Old Monk on Obedience
Obedience is the way to say "Thy will be done" without words.
St Benedict’s Prescription for Humility
In Chapter Seven Benedict teaches a twelve step plan to nurture humidity. The twelve steps follow the structure of one of the perfect numbers: four and three multiplied = two perfect numbers multiplied. Therefore consider in more detail for a moment the first four steps of humility The first degree of humility, then, is that a [...]
From the Old Red Book
Many years ago a very holy old Anglican priest of the old school died and left his “occasional book” to me. This book was a collection of quotations and words of wisdom that he had compiled over the years. He was a very cultured and well educated man, like so many of the old Anglican priests [...]
St Benedict on Humility
Monks of Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery in Silver City, N.M. Click to enlarge image From Chapter Seven of the Rule of St Benedict In this chapter St Benedict outlines the twelve steps of humility. I post the words of the Master here today and will comment on them over the next week in [...]
Seeing with Sacramental Eyes
Here is the reading for today from St Benedict's Rule. Let the brethren serve one another, and let no one be excused from the kitchen service...for this service brings increase of reward and of charity. The one who is ending his week of service shall do the cleaning on Saturday. He shall wash the towels with [...]
From St Benedict for Today
In the monastery a portion of the Rule of St Benedict is read aloud each day. For November 11, Chapter 34 on Whether All Should Receive Equal Shares is read. You can read the whole passage here. He who needs less should thank God and not be discontented; but he who needs more should be humbled by the thought [...]
Old Monk on Changing the World
Why do you wish to change the world when you cannot change yourself?
Old Monk on Silence
Silent people are not the only ones who don't say much.
On the Vow of Obedience
In the present world the suggestion of obedience is met with incomprehension. That one should submit one’s entire will to another individual is not only a social error, but an anti-social horror. Obedience is a blasphemy in a world of individual freedom, and yet all the wise ones tell us it is only through obedience that [...]
Old Monk on Stability
Stability means "God is not elsewhere."