De Leon, Coleen A.
I have been a student in San Beda College for quite a while now and this institution teaches us about St. Benedict. St. Benedict of Nursia, Italy (A.D. 480-543), the twin brother of St. Scholastica, is considered to be the Father of Western monasticism, and his "Rule of St. Benedict" came to be the basis of organization for many religious orders (his own Order has its cradle at Monte Cassino, Italy, about 80 miles South of Rome). His boyhood was spent in Rome, where he lived with his parents and attended the schools until he had reached his higher studies. Then "giving over his books, and forsaking his father's house and wealth, with a mind only to serve God, he sought for some place where he might attain to the desire of his holy purpose; and in this sort he departed from Rome, instructed with learned ignorance and furnished with unlearned wisdom" Those are the things that I know about St. Benedict through our Bene subjects.
Honestly, I never liked the subject, for me it was just a minor subject that I have to attend to and pass. Every single meeting I would just listen to what my professor would say until our topic was about “listening”. I thought that the topic would be discussed the same way that I’ve heard people talk about the significance of listening. Other discussed it as listening through your ears so that you’ll be able to understand things around you but this one is different.
"Listen carefully, my son, to the Master's instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. This is advice from a father who loves you; welcome it, and faithfully put it into practice. The labor of obedience will bring you back to him from whom you had drifted through the sloth of disobedience. This message of mine is for all, and armed with the strong and noble weapons of obedience to do battle for the true king, Christ the Lord."
(the Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue, verses 1-3)
All my life, I always listen to what my parents would say. I would always listen to what my professors would instruct as. All my life I listened to them using my ears and the ears of my heart. This topic of listening is something that I would never forget. It taught me that sometimes we should listen not just by using our ears but also listening through our hearts. Through listening we are able to decide on some things. We always tend to listen to others of what they say but have even listened to what our hearts hear?
Have we ever listened using the ears of our hearts? As for me, I think I haven’t. All my life I never considered the things that my heart hears and says to me. But after doing my part in compiling all the Benedictine Core Values and reading the prologue part I told myself that it’s about time I start using my heart as a tool to listen to my surroundings.
In order to listen well I also have to practice the act of Silence to make room for the presence of God in our life and for a better understanding of what I hear. These two values, for me are really important.
I have been a student in San Beda College for quite a while now and this institution teaches us about St. Benedict. St. Benedict of Nursia, Italy (A.D. 480-543), the twin brother of St. Scholastica, is considered to be the Father of Western monasticism, and his "Rule of St. Benedict" came to be the basis of organization for many religious orders (his own Order has its cradle at Monte Cassino, Italy, about 80 miles South of Rome). His boyhood was spent in Rome, where he lived with his parents and attended the schools until he had reached his higher studies. Then "giving over his books, and forsaking his father's house and wealth, with a mind only to serve God, he sought for some place where he might attain to the desire of his holy purpose; and in this sort he departed from Rome, instructed with learned ignorance and furnished with unlearned wisdom" Those are the things that I know about St. Benedict through our Bene subjects.
Honestly, I never liked the subject, for me it was just a minor subject that I have to attend to and pass. Every single meeting I would just listen to what my professor would say until our topic was about “listening”. I thought that the topic would be discussed the same way that I’ve heard people talk about the significance of listening. Other discussed it as listening through your ears so that you’ll be able to understand things around you but this one is different.
"Listen carefully, my son, to the Master's instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. This is advice from a father who loves you; welcome it, and faithfully put it into practice. The labor of obedience will bring you back to him from whom you had drifted through the sloth of disobedience. This message of mine is for all, and armed with the strong and noble weapons of obedience to do battle for the true king, Christ the Lord."
(the Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue, verses 1-3)
All my life, I always listen to what my parents would say. I would always listen to what my professors would instruct as. All my life I listened to them using my ears and the ears of my heart. This topic of listening is something that I would never forget. It taught me that sometimes we should listen not just by using our ears but also listening through our hearts. Through listening we are able to decide on some things. We always tend to listen to others of what they say but have even listened to what our hearts hear?
Have we ever listened using the ears of our hearts? As for me, I think I haven’t. All my life I never considered the things that my heart hears and says to me. But after doing my part in compiling all the Benedictine Core Values and reading the prologue part I told myself that it’s about time I start using my heart as a tool to listen to my surroundings.
In order to listen well I also have to practice the act of Silence to make room for the presence of God in our life and for a better understanding of what I hear. These two values, for me are really important.
