Suburban Hermit apologizes for the lack of postings over the last week. To be honest, Christmas has taken a toll and the hermit was weary. Now the batteries are charged I hope to continue building this blog and I rely on you to help attract more readers by sharing and liking posts. In the frenetic and frantic [...]
This post is an excerpt from my book St Benedict and St Therese--The Little Rule and the Little Way The monk’s vow of stability is intimately linked with his vow of obedience. When the monk submits to his superior he fulfils his vow of obedience. When he submits to his particular environment and set of circumstances he [...]
Here is the final segment of my comments on St Benedict's twelve steps of humility. The other segments can be located under the tags "Benedictine Way" and "Rule of St Benedict" The ninth degree of humility is that a monk restrain his tongue and keep silence, not speaking until he is questioned. It's a good thing [...]
Abbey Church St Benoit sur Loire (click to enlarge picture) In the heart of France beside the River Loire stands the historic abbey of Fleury, also known as St Benoit sur Loire. I visited here for a few days during my 1987 hitch hiking pilgrimage from England to Jerusalem. The great Romanesque church houses [...]
Last week I posted the full chapter from Benedict's Rule on Humility, then commented at the end of the week on the first four stages. Here are some thoughts on stages five through eight. The fifth degree of humility is that he hide from his Abbot none of the evil thoughts that enter his heart or [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]