Tag: Monk in the World

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The 12 Steps of Humility :: CONTENTMENT

EACH MONTH IN THE 12 STEPS OF HUMILITY WE ARE CLIMBING SAINT BENEDICT’S LADDER OF HUMILITY.  WITH EACH RUNG WE COME CLOSER TO THE PERFECT LOVE OF GOD.


The ladder is our life on earth, if we humble our heart God will raise it to heaven.  ~ St Benedict


THE SIXTH STEP OF HUMILITY: 


A monk is content with the lowest and most menial treatment.

I know what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have lived under all kinds of conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be hungry, to have too much or too little. Christ gives me the strength to face anything. ~ Philippians 4:12-13





At first glance in the original language of Saint Benedict from 1500 years ago, this step seems to be putting ourselves down. In a way it is because we should let others go before us.  


It’s important to remember the root word of humility: humus (dirt)!


We aren’t supposed to be the one to look for our promotion. Rather, we are to sit at the back and be asked to move up front. 


We should be willing to accept the circumstances of life as they come; not thinking we are above certain things. 

We are to be content with who we are, with what we have and where we are. Trusting God for the outcome as He can see around the corner of our life.

Humility is peace. It grasps life lightly and takes it as it comes. Humility steps lightly, not intent on having the now be more, but simply aware that the now can be better. Humility enables us to see that the present holds riches for us that we have not seen before because our eyes were focused beyond the present moment. ~ Joan Chittister**


We all go through times of adversity and trials. The key to knowing if our hearts are truly fixed on God is when the external challenges in our life don’t effect our moods.

Oh I wish I could say that I am there! But my practice is getting better. I’m learning to take myself back to my breath and ask: 

What relationship do I have with this moment or this situation? Is it healthy or dysfunctional?

Am I accepting or resisting what I am?  Who I am?  Where I am?  

I must seek The Peace in the moment!



RESOURCES:
Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited by Joan Chittister**
A Guide to Living in the Truth: Saint Benedict’s Teaching on Humility by Michael Casey
Saint Benedict’s Toolbox: The Nuts and Bolts of Everyday Benedictine Living by Jane Tomaine
The Rule of Saint Benedict edited by Timothy Fry



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A Monk in the World :: HUMILITY

As A MONK IN THE WORLD WE ARE LEARNING THE TEACHINGS AND PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN MONASTICISM AND HOW WE CAN APPLY THEM TO OUR LIVES OUTSIDE THE MONASTERY WALLS. 


humil’ity, n [L. humilitas.]
freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one’s own worth; a deep sense of one’s own unworthiness in the sight of God; self-abasement; penitence for sin; and submission to the divine will.** 


Showing respect to the Lord will make you wise and being humble will bring honor to you. ~ Proverbs 15:33


One of the toughest things to learn and practice is humility. Certainly not a topic of daily conversation. But in the last couple of years this is exactly where God has had me parked. And I am reminded of it regularly.  


Why? 

Because I struggle with pride, vanity and every possible opposite of humility.

I will sit and think lowly of myself, having a pity party, imagining no one cares about me, thinking that nothing I do matters to anyone.  I never imagined doing this was prideful.

In fact I am having an immodest estimate of my own worth. I am thinking I should be more important to everyone else than they seem to be showing me.

Everyone who tries to honor himself shall be humbled; and he who humbles himself shall be honored. ~ Luke 14:11

This saying demonstrates that all exaltation is a type of pride. ~ The Rule of Benedict 7:2

Saint Benedict’s Rule has humility at its core because humility is at the core of the Gospel. That means it should be at my core as well.

I might be walking around with humble behavior. But if in my heart I am always seeking more recognition… I’ve still got a lot of work to do!

**Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary

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BOOK REVIEW

How to Be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job: 

An Invitation to Oblate Life

by

Brother Benet Tvedten

 

 

 

 

How to Be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job is a great place to start if you are considering the life of an Oblate.  This was the first book on the monastic lifestyle that I read two years ago. At 119 pages with short flowing chapters it’s a easy introductory read.

Br. Tvedten does an excellent job giving us historical background to Benedictine spirituality, the values for daily living and what it actually means to become an Oblate. He includes a wonderful list of Benedictine titles many of which I have read and will be reviewing here in the future.

I highly recommend How to Be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job: An Invitation to Oblate Life by Brother Benet Tvedten.  It was after reading this book that I knew without a doubt the Benedictine spiritual path was where I belonged.

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A Monk in the World :: STABILITY

IN A MONK IN THE WORLD WE ARE LEARNING THE TEACHINGS AND PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN MONASTICISM AND HOW WE CAN APPLY THEM TO OUR LIVES OUTSIDE THE MONASTERY WALLS. 


Stability is a vow taken by a Benedictine monk binding her to residence for life in the same monastery in which she made her vow. 


Many of us outside the monastery walls change jobs, houses, cars and partners as quickly as we change our clothes. The idea of staying in the same place of residence our entire life is unimaginable! 

Stability is also a critical aspect of addiction recovery. When I was practicing addiction and emotional pain would show up, the first thing I wanted to do was escape.

If I couldn’t numb out with a substance then I wanted to run away. Some how I thought the pain inside wouldn’t follow me, but of course, it always did. 

Even after years of recovery there are days I struggle with the need to escape. But God gently pulls me back to a place of stability.

  • Stability centers us in something Greater than ourselves so nothing less than ourselves can sweep us away.
  • Stability requires listening and acceptance. We must quiet ourselves and listen to what the situation is it trying to teach us.
  • Stability takes the monotonous and creatively betters it. Once we accept the situation freedom comes and we find the creativity to improve it.

The world clamors for us to change everything about ourselves.


