Chapter 18: The order for reciting the psalms (paragraphs 1-2)
Each hour begins with the 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.)
My heart so deeply resonates with the exact same verse that Cassian recommends for continuous prayer, and that Benedict recommends to begin each monastic hour. Maranatha, come Lord Jesus!
My heart so deeply resonates with the exact same verse that Cassian recommends for continuous prayer, and that Benedict recommends to begin each monastic hour. Maranatha, come Lord Jesus!
Before discovering the Rule, I often heard that verse from my spiritual director who happens to be a Benedictine monk. In fact, until now I noticed that each time he prays orally, say he prays for me,he blesses a sacred object, he will start with 'O God come to my aid, Oh Lord make haste to help me.' So to me, that's not just anymore a verse, it is now a song that commands my heart to open to God's outpouring love.
ReplyDeleteI miraculously survived a devastating high speed auto accident a week ago while driving across Texas, with resulting multiple soft tissue injuries. Now I endure chronic pain while recovering. My comment of four months ago on this portion of the rule now seems especially applicable:
ReplyDelete“O God come to my assistance, O Lord make haste to help me.” This introduction to every Hour is powerful. It reminds me of a WWII army veteran, a friend and a religious, who suffered from severe post-traumatic stress disorder with debilitating suicidal depression and anxiety and panic attacks. The vet told how repetition of these words throughout the day, like a mantra, healed this severely wounded warrior. Abba, never let me forget your healing power. Make me its instrument, today.