benedict and ignatius discerning a vital spirituality

Benedict and Ignatius

Discerning a Vital Spirituality

Benedict

• Life 480-547, midst disintegrating Western Roman Empire; Eastern Roman Empire intact

• Monks in Syrian and Egyptian deserts influential– Loose coalitions of Individual monks – Simeon the Stylite spent 37 years on a column

• How can Western Christianity prosper?

Rule of Benedict

• Rule of Benedict– Provide model of and support for Christian

communities in the Middle Ages• Community striving for holiness– Stable, self-supporting– Regular ritualized community prayer– Organized on egalitarian principles

• Benedict looking to form a new world for those striving for holiness

Benedictine Practices: Stability

• Commitment to specific community• Maintain relationships through conflicts

Benedictine Practices: Stability

• Commitment to specific community• Maintain relationships through conflicts• Making stability part of our lives– Hanging in with friends, communities,

families– Virtue of adaptability– Taking responsibility for common good:

family, community, nation

Rule of Benedict: Ora et Labora

• Communal prayer orders life of Benedictine monk

• Silence during the day allows meditation and private prayer




• Making communal prayer part of our lives– Communal Eucharistic prayer– Liturgy of the Hours– Family rituals




• Making personal prayer part of our lives– Pray on rising and retiring– Establish a place for personal prayer– Practice of journaling or contemplative or

artistic prayer


• Self-supporting communities based on farm and trades

• Safe refuges and travelers’ inns• Education for monks and communities• Emphasis on Silence during the day• Not “Pray and work” but “Pray while working”


• Self-supporting communities • Safe refuges and travelers’ inns• Education for monks and communities• Silence during the day• Making “pray while working” part of our lives– Respect and care for work in our lives– Turn off media while driving, walking, cooking– Use of simple repetitive prayers: Jesus Prayer,

Rosary

Rule of Benedict: Organization

• Models available to Benedict– Monarchy– Oligarchy– Athenian Democracy– Meritocracy

• Benedict’s “egalitarian” solution– Abbot to be obeyed– Abbot must consult with all members– Physical labor shared by all members

Rule of Benedict: Organization

• Benedict’s solution– Abbot to be obeyed– Abbot must consult with all members– Physical labor shared by all members

• Making Benedictine equality work in our lives• Respect each other• Avoid gossip, whinging• Sharing the unpleasant chores

Benedictines and Jesuits


Benedictines• Rule for community• Prayer around communal

liturgies• Model a new world• Vow of stability• Roman and Anglican• Men, women, lay• Colleges named for saints

Jesuits• Exercises for individual• Prayer around Daily Office,

examen• Change the existing one• Vow of Papal obedience• Roman• Men• Colleges named for cities

Benedictine and Jesuit Spirituality

PracticesWriting a Rule of LifePraying with ScriptureDaily PrayerWorkaday LifeCommunity Life


Benedictines• Famous: Thomas Merton,

Thomas Keating• Film: “Of Gods and Men”• Poets: Thomas Merton,

Kathleen Norris• NPR Commentators: ?• NCAA B-Ball champions: 0

Jesuits• Famous: Pope Francis I

• Film: “Black Robe”• Poets: Gerard Manley

Hopkins, Daniel Berrigan• NPR Commentators: 2+• NCAA B-Ball Champs: 5

benedict and ignatius discerning a vital spirituality

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