1

A BENEDICTINE PATHWAY THROUGH LENT

(OR ANY SEASON OF LIFE)

Values and Practices of Benedictine Spirituality

Saint Benedict and The Rule Benedict (c. 480-547 CE) lived in sixth-century Italy when the great Roman Empire was disintegrating following the invasion of barbarian tribes beginning in 410 CE. It was the beginning of a time sometimes known as the Dark Ages, a time of much lawlessness and instability in society. He was born in Nursia but grew up in Rome. As a young man, he became disgusted with the paganism he saw and renounced the world to live in solitude as hermit in a cave some 30 miles east of Rome. Before long, some other hermit monks asked Benedict to form a community and be their abbot. He established a number of monasteries and wrote The Rule in 530 to organize and guide these communities. In contrast to some earlier harsh and punitive monastic rules, Benedict’s is marked by grace as well as discipline. As he writes in his Prologue:

“We intend to establish a school for the Lord’s service. In drawing up its regulations, we hope to set down nothing harsh, nothing burdensome. The good of all concerned, however, may prompt us to a little strictness in order to amend faults and safeguard love.”

Eventually he founded a monastery on a mountain about 80 miles south of Rome, Mount Cassino, where he spent most of his life. Monks who chose to live in community are called cenobites, as contrasted with hermits or monks who move about in small groups. The Rule, almost 1500 years old, is considered one of the greatest spiritual handbooks of all time. Yet it is a work of simplicity and practicality, a brief (about 96 pp.) work on how human beings can live together in community. At first look, it may not seem especially relevant to many aspects of 21st century culture; it is the ideas, attitudes, and values that are embedded in the simple and practical guidelines for life together than endure. The Rule is the basis of Benedictine spirituality and continues to be followed by monasteries of various traditions worldwide. It also is the source of spiritual guidance for many non-monastics who seek to draw upon its insights, perspectives, and practices in daily life.

2

Some Benedictine Values and Practices Benedictine monks make three perpetual (for life) vows upon their acceptance and entrance into the monastic community: Stability, Conversion of Life, and Obedience. While these vows have very specific meanings for Benedictine monks that would not apply to non-monastics, the “kernel” within each of them reflect values that deepen spiritual life and strengthen community in the life we lead beyond monastery walls. Stability For the monk, this vow is a sacred pledge to live out the rest of his life within a particular community of monks. It means the monk foregoes the possibility of leaving for “better opportunities” or change of vocation. This sounds overly restrictive to those of us who treasure the right to control our own vocational destiny, to follow a new calling that may involve a change of work or location. What is the value embedded in this vow? Could it be the importance of being rooted in a community, committed to the sacredness of human relationships, nurturing deep friendship rather than merely enjoying congeniality...rather than flitting from person to person, commitment to commitment. Even in a highly mobile society — rootedness in community. Conversion of Life This vow is also called “fidelity to monastic life” with its core value: “prefer nothing to Christ,” that is, hold Christ alone as guide to the spiritual life rather than doctrine, tradition, and certainly personal opinion. This vow invites one to grow, to change, to be “converted” to a new understanding...all within the Lordship of Christ and commitment to the ties of community. Perhaps there is something of an echo here in what, in our Reformed tradition we refer to as a church “reformed, and always being reformed” — that Christ leads us to new understandings, “converts” us to more faithful ways of living out the gospel. Maybe the opposite of conversion is spiritual inertia or immobility. Obedience In the monastery, ultimate obedience is to the abbot alone, the spiritual father of the community. However, Benedict is very clear in his Rule that abbots, making decisions about the life of the community are to first gather the brothers for counsel to receive and ponder their advice and especially the opinions of the younger brothers, to whom “the Lord often reveals what is better...” (Rule, Chapter 3.3) What value obedience to a culture such as ours, so absorbed in individualism and independence of decision...so caught up in “my way”? Might obedience have to do with our responsibility to honor the sacredness of relationships, to acknowledge that we are not the masters of our life in isolation from others, but receive wisdom from authority beyond ourselves and give great weight to the Spirit working through committed groups. Obedience can be a strong reminder that we are part of an organic whole to which we owe obedience. Authority need not be authoritarian but arise from the mutuality of our commitments to one another.

