Rule of Benedict 36

August 3, 2009

Rule of Benedict 36

Chapter 4 and verses 55-61 of the Rule of Benedict say:

Listen willing to holy lectio; apply yourself frequently to prayer. Daily confess to God in prayer your past sins with tears and sighs, and amend them for the future.

Do not fulfill the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16): Hare your self-will. Obey in all things the commands of the abbot, even though he himself (which God forbid!) should act otherwise, being mindful of that precept of the Lord: Do what they say, but not what they do (Matthew 23:3).

Confess sins with tears and sighs!

How about that? Brokenness over past sins (assumable ones committed since last confession) is the advice of Benedict. It is not hard for us to cry over sins against us. It is harder, in my experience, to cry over sins I cause against others.

Obey the Abbot (the one who is in charge over you). Are you motivated to follow someone’s words when their actions do not complement what they say?

Prayer: I cannot manufacture tears over my sins. Help me to know the way you see the hurt that my sins cause others. Enable me to see and to pity, give me eyes of compassion.  Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Posted by georges boujakly | Filed Under St Benedict's Rule 

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