As Benedictines we gather morning and evening for the Liturgy of the Hours to chant the beautifully poetic Psalms of David. As the bell rings and invites us to come into God’s holy presence, we stop all work we are doing, whether finished or not, to come together “to sing…
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For the past 5 weeks, I’ve been wearing a long, rigid brace to protect and immobilize a fractured wrist to enable it to heal. Yesterday, I started therapy to eventually recover full strength and use of my fingers, hand and wrist. It’s going to take many weeks before I can…
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In Ch. 72 of his Rule St. Benedict states that good zeal is to be fostered by monks with fervent love. Then he quotes St. Paul’s letter to the Romans: “They should each try to be the first to show respect to the other” [12:10]. They are to bear with…
Read MoreIn the previous post there were lots of particulars, in both word and image. Banisters, windows, water, ducks, coffee, clocks, doorknobs, scrambled eggs, a hallway plant…What do all these particulars – this ‘matter’ – have to do with Benedictine life? A lot! While a spiritual reality – seeking God –…
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