3

Other values... Hospitality “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Matt 25:35)...great care and concern are to be shown in receiving poor people and pilgrims, because in them more particularly Christ is received.” (Rule, Ch 53). The value of hospitality is paramount in Benedictine spirituality, recognizing the Christ who is in every person. What might the presence of hospitality mean, not merely in welcoming guests to our home, but to our community, our faith community, our nation? Henri Nouwen states that part of hospitality is the grace to make space for the other in our life, no matter how unlike us. Awareness of God in the Everyday, the Ordinary This value is reflected in the many parts of The Rule that speak to the “little things, the routine things” of the Abbey...and of life. Practicalities —the order and time for Psalms to be read, care of tools, amount and type of food and drink and clothing, the schedule for kitchen duty— are also spiritual concerns. Kathleen Norris writes “Many communal ventures begun with high hopes have foundered over the question of who takes out the garbage.” (Cloister Walk, p. 7). This value relates to the incarnational understanding that spirit and matter are bound together, cannot be separated. Yes, “God is in the details.” Humility The longest chapter in Benedict’s Rule is on humility, which sets forth 12 steps of humility (first 12-Step Group?) and which Benedict defines as “loving not [one’s] own will nor takes pleasure in the satisfaction of his desires.” It may be helpful to realize that humility is from the word humus, which is the component of soil that enables fertility. To be humble is to be “of the earth” — the ones God created us to be, neither above nor below the earthly soil of our created home. Sadly, in church circles, humility is often misunderstood as modesty, which is not a virtue but a reluctance or fear to use our gifts. On the other side...how many times have you been put off by the magisterial pronouncements of “the smartest person in the room.” Peace “If you have a dispute with someone, make peace...before the sun goes down.” (Rule Ch 4:73). Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister says “Monastic peace ...is the power to face what is with serenity of faith and the courage of hope, with the surety that good can come from evil and the certainty that good will triumph. Peace is the fruit of Benedictine spirituality. Peace is the sign of the disarmed heart.” And true beyond the monastery walls... Balance Ora et Labora...Prayer and Work. Benedictine spirituality insists there is time in each day for both, as well as for study and play. We may often be saddled with imbalance in our life...it comes at us so fast, but here is a guidepost to seek.

4

Spiritual Practices — Benedictine and Beyond Lectio Divina (Divine/Holy Reading) Benedictines and other traditions for centuries have practiced a unique form of biblical reflection known as Lectio divina. It is the primary Benedictine spiritual practice, called for in The Rule: “Listen readily to holy reading, and devote yourselves often to prayer.” (Rule, Ch 4:55-56). While Bible study using the intellect (“head”) is an important part of growth in faith, lectio is reading and reflecting on the words of scripture more with heart than head. It is a slow contemplative reading of the Bible “with the ear of our hearts” (Rule, Prologue) listening for what the Spirit may be saying to us or prompting within us. Lectio may be practiced as a solitary spiritual exercise or within a group. The first step is reading of or listening to the Scripture slowly and purposefully (lectio), listening for the word or phrase God seems to be offering me for the day. Meditatio, the second step is meditating or pondering on that given word or phrase, letting it interact with our feeling and thinking — where is this word or words touching my life. The third movement is oratio, responding in prayer to God, silently or aloud; in a group setting, this may be a prayerful sharing with others of how God seems to be speaking to you through this experience. And finally, contemplatio is simply resting in the presence of God, words unnecessary. In a group lectio, the flow might be: + Open with simple prayer. + “Listen for a word or phrase that catches your attention.” + Read slowly the selected text. + Invite all who are comfortable doing so to share their word or phrase without further

comment. + “As passage is read a second time, consider where/how the text touches my life.” + Second reading of the text by another person. + Share reflections on the text speaking to my life, as comfortable. + “Ponder how God may be calling me to respond as text is read 3rd time. + Another reads the text + Quiet reflection...sharing aloud if so led. + Closing prayer and quiet. The Liturgy of the Hours One Benedictine practice that is difficult for non-monastics to translate directly into daily life is the liturgy of the hours, periodic worship through the day that is centered primarily on the Psalms, some combination of chanted, read, or sung. Benedict in his Rule calls for seven such gatherings, or “divine offices,” from very early morning through midnight. Most

