The Rule of St. Benedict considers all aspects of the human being; body, mind, and spirit. In The Rule, we discover instruction for service, study, and prayer. Our patron saint encourages us to maintain balance in very practical ways. This chapter emphasizes the holiness of work. Sr. Joan Chittister writes that, “Work and prayer are opposite sides of the great coin of life.”[1] In fact, when our work is given to God, it becomes a prayer in itself. In the beginning, before Adam sinned, work was joyfully the means of man participating in co-creation with God, the Creator, Himself.
Just as Benedict outlined the times of prayer in chapters 8 through 17, he now turns to manual labor and describes seasons for work. After Easter to October the days grew warmer in 6th Century, middle-Italy. The monks were wise to use their mornings to accomplish their manual labor and turn to study at the heat of day. After Sext (noon prayer) they were to rest and read quietly if they wanted to read. They would pray None an hour early (around 2:30pm). Then they were to finish their work from 3 to 6pm. Then they assembled for Vespers.
There are two important lessons in this chapter. We must not be distracted by their schedule as much as recognize the importance of maintaining a rhythm of life. Life lived in rhythm is life lived in harmony with our Imago Dei. We were created in the image of the Creator. Therefore, just as God created rhythm in His nature; light and dark, day and night, land and sea, we reflect Him as we live in rhythm; work, study, prayer, and rest.
Our contemporary culture lives in chaos, more like a vortex of swirling demands of urgent, but not always important, activities. Our gift, our charism to our communities may be to serve as living icons of rhythmic living. We are encouraged to work, but not to be defined by our work; otherwise, we are no different than the secular world around us. The Benedictine is defined by one’s “single-minded search for God.”[2] Each aspect of our daily rhythm is offered to God for His glory, not our own pride. Humility is what is left when we truly empty ourselves to God. There is such joy waiting for the humble. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5.
Maintaining a rhythm of life is not easy, at least I struggle with it. Life begins to crowd in. Demands of others intrude on our time and space. Missed appointments, unscheduled meetings, people who need care, really good things press in on us and capture the one thing that we cannot recover – time. However, I must build discipline in my life that prioritizes and distinguishes the most important for right now from the more pressing things that can wait for their turn. I need to trust that I am not the only person who can do this good thing right now. I must trust that God is much bigger than me and I need to be with Him. I must commit to a rhythm of life that sustains my soul; body, mind, and spirit. If I breathed with a rhythm like I live, would I suffocate? Is that why my spirit feels like I am starving for breath – the breath of life?
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[1] Joan Chittister, The rule of Benedict: a spirituality for the 21st century, (New York: Crossroad, 2010), 211.
[2] _____, 214.
