St. Benedict’s radical moderation is needed in today’s chaotic world

St. Benedict’s radical moderation is needed in today’s chaotic world

Commentary by Julie A. Ferraro | A View from the Towers

St. Benedict of Nursia (or Norcia — depending on the source) is one of a select few Catholic saints honored with two feast days on the liturgical calendar. On March 21, Benedictines celebrate the “transitus” — the passing of Benedict into heaven. Then, on July 11, he is celebrated more joyfully because the date falls outside the Lenten season. This becomes a time when “alleluias” can be added to the songs and prayers, along with enjoyment of festive meals and treats.

Benedict lived in sixth century Italy. He saw, at that time, the state of a crumbling Roman empire, human greed and war. So, he went off to a cave outside Rome to live in solitude and fasting.

When others discovered Benedict’s lifestyle, they began to gather around him, wanting to share his wisdom and deepen their own relationship with God, beyond the mere material-focused existence of most people at the time. Benedict realized he needed guidelines to help this fledgling community. So he created a Rule that is still used around the globe 15 centuries later.

The “Rule of St. Benedict” isn’t an original document, but drawn from a variety of sources including early Christian writers like St. Pachomius, St. Basil and St. Augustine of Hippo. Benedict integrated that wisdom into an existing type of guidebook for monastic life titled, “The Rule of the Master,” penned by an unknown author. He also substantially edited out the extreme penitential practices that filled those pages.  

What Benedict accomplished in this task added a healthy dose of moderation, something others in those days (and, even now) ignored in favor of modes of self-denial and penitence that had the potential to harm the body, twist the mind and warp the soul.

Benedict emphasizes the balance between prayer, work, study and rest in his Rule. His intent was to “establish a school for the Lord’s service,” as it reads in the Prologue, by encouraging the monks and nuns to perform good deeds, to “translate into actions … his holy teachings.”

Yet again in the Prologue, Benedict writes, “What is not possible to us by nature, let us ask the Lord to supply by the help of his grace.” He had a grasp of human foibles uncommon for his time and understood that acquiring the discipline to live such an ordered routine with God as the focal point would not suit all comers. He noted that, as he created the Rule, he wished to include “nothing harsh, nothing burdensome.”

In his Rule, Benedict includes an entire chapter — a rather lengthy one — on the ideal of humility. A person could spend a lifetime just meditating on those verses and applying them to daily life. He writes about how the hours of prayer are to be configured, and their timing based upon the seasons — on days when the sun rose later and set earlier. For instance, the schedule was amended to compensate for this change (and the lack of electricity in that era).

Benedict addressed the practical, too. He wished the sick to be well cared for and to have what they needed to recover their health. When monks failed to follow the provisions set out in the Rule, they were reprimanded, but with kindness and many chances to reform. 

He summarized the concepts woven into his Rule in the final of his 73 chapters as a document “written for beginners” on the path to holiness. While he originally meant the Rule to be observed by men and women living in monasteries, it has become a guidebook for lay people, as well. And it’s become one for not only Catholics, but those of other Christian denominations who seek to find a deeper meaning to their lives.

The Center for Benedictine Life at the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, Idaho, continues to explore ways to share St. Benedict’s wisdom with those seekers, creating new forms of community, welcoming all as Christ for retreats, prayer and special events, with the knowledge that his emphasis on moderation, his blend of prayer, work, study and rest, is needed today more than ever in a world beset by all manner of marginalization, violence and noise.

So, as St. Benedict is celebrated this coming July 11, may hearts aching for God find in his Rule a truth that will lead them on their spiritual journey, sharing God’s love for all along the way.

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.