Chapter 13: Lauds on ordinary days (paragraph 1)
On ordinary days Lauds should be celebrated like this: the sixty sixth psalm should be said with its antiphon but rather slowly, as on Sunday, to make sure that all are present for the fiftieth psalm which is said with its antiphon. (From para. 1 of Ch. 13 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
Rather slowly -- those are the words I respond to here. Benedict understands that those of us who would be ardent are often simply absent. I so often take my time to get ready and then run late. And yet, this experience can be blessed, too, if I remember what Fr. John teaches, that the purpose of time is to learn patience --with myself and with others. To truly learn patience paradoxically dissolves the concept of time, I believe, so that I could always live ready, always at one, always in the moment.
Fidelity to twice- and occasionally thrice-daily meditation
ReplyDeleteorders and makes ordinary my life of loving and adventuring together with You, Abba. Let’s do it one more time, this brand-new, fresh, never-to-be-repeated day