Living by a Rule

Living by a Rule

To Follow Another

When the bells for prayer ring, St. Benedict tells us “the monk will immediately set aside what he has in hand and go with the utmost speed… Indeed, nothing is to be preferred to the Work of God” (RB 43:1, 3).

A schedule or horarium makes concrete a rule of life by which I recognize and choose what is most important: what is the source of my life and what my life is for. For this reason the most important moments in a rule are moments of prayer, which center my days around the memory of God. What I pay attention to is what I follow, what determines what I think about, whether it is the cycle of psalms or the cycle of news and social media. Each of us can see for ourselves whether what we attend to closes our hearts or opens them to live life more intensely. St. Benedict invites the monk to “no longer live by [our] own judgment, giving in to [our] whims and appetites... [but rather] walk according to another’s decisions and directions…” (RB 5:12). His Rule invites us to be freed from the tyranny of our own opinions and those of the powers that be, and entrust our lives to an Other who cares for me at every moment and event of the day. The bell interrupts my thoughts to give me an opportunity to say “yes” to God’s thoughts, to God’s life. In this way we not only can entrust ourselves to Him but also the lives of others, especially those who are suffering.

• Live this Together in Unity:

• None of us are alone; no circumstance can erase the fact of our baptism by which Christ has chosen us. As a sign of this reality, as much as possible try to enter into the gestures on the horarium at the same time as the monastic community and the other retreatants or at the same time of day in your own time zone. Even if circumstances prevent this, offer your prayers and actions in union with us and the whole Church in Christ, the head.

• Schedule communal work. Organize household tasks (cooking, cleaning, etc.) so that everybody has something to do and try to schedule this to do at the same time together. If necessary, schedule individual work (e.g. job or school assignments). Do this at the same time with others in your household (or with us, during our work periods). Do the same for communal and individual recreation time as needed.

• Consider a Screen Fast: A screen offers a constant invitation to be somewhere else. It can make silence and prayer difficult or impede communal recreation. We suggest limiting screen time during this retreat. A fast reveals what is essential. Perhaps limit access to retreat resources and necessities. This is something to be discerned personally and with your household. By observing ourselves in action, we can see what is useful or not in helping us stay present.