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.
What are the core values of Benedictine spirituality? ›
- Awareness of God. To look for God not in the abstract but in the ordinary events of every day. “ ...
- Community Living. To become who we are by our relationships with others. " ...
- Dignity of Work. To appreciate the dignity of work in God's creation. " ...
- Hospitality. ...
- Justice. ...
- Listening. ...
- Moderation. ...
- Peace.
What is Benedictine spirituality? ›
It emphasises the importance of community and order in a time of rampant individualism and confusion. It values hospitality in an age hostile to those who are strangers or different. Benedictine spirituality appeals to simplicity in a time of staggering abundance on the one hand and tragic scarcity on the other.
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.
How to practice Benedictine spirituality? ›
23 Benedictine Practices
- Awareness of God. In Benedictine practice we acknowledge the primacy of God and look for God in the ordinary events of each day. ...
- Being in Right Relationship. ...
- Commitment to Growth (Conversatio) ...
- Community. ...
- Gratitude. ...
- Hospitality. ...
- Humility. ...
- Lectio divina / Listening to God's Word in Scripture.
What are the pillars of Benedictine spirituality? ›
It results from cultivating the hallmarks of Benedictine education – love, prayer, stability, conversatio, obedience, discipline, humility, stewardship, hospitality and community – with wise and carefully directed energy.
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 type of spirit is Benedictine? ›
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 the daily life of a Benedictine? ›
We live a balanced life filled with work and prayer. The Benedictine vows of stability, conversatio morum and obedience commit us to serving God in a monastery for the whole of our lives. A Benedictine community prays together six or seven times a day, consecrating the whole day to God.
What are the five rules of a Benedictine monk? ›
The Rule revolves around five practices: Prayer, Work, Study, Hospitality and Renewal. Prayer is the foundation to the monastic life and calling, and can be a constant part of the life of non-monastics as well.
Chapter 20 directs that prayer be made with heartfelt compunction rather than many words. It should be prolonged only under the inspiration of divine grace, and in community always kept short and terminated at a sign from the superior.
What denomination is Benedictine? ›
First off, a Benedictine monk is a man of the Catholic religion who follows the rule of Saint Benedict of Nursia, a Christian saint and a patron saint of Europe. St. Benedict founded multiple monasteries in Italy.
What are the Benedictine simple vows? ›
Monks take three vows: obedience, stability and conversatio morum. These are solemn promises, made in the presence, not only of the Abbot and community, but - as St Benedict reminds us - of God and his Saints.
What is the summary of Benedictine spirituality? ›
Core to Benedictine spirituality are a balance of prayer and work, loving relationships with others, and active participation in the sacramental life of the church.
What is prayer in 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.
How many hours do Benedictine monks sleep? ›
Rather, the monk generally is able to get between 6 and 8 hours of sleep. And when the sleep is less, there is a siesta! Also it is clear that Saint Benedict is not concerned so much with the comfort of the monk–although there is some concern–as with accomplishing a very strong and demanding schedule of prayer.
What are the Benedictines mission? ›
Our mission is to be a Community of Benedictine Monks, consecrated by monastic vows to God and united as a family to each other. Relying on Jesus in the Eucharist, Slavery to Our Lady, and fraternal charity, we seek to become saints by a life of prayer and work.
What is the Benedictine ethos? ›
The Benedictine values of learning, stability and hospitality are central to our service of God and the wider community of which we are a part. St Benedict was a holy man who was born around 480 AD, and who chose to dedicate his life to the service of God as a hermit.
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
At the start of each week the entire community – students, faculty, and monks – gather for a prayer and reflection on these values.