Happy St. Benedict's Day!
It is a day of celebration in monastic circles, with whiskey, ice cream and chocolate been the order of the day at my favourite monastery!
What does St Benedict, and the order he inspired, mean to me, and us, as a community?
Primarily, for me, it gives us the outline for living the Christian life. In a world which shouts persistently to "do it my way", St Benedict's words speak clearly and persistently - with a lot of common sense.
Listen. Pray. Listen. Work. Listen. Sleep. Listen. Study. Listen. Eat. Listen. Drink. Listen. Speak. Listen. Be silent.
Secondly, it gives me tools for exploring the mystery of God.
The office and liturgy. Being Humble. Lectio Divina. Spiritual Direction. Living in community with all the hard work that entails. Centuries of thinking, delving, reading and writing into the reality of God.
The office and liturgy. Being Humble. Lectio Divina. Spiritual Direction. Living in community with all the hard work that entails. Centuries of thinking, delving, reading and writing into the reality of God.
Lastly, St Benedict connects us to a world wide community of people who are seeking after God. My relationship with the monks, and what they have taught me, is strengthened by meeting and talking with people of like mind. Being present at a monastery has introduced me to a world of authors and thinkers previously unknown.
It is Christianity which is deep, and relevant, and fun.
God bless you!
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