This chapter of St. Benedict’s rule describes a discipline for reading the Psalms in the winter season. On one hand, the timing of this reflection is appropriate. I sit here at night on November 3rd. However, on the other hand the temperature at 9pm remains at 700 F. Doesn’t feel a lot like winter. Also, St. Benedict did not have to contend with time “falling back” or “springing forward.” Not that any of this matters to the spiritual discipline that he outlines for us that forms us to pray in body, mind, and spirit.
The Rule encourages us to open our evening vigil prayer with the versicle taken from Psalm 51:15, “Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.” Benedict stresses the important lesson for us to recognize that we are unable to accomplish anything by our own will. We can only praise God as He opens our mouths to do so. Our ability to pray depends to God depends on God’s power that He gives through our relationship with Him. Perhaps this reality is so important that Benedict instructs us to repeat that verse three times.
After acknowledging that we praise God as He opens our lips, then our prayer naturally proceeds to say the doxology to acknowledge the triune nature of God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Benedict directs us to turn to Psalm 3 with the doxology. In his day, Benedict faced many opponents, who initially included his own followers who tried to poison his wine. So, Benedict may have cried out in the voice of the psalmist, “O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me…”[1] A life of devotion is a lonely journey. Many others, even those who we consider friends, often fail to appreciate spiritual formation. They criticize, tempt, or oppress ones who seek the depths of prayer. We join voices with generations past who experience ridicule and persecution, and offer our voices to generations to come who will experience the same. Together we share in that “great cloud of witnesses” and serve as conduits for God to renew our strength that we may soar.[2]
While Psalm 3 enables us to acknowledge the threats that we face, Benedict does not permit us to remain forlorn. Immediately we turn to Psalm 9, considering God’s great grace and mercy to us and our thankfulness to Him. Nightly, we pray the Psalms to offer voice to the challenges that we face daily and praising God for His deliverance. These readings are capped with singing the Te Deum, which Benedict refers to as “an Ambrosian hymn” because of its association with St. Ambrose. This is a traditional hymn of praise and thanksgiving that acknowledges all of the sources of praise to God. It’s words are inspiring;
We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud,
the Heavens and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of the apostles praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.
The noble army of martyrs praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world
doth acknowledge thee,
the Father, of an infinite majesty,
thine adorable, true, and only Son,
also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.
Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,
thou didst humble thyself to be born of a Virgin.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,
thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to be our judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants,
whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy saints,
in glory everlasting.
These are followed by six more Psalm readings, followed by a versicle, blessing, and more readings. Vigil is much more than prayer as practiced by many. Vigils, as with the other Liturgies of the Hours, is designed to imprint God’s Word into our hearts. These prayers are true communion with God, speaking to and hearing from Him. This is the seed of Lectio Divina, speaking the divine. We hear from God, reading from His Holy Scripture, reflecting on His message to us, responding to what we hear, and resting in His Word. Chapter 9 is a short reading that is packed with great power. May we be blessed in following the guidance of St. Benedict.
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[1] Psalm 3:1.
[2] Hebrews 12:1 and Isaiah 40:31.
