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Benedict encourages a prayerful and positive attitude to ourselves, others and God. And this spiritually-positive attitude is expected to blossom into good works. Again Benedict echoes the New Testament as he likens the spiritual life to running for a prize (1 Cor. 9.24; Heb. 12.1). Doing good deeds is our way of running towards the Kingdom, and, like running a race, doing good requires discipline.
The person who wishes to run in the Benedictine way should focus on three aspects of goodness. First, he should control his relationships: ‘telling the truth in his heart, working no deceit with his tongue and never doing wrong to his neighbour’. Secondly, he will seek to gain mastery over his thoughts and inner desires. In a vivid and powerful image Benedict tells us to take our sinful thoughts and dash them against the rock of Christ. Finally, and most importantly, anyone who is seeking to live the righteous life must see that they will never succeed without the constant empowering grace of Christ (1 Cor. 15.10).
This wisdom is vital not only for our own spiritual lives, but also for the balanced formation of our children's characters. In a world where there is increasing pressure on children to succeed academically, socially and financially, Benedict's wisdom puts things in perspective. We must indeed try our very hardest to run the race and win the prize. But we must also understand that the ultimate success or failure rests not in our own efforts, but in God's grace. The final decision rests with him. Our business is to do our best – and let God do the rest.
This attitude not only gives God the glory (Ps. 115.1), but it relieves us from undue stress and worry. A proper understanding of how we co-operate with God grants us the dignity of real action and involvement while granting God the ultimate providence and power in our lives. This arrangement also teaches that God's love for us is unconditional. It does not rest on our success or fall by our failure.
Finally, a right understanding of our co-action with God also makes our Christian deeds eternally good because they are not the fruit of our own finite goodness: they are the actions of God becoming incarnate through our actions of love, in our family, our workplace and in our world.
January 5
May 6
September 5
THE PROLOGUE (E)
And so the Lord also says in the Gospel, ‘Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them, will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock; floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall; it was founded on rock.’ Thus the Lord concludes his reply, and daily expects us to respond through our dutiful actions to his holy precepts.
Therefore in order that amends be made for sins, the days of our life are prolonged to give us a time in which to make our peace, as the Apostle says, ‘Do you realise that the patience of God is meant to lead you to repentance?’ For this loving Lord says, ‘I do not wish the death of the sinner, but that he should change his ways and live.’
The Benedictine monk vows to pursue stability of life, and the need for stability is a constant theme throughout the Rule. Benedict himself lived in times of great upheaval. In the year 410 – just seventy years before Benedict's birth – the city of Rome fell to the invading hoards of barbarians, and by the middle of the century Huns were ravaging northern Italy. At the same time the Church was torn apart not only by the social and political chaos, but also by internal theological controversy.
His times are similar to our own. We have lived in a century of unparalleled violence, social upheaval, and cataclysmic change. Nothing seems secure and our whole world sometimes seems built on quicksand. In the midst of this our own lives too often shudder with insecurity, uncertainty and the stress of rapid transition.
So Benedict's injunction for us to build our house upon the rock is all the more timely (Matt. 7.25). Benedict teaches that the way to build sensibly on the rock is to obey the Lord's precepts and build carefully day by day – not attempting great things overnight, but constructing an edifice of faith which will withstand the tempests of life.
One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is a stable home life. We usually think only in terms of financial stability, but that is perhaps the least of our worries; in many ways finances will look after themselves. What is most often neglected is spiritual and moral stability. Christian values were once strongly supported by society, education and the media. But increasingly the Christian values that provide a stable home for our family seem like an outdated counter-culture.
Nevertheless, it is a strong and loving discipline of prayer, duty, and worship which provides not only the most stable environment for our homes, but also gives the surest foundation for our children to step out into the wider world with confidence.
This domestic stability can only exist if it is first being built in our own lives. There are various practical ways of building stability. With the help of a spiritual director we can put together a rule of life which gives form and structure to our spiritual quest. In today's reading Benedict provides the other plank in the platform of a spiritually stable life. He encourages repentance because it is through an attitude of repentance that we continually correct and modify our straying path.
January 6
May 7
September 6
THE PROLOGUE (F)
We have asked the Lord, my brothers, about the kind of man who dwells in his house, and we have heard what is required in order to do so. So let us fulfil the task of such a dweller. That means that we must make ready our hearts and bodies to engage in the warfare of holy obedience to his commands, and because our nature has not power to do this, we must ask God to send forth the help of his grace to our aid. And, if we wish to escape the punishment of hell and reach eternal life, then while there is still time, while we are still in this body and this life gives us the light to do all these things, we must hurry to do now what will profit us for ever.
The Prologue to Benedict's Rule is full of loving encouragement and gentle enthusiasm. But it is also full of straight talking. In today's reading Benedict makes it clear that he is calling us to spiritual warfare and that we had better take him seriously if we wish to escape the pains of hell. The spiritual quest is not an option for people ‘who like that sort of thing’. Our soul's destiny is at stake and time is short.
This is the uncompromising language of one who speaks with authority. We are unused to such language because the concept of authority has been eroded in our society. A cynical, questioning and rebellious attitude has become not only fashionable, but expected. The idea that we submit ourselves to a greater authority is shocking to most modern people, yet this is exactly what is required if we are to achieve stability and prosper spiritually. So Benedict makes no mistake when he likens his disciples to spiritual warriors. Like any soldier they must learn to take orders. And if a soldier must take orders, the commanding officer must take the greater responsibility of giving orders well.
In our age fathers are experiencing a crisis because their traditionally authoritarian role has been undermined. If the wrong kind of authoritarianism has been eroded, that may be a creative step forward. However, for the family to be secure the father still needs to exercise authority in the right way.
Christian authority is
