WCCM Oblate Blog: Reflections from Daily Reading of the Rule of St. Benedict

WCCM Benedictine Oblates are encouraged to read a designated portion of the Rule daily, and to write a brief, personal response. I hope that this blog will support our Oblate community in this practice. Please, keep blog entries brief and in a first-person ("I") voice. Refrain from discussing, offering an opinion, or commenting on other entries. Simply consider how a particular section of the Rule is speaking to you in your present circumstances.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Chapter 18: The order for reciting the psalms (paragraphs 1-2)

Each hour begins with following verse: O God come to my assistance, O Lord make haste to help me.

(From para. 1 of Ch. 18 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry OSB, 1997.)

How wonderful and curious that Benedict begins each hour with the same psalm verse that Cassian earlier recommended as a formula for continuous prayer. And for John Main, Cassian's recommendation of a formula became the key to Fr. John's recovering the Christian tradition of the mantra. The psalmist, Cassian, St. Benedict and John Main all point me toward a way of selfless growth.

2 comments:

Roger SessionsOctober 22, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Benedict tells me to begin each day by asking God's assistance, council, and direction. Meditation is that time when I try to make enough silence to hear God giving me that assistance, council, and direction.
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val latonaOctober 24, 2012 at 4:11 AM
In today's (10/24)Mass reading from Ephesians, Paul tells us that we have "confidence of access" to Christ through faith. This reminds me to pray that way-not timidly, not self-consciously because of my sins and weaknessess but as Paul says 'with boldness of speech." It makes a difference. There is more attention,and more desire to listen and obey the response that comes for "assistance and help" which may not be what I envision.
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