 Stability asks us to stay and grow so that change may come.


RESOURCES:
Seeking God: The Way of Saint Benedict by Esther de Waal
Monk Habits for Everyday People: Benedictine Spirituality for Protestants by Dennis Okholm
How to be a Monastic and Not Leave your Day Job by Br. Benet Tvedten
Wisdom Distilled from the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict by Joan Chittister, OSB

Image credit: iqoncept / 123RF Stock Photo

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12 Steps of Humility :: PERSEVERANCE

EACH MONTH IN THE 12 STEPS OF HUMILITY WE ARE CLIMBING SAINT BENEDICT’S LADDER OF HUMILITY.  WITH EACH RUNG WE COME CLOSER TO THE PERFECT LOVE OF GOD.

The ladder is our life on earth, if we humble our hearts God will raise it to heaven. ~ St Benedict

Step 4 of Humility: In this obedience under difficult, unfavorable, or even unjust conditions, [her] heart quietly embraces suffering and endures it without weakening or seeking escape.

If you remain faithful to the end you will be saved. ~ Matthew 10:22 


In our world today we want any trial we are facing to be corrected yesterday. We don’t have time, nor are we willing to persevere through the crisis.  This leaves us living as spiritual infants.

According to Saint Benedict in our obedience, we are to hold fast when things aren’t going our way. And the only way to do that is to stay centered on God!

We must take our eyes off the circumstances and how we want things to be and remember everything in life can be a learning opportunity if we allow it.

I love this Webster 1828 definition:

perseverance: continuance in a state of grace to a state of glory.


When we are walking in God’s grace we are more likely to give Him glory. But we can’t be walking in His grace with our eyes on the ground, or on the circumstances or the rearview mirror, or on ourself.

God will only get the glory if we keep Him in the center minute by minute.


RESOURCES:
The Rule of Saint Benedict by Saint Benedict, Edited by Timothy Fry, O.S.B.
Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited by Joan D. Chittister**
The Twelve Steps of Humility and Pride by Bernard of Clairvaux
Living in the Truth: Saint Benedict’s Teaching on Humility by Michael Casey

Image credit: designerkrim / 123RF Stock Photo

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A Monk in the World :: CONVERSION of LIFE

IN A MONK IN THE WORLD WE ARE LEARNING THE TEACHINGS AND PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN MONASTICISM AND HOW WE CAN APPLY THEM TO OUR LIVES OUTSIDE THE MONASTERY WALLS. 

Last month we learned the first of three primary Benedictine vows: Obedience. Second in our study is Conversatio Morum often translated: Conversion of Life. 


By this vow the monk recognizes that he is not yet fully the person God created him to be, that he is on the way to knowing himself as one loved and created in the divine image whose call is to be as Christ in the world but who has not yet arrived.                                                                              ~ Elizabeth Canham**

Most of my life I have been resistant to change; change in lifestyles, living situations, jobs, etc… Not until my late 40’s was I able to embrace change with joy, seeing the change as a God given adventure with a purpose for my benefit. 

Saint Benedict, writing to his monks in 6th century Italy, encourages them to embrace change and growth, to be transformed by the Spirit inwardly and outwardly.

As Christians we are called to continued spiritual growth. The vow of Conversion builds on this calling us to root out our vices and faults; to cultivate virtue and contemplation; to repent from worldly sin, and apply a lifelong process of discipline and spiritual formation.

With conversion we concentrate on the kind of person we want to become remembering there are no instant conversions. This is a lifelong marathon not a daily sprint. Not focusing so much on what must be removed but by adding in new healthier habits the negative ones will naturally fall away.

In this season of Lent what better time to embrace the Conversion of Life?

RESOURCES:
St. Benedicts Toolbox: The Nuts and Bolts of Everyday Benedictine Living by Jane Tomaine **
Monk Habits for Everyday People: Benedictine Spirituality for Protestants by Dennis Okholm
How to be a Monastic and Not Leave your Day Job by Br. Benet Tvedten
Spirituality for Everyday Living: An Adaptation of the Rule of St. Benedict by Brian C. Taylor
The Path of Life by Cyprian Smith, OSB
The Rule of Saint Benedict edited by Timothy Fry, O.S.B.
Benedictine Monachism: Studies in Benedictine Life and Rule by Edward Cuthbert Butler


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A Monk in the World :: LECTIO DIVINA

In A Monk in the World we are learning the values, teachings and principles of Christian monasticism and how we can apply them to our lives outside the monastery walls. Today we’re focusing on the Prayer of Lectio Divina.

Lectio divina which means “holy or divine reading”  is an ancient form of prayer using Scripture as the voice of God to our heart. This type of prayer is simple in concept but  powerful in practice, taking us deeper and deeper in our relationship with God.


There are various takes on the practice of lectio divina. We are going to use the one I’ve learned from my resources listed below. Before beginning any prayer time we must find a quiet place to sit with the Lord. Focusing on our breath, we prepare to listen as the Holy Spirit brings openness and guidance.

  1. LECTIO: (Latin for reading) In this step we read a section of Scripture slowly, savoring each word as a delicious morsel that will nourish our soul. It’s helpful to read the passage aloud watching ever closely for a word or phrase that shimmers in our heart.
  2. MEDITATIO: (Latin for mediation) Here we take the phrase that caught our heart’s attention and ruminate on it through repetition and reflection. As we chew on the given text we connect it with our life situations.
  3. ORATIO: (Latin for prayer) In this next step we actually begin our conversion with God, our closest friend and confidant who we can share anything with. Here we may find much needed joy and gratitude; a renewal of hope and trust.
  4. CONTEMPLATIO (Latin for contemplation) