mark Goring (Companions of the Cross) says This profound and humble [Benedictine practice of] reverence for all things is one of the great foundations of Benedictine spirituality. He explains that this reverence flows from prayer. He is called to live in the rhythm of alternating between receiving and giving, accepting the gifts of God and others, while sharing generously jut as others share generously with him. What is Benedictine Spirituality? You can learn more about her in her Living Spiritual Teachers Project profile. . j. chittister, The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages (New York 1992). a. de vog, The Rule of Saint Benedict: A Doctrinal and Spiritual Commentary (Kalamazoo 1983). In an article for HuffPost Sister Joan tells us that a Benedictine lifestyle is an an oasis of human peace in a striving, searing, simmering world. This lifestyle disallows war and violence on any level, including the root causes of violenceambition, greed, waste of resources, class distinctions, and the hubris that leads to the oppression of others, that justifies force as the sign of our superiority. This lifestyle makes ample room for what it valuescommunity, prayer, stewardship, equality, stability, conversion, peace all [which] make for communities of love. Without humility, Sr. Joan explains, there can be no peace. This model of [], [] rather than continually traveling on to somewhere else. One of the primary characteristics of a spiritual person is openness. Cultivating awareness of God is important for all who seek a meaningful spirituality. Stewardship of resources, as a Benedictine practice, flows out of the commitment to stability, explain the monks and oblates of Saint Meinrad Archabbley, in this post on Environmental Stewardship on the blog Echoes from the Bell Tower. Only a year ago, after a year of formation, I became an Oblate of Saint Benedicts Monastery in St. Joseph, MInnesota. 0000002499 00000 n This religious practice refers to St. Benedict and his spiritual practice. 0000001056 00000 n Harry Hagan, OSB My part in this little show began as a description of the novitiate and how it brings new people from exclusion to inclusion, from fascination to identification, and from dependence to belonging. MS. Hatton 48 fol. Yes, work, too, is a basic tenet of Benedictine Spirituality, Chris Sullivan nexplains in her blog post Work and Prayer in the Style of St. Benedict for Loyala Press. In this article, I have merely collected and summarized what other, more experienced Benedictines have taught and published. Lynne Smith elaborates, All this service is sacred and to be done with reverence service is seen as a form of prayer, a way of seeking God. This practice is also linked inextricably to gratitude, as we give thanks for the ways we can serve and for those who serve us. Ordered by a rhythm of daily prayer that is Biblical and reflective 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. Directly translated, Lectio Divina means divine reading. It evokes the name of St. Benedict, who lived in the 6th century, together with all those who have been inspired by the Rule of Benedict and associate themselves with the Benedictine spiritual tradition. In this article, Benjamin Schfer, who calls himself an intercessory musicianary, blog theologian, and pilgrim on the narrow road of learning to love, writes in depth about ways to foster awareness of God. Listen to the Holy Spirit speaking through scripture and through the insights of others. This article on the Contemplative outreach website explains the history of lectio divina, and offers instruction in how to do it. But the monk's development, like that of all human beings, requires both material resources and the help of other people. Humility helps be more authentically, beautifully, and lovingly human. 6 Characteristics Of Benedictine Spirituality . Impact. It embraces a diversity of vocations: lay and clerical, contemplative and active, academic and pastoral, married and celibate. In a blog hosted by Holy Wisdom Monastery of Madison, Wisconsin, Lynne Smith, OSB, The website of Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas tells us, Modern monks like to point out that first word in the Rule is to Listen,, This article explains that silence is healthy, Monsignor Charles Pope seems to be saying in the blog post, A Reflection On the Benedictine Vow of Stability, ways for those of us who do not live in a monastery to embrace stability, The Friends of St. Benedict website says The, offers people a plan for living a balanced, simple, and prayerful life., Joan Chittister puts it, Benedictine practices build a spirituality that will enable us to go on beyond disappointment, beyond boredom, beyond criticism, beyond loss., the monks and oblates of Saint Meinrad Archabbley, in this post on Environmental Stewardship on the blog. 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