Fifteen hundred years ago, St. Benedict wrote his Rule of Life and established his monastic community. The Rule became the standard for most of the monastic tradition in the entire Western world. The Rule is marked by moderation, balance, humility, and humanity. Community life was a key feature of his monastic vision and he stressed the value of balancing “work and prayer” (ora et labora) as the “school” for holiness. He saw the community as a place of equality where each person was helped by everyone else along the path of holiness. The monk’s primary occupation was liturgical prayer, complemented by the reading of the Scriptures and manual work of various kinds.
Let us pray. “Blessed are you, God of the Universe, for you designed all created things to work in harmony. Send your Holy Spirit to inspire us with a sense of right living, after the example of St. Benedict. Help us appreciate being treated fairly and give us the insight we need to recognize the truth of justice in our relationships. May our prayer and work reflect your care and concern for all of your daughters and sons. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
For more on St. Benedict himself and the Benedictine presence in Oregon: https://www.mountangelabbey.org/monastery/history-and-tradition/