5

monasteries now modify the liturgy of the hours to four or five gatherings. At St. John’s Abby, in Collegeville, MN, the monks gather in the oratory for Morning Prayer at 7:00 a.m., Noon Prayer at 12:00, Eucharist at 5:00 p.m., and Vespers at 7:00 p.m., then earlier Eucharist services on the weekends. (Continued) The Psalter is covered every several weeks, then begun anew, including all the Psalms, even those that speak of revenge on enemies or anger at God. New Testament readings accompany the Eucharistic services. Yes, such a schedule is not a possibility for most of God’s people whose lives are filled with responsibilities and activities...work, school, family, community, play, culture. Yet, is there some way of bringing the spirit of daily liturgy throughout the day to the commitments and schedules with which we live: a prayer to start the day; a pause at noon to give thanks for God’s presence (and maybe for lunch); a breath prayer in the afternoon as a brief pause from work; a family prayer at mealtime to give thanks and lift up needs of others. Our Presbyterian Church publishes a Book of Daily Prayer (also an app) with brief morning and evening services. Many online daily devotions or meditations are available to begin the day. A practice called examen invites one at day’s end to reflect on the day’s experiences, where God seemed present or absent, and where faith was strong or weak. Contemplative Prayer - Silence and Solitude Benedictine Joan Chittister defines contemplative prayer as “prayer that sees the whole world...a holy place, a place where the sacred dwells, a place to be made different by those who pray, a place where God sweetens living with the beauty of all life.” It is little about words and much about attentiveness to what is before our eyes and where God may be present in what we see, hear, or intuit. Contemplative prayer is part of an overall contemplative approach to life. Kathleen Norris describes the contemplative life as “the attempt to pay close attention to objects, events, and natural phenomena that would otherwise get chewed up in the daily grind.” (Cloister Walk, p. 266). We might think of the contemplative life as a sacramental view of life, just as the sacraments in our worship are “a visible sign of an invisible reality or presence,” so the world is filled with signs of God’s presence, or as Richard Rohr says, “marked by the footprints and fingerprints of God.” The Breath Prayer The breath prayer is a way of a centered awareness of God’s presence in our life. We believe God is “omnipresent”...present everywhere in Spirit, surrounding us. The biblical word for spirit is the same word as breath (pneuma); breath prayer is the spiritual practice of literally receiving and being aware of God’s all-present Spirit through our breathing, intentionally connecting our rhythmic inhaling and exhaling to the movement of the Spirit in us. The breath prayer can be a way for preparing for spiritual practice to follow, such as Bible reading, worship, taking in nature, meditation, visiting the ill, or sharing an experience. It’s an “on-the-go” prayer that can prepare one for stepping into a new venture or bringing an

6

inner peace amid the noisy whirl of life around us...or the restlessness within. Some connect words to the inhaling and exhaling, such as: “(In) Fill me with your Spirit, Lord, (Ex) And let me feel your love.” “(In) Breathe on me, breath of God, (Ex) Fill me with life anew.” “(In) The Lord is my shepherd, (Ex) I shall not want.” Breathe in the peace of Christ, Breathe out my anxious fear. The Contemplative Life - Points of Opening Most every spiritual tradition seeks to cultivate a contemplative approach to life — Benedictine, Franciscan, Ignation, Dominican, and many Protestant traditions. A mind/heart that seeks to be aware of life in its wholeness, wider and deeper than many of the lenses of our culture permit, deeper than the surface but appreciative of all things tangible as creation, asking to discern God’s presence in all things seen and unseen. We’re all in school here...even the teachers, when it comes to living contemplatively. Here are some thoughts about practices that might enhance a contemplative consciousness. These are not meant to be a step program to follow, but some possible openings to a deeper life: Noise. It is typically a very noisy world, outside but often within as well. Silence the noise within us...still the restlessness within us. Breath prayer is one possible means. Inhale “Lord, fill me with your Spirit” Exhale “take away my restlessness ( my distractions...my anxiety...my lack of trust...my cynicism...whatever needs removing)” The biblical word for spirit is breath. It is all around us, breathe it in. The classic breath prayer, also known as the Jesus Prayer, is “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God/Have mercy on me, a sinner.” Left/Right brain. We each tend to favor one side of the brain or the other. Try to draw upon the right side of the brain - intuition, creativity, mystery. By...turning off the analysis and filters (judgment; dualism; suspicion; prejudice; easy answers)... turning on the open receptors. Imagine “what if...?” Ego. Ask God to let your ego get out of the way; it typically blocks the Spirit’s messages and promptings. Prayer: “Lord, Let this moment not be about me or about me being right; let it be about you and your way.” Sacrament. Think of the creation around you (objects, events, natural phenomena, encounters ) as sacramental...visible signs of the invisible presence of God in all things. “The world is marked by the footprints and fingerprints of God” (Richard Rohr). Where is God in the window of life before my eyes and heart? Paradox/mystery. Treasure, don’t dismiss, paradoxes and seeming contradictions. Things that “don’t fit together easily” may be moving us to a deeper level of understanding. Prayer: “Lord, I don’t understanding all of what is happening (what I’m seeing) here, but I trust that you are present in the midst of what seems incongruous or irreconcilable. Show me the way ahead...open my heart and mind.”

7

Chant. In “noisy times,”consider chanting a hymn or couplet to center life:

“Breath on me, breath of God, fill me with life anew, That I may love what thou wouldst love, And do what thou wouldst do.”

“I’ve got peace like a river...in my soul” or your favorite hymn Labyrinth. Consider the labyrinth as a place to nourish/explore your center! Spiritual Direction. Consider a spiritual director. Action. Keep contemplation and action connected: “What is the relation of [contemplation] to action? Simply this. He who attempts to act and do things for others or for the world without deepening his own self-understanding, freedom, integrity, and capacity to love, will not have anything to give others. He will communicate to them nothing but the contagion of his own obsessions, his aggressiveness, his ego-centered ambitions, his delusions about ends and means, his doctrinaire prejudices and ideas. There is nothing more tragic in the modern world than the misuse of power and action.” —Thomas Merton (writing pre-inclusive language!)