Andres, Andrea Marie M.
The Rule of St. Benedict and the Benedictine Hallmarks
It has been more than three years since I entered San Beda College and until now, this institution inculcates and constantly reminding us the Benedictine Values and Hallmarks. Ora et labora, love, stability, obedience, study, humility, stewardship, community, discipline, conversatio, silence, listening and hospitality were those hallmarks written in the Rule of St. Benedict.
Cardinal Base Hume states that the Rule of St. Benedict “makes it possible for ordinary folk to live lives of quite extraordinary value.” Although the rule was perhaps made by St. Benedict for monastic way of living, it seems that it was describing the essentials of a Christian life, normative for all but expressed through monastic way of living.
Stability, conversation and obedience, these three, according to the rule of St. Benedict must be possessed by new monks. Stability for, a monk must pledge to remain in the monastic community of profession for life, a vow to God. Conversatio, for they are expected to change and grow in grace in this life and obedience to God and the Holy Rule. But this three can also be applied to us. How? It is through having a stable relationship with our parents, friends, relatives, siblings, and of course to God, through openness to growth and change for the better and willingness to look at oneself and to be challenged by God and others and through obedience to our parents, to people order than us, those in authorities and even to those who are younger than us. I am lucky enough to have a good relationship with my family, and other people around me, it was perhaps because I obey and respect them but of course, I am not perfect, sometimes I commit mistakes too, and offend someone. I admit that these three would be very hard to manage, because of our own selves, the people around us and many more, but still we must always seek balance of these for according to Mr. Brian Taylor, “without change and growth, stability is a prison. Without stability, change is chaos. Without mutual commitment, obedience is slavery. And without obedience to higher authority, change is capricious. It is one life that Benedict proposes and it is expressed through three facets.”
Work, study and prayer were also included in the rule of St. Benedict and these are the polarities of the body, mind and spirit. We must always seek balance in this three aspect. Personally, I value these three a lot. Because I believe that for a person to be successful, he/she must study and work smart, but always seek guidance to God who gave us all we have. Ora et labora, one of the few words I wouldn’t forget as a Bedan.
Stewardship, respect for the beauty and goodness of creation as a sacrament of God is also a Benedictine hallmark. This value shows the love and respect for things. Benedictine stewardship is not dire poverty, but a genuine care of all the good things held in common. St Benedict wants us to use material things wisely.
Lastly, love for God and other people through humility, community, hospitality, listening, silence and all mentioned above. The silence of the Benedictine lifestyle is a quietness of heart and mind and spirit. It is an attitude of openness, making space in our lives for God to enter in and fill us. It requires a true and healthy humility. Humility is reflected by decisions of discretion, compassion, kindness, care and moderation. To be humble is to accept the fact that we are not perfect, all-knowing and powerful. St. Benedict said that we must “listen with the ear of our hearts”. It requires us not only to listen with our ears but to understand, to feel and to do something. This does not mean that we must not be proud of our achievements because of humility, of course we should be proud but we must always bear in our mind that there is always someone who helped us get it and that is God, our friends and family or even a stranger. Silence and listening does not mean too that we must always listen to everything that others say, especially if it is not good and appropriate, we too must learn how to speak and voice out. I really love God so much and respect other people, but of course, it would be very impossible not to hurt them, and so whenever I hurt other people’s feelings, disobey a rule, I usually acknowledge my mistake and ask for forgiveness. Soon, I will be leaving the school, and so I hope that I would be able to remember and stand for these values.
The Rule of St. Benedict and the Benedictine Hallmarks
It has been more than three years since I entered San Beda College and until now, this institution inculcates and constantly reminding us the Benedictine Values and Hallmarks. Ora et labora, love, stability, obedience, study, humility, stewardship, community, discipline, conversatio, silence, listening and hospitality were those hallmarks written in the Rule of St. Benedict.
Cardinal Base Hume states that the Rule of St. Benedict “makes it possible for ordinary folk to live lives of quite extraordinary value.” Although the rule was perhaps made by St. Benedict for monastic way of living, it seems that it was describing the essentials of a Christian life, normative for all but expressed through monastic way of living.
Stability, conversation and obedience, these three, according to the rule of St. Benedict must be possessed by new monks. Stability for, a monk must pledge to remain in the monastic community of profession for life, a vow to God. Conversatio, for they are expected to change and grow in grace in this life and obedience to God and the Holy Rule. But this three can also be applied to us. How? It is through having a stable relationship with our parents, friends, relatives, siblings, and of course to God, through openness to growth and change for the better and willingness to look at oneself and to be challenged by God and others and through obedience to our parents, to people order than us, those in authorities and even to those who are younger than us. I am lucky enough to have a good relationship with my family, and other people around me, it was perhaps because I obey and respect them but of course, I am not perfect, sometimes I commit mistakes too, and offend someone. I admit that these three would be very hard to manage, because of our own selves, the people around us and many more, but still we must always seek balance of these for according to Mr. Brian Taylor, “without change and growth, stability is a prison. Without stability, change is chaos. Without mutual commitment, obedience is slavery. And without obedience to higher authority, change is capricious. It is one life that Benedict proposes and it is expressed through three facets.”
Work, study and prayer were also included in the rule of St. Benedict and these are the polarities of the body, mind and spirit. We must always seek balance in this three aspect. Personally, I value these three a lot. Because I believe that for a person to be successful, he/she must study and work smart, but always seek guidance to God who gave us all we have. Ora et labora, one of the few words I wouldn’t forget as a Bedan.
Stewardship, respect for the beauty and goodness of creation as a sacrament of God is also a Benedictine hallmark. This value shows the love and respect for things. Benedictine stewardship is not dire poverty, but a genuine care of all the good things held in common. St Benedict wants us to use material things wisely.
Lastly, love for God and other people through humility, community, hospitality, listening, silence and all mentioned above. The silence of the Benedictine lifestyle is a quietness of heart and mind and spirit. It is an attitude of openness, making space in our lives for God to enter in and fill us. It requires a true and healthy humility. Humility is reflected by decisions of discretion, compassion, kindness, care and moderation. To be humble is to accept the fact that we are not perfect, all-knowing and powerful. St. Benedict said that we must “listen with the ear of our hearts”. It requires us not only to listen with our ears but to understand, to feel and to do something. This does not mean that we must not be proud of our achievements because of humility, of course we should be proud but we must always bear in our mind that there is always someone who helped us get it and that is God, our friends and family or even a stranger. Silence and listening does not mean too that we must always listen to everything that others say, especially if it is not good and appropriate, we too must learn how to speak and voice out. I really love God so much and respect other people, but of course, it would be very impossible not to hurt them, and so whenever I hurt other people’s feelings, disobey a rule, I usually acknowledge my mistake and ask for forgiveness. Soon, I will be leaving the school, and so I hope that I would be able to remember and stand for these values.
Taylor, Brian C. (1989). Spirituality for Everyday Living. The Liturgical Press. Collegeville, Minnesota.;
The Rule of St. Benedict
The Rule of St. Benedict
