May 2004 Christian Spirituality      Continued from previous issue By George A Lane SJ

Continue from ...... BENEDICTINE SPIRITUALITY Daily life in the monastery consisted of a rhythmic balance of three elements: liturgical prayer, manual labour, and lectio divina. Liturgical prayer is chiefly the chanting of the Divine Office in choir acording to the canonical hours. This is an essential element of monastic life, and it is the element which sets the rhythm for the whole monastic life. A good part of the Holy Rule is devoted to prescriptions as to how the Divine Office is to be sung. The second element is daily manual labour. This work aspect of Benedictine life is an integral part of the daily order of the monastery. Benedict preferred that the work be farm work. The purpose of this work was to avoid idleness and to take care of the material needs of the monastery. Manual labour was a physical exercise element too that was to be integrated into the balanced rhythm of community living. This is what Benedict envisioned. We notice that the work element in Benedictine life was not conceived to be apostolic service. It was not intended to serve the needs of the Church directly nor was it mission oriented. It was simply an element in the daily order for the good of the monks and the community. The third element in the daily life of a monk was he lectio divina. This is a quiet prayerful reading of sacred scripture. "To read sacred scripture was in fact to meditate on it and the process could easily turn into prayer, and prayer which could become contemplative; but this would be a gift of God to be waited for and not sought." This, of course, is radically different from the contemplative prayer ideal of Origenism. This is not trying to be angelic; it is not like trying to be in heaven while still on earth. It is a much more realistic type of prayer. Benedict himself does not use the word contemplation anywhere in his Rule. For Cassian a conscious seeking of the angelic life was the ideal and aim of the spiritual life; not for Benedict. For Benedict perfection is not in tranquillity and contemplation, rather it is in charity, humility, and obedience in community life. Even today many can look at this way of life and see it as a beautiful and practical ideal of the spiritual life which is definitely livable under the conditions which can be set up and determined within a monastery.

- To Be Continued -