Based on @cristiano_siri’s, @alberto’s and @ben’s respnses I will be sharing 2-3 times a week excerpts from the book “Essential Monastic Wisdom. Writings on the Contemplative Life”, written by Hugh Feiss [Order of St. Benedict]. I will keep editing this wiki page and adding the new material at the bottom of the page.
14 February
"There’s to be acceptance to people that come from very different places (using this metaphorically as well as literaly). There is to be willingness to hear “reasonable criticisms or observations” and to learn from the example of others…In a world that builds barriers, puts up walls, keeps the other ut, and is looking for certainty, we turn to the Rule and find a man who
insists on balance, mutual respect, reciprocity, openess. [Benedict]…refused to live with a clsed mind."
Esther de Waal, A Life-giving Way
"Complaining is the acid that shrivels our own sould and the sould of the
community around us as well"
Sr. Joan Chittister, The Rule of Benedict
March 4th
In the midst of the multiple activities of the day, you should stay free of multiplicity and preserve oneness of spirit withing yourself. Let your mind form an idea of God and of his supreme majesty and goodness. Keep his lovable prsence before his mind’s eye.
Louis Dubois, Spiritual Doctrine
Certain said that the humility he loved was beneath the digity of a bishop. Wulfstan answered: "Whoever"is the greatest among you will be your servant. I am your bishop and teacher; therefore I must be the servant of you all, according to the Lord’s command.
Life of Wulfstan
Vainglory is a love of our own excellence. Vainglory gives birth to self-explitation, pride, arrogance, contentin, affront, contempt, presumption, disobedience, irreverence and very often to factions, the worst of plagues. To avoid these things, we must glory in the Lord and not in ourselves.
John Trithemius. Rule
[Voluntary poverty] is good for those women who are able to endure it. For the women who preserve in this condition have suffering in the flesh, but peace in the soul. For just as heavy clothing is washed and bleache by treading and vigorous wringing so also the strong soul is strenghtened to a greater degree through voluntary poverty.
Life of Syncletica
13 february excerpts
“There’s to be acceptance to people that come from very different places (using this metaphorically as well as literaly). There is to be willingness to hear “reasonable criticisms or observations” and to learn from the example of others…In a world that builds barriers, puts up walls, keeps the other ut, and is looking for certainty, we turn to the Rule and find a man who insists on balance, mutual respect, reciprocity, openess. [Benedict]…refused to live with a clsed mind.”
Esther de Waal, A Life-giving Way
“Complaining is the acid that shrivels our own sould and the sould of the community around us as well”
Sr. Joan Chittister, The Rule of Benedict
17 february excerpts
“There’s to be acceptance to people that come from very different places (using this metaphorically as well as literaly). There is to be willingness to hear “reasonable criticisms or observations” and to learn from the example of others…In a world that builds barriers, puts up walls, keeps the other ut, and is looking for certainty, we turn to the Rule and find a man who insists on balance, mutual respect, reciprocity, openess. [Benedict]…refused to live with a clsed mind.”
Esther de Waal, A Life-giving Way
“Complaining is the acid that shrivels our own sould and the sould of the community around us as well”
Sr. Joan Chittister, The Rule of Benedict
- See more at: https://edgeryders.eu/comment/8547#comment-8547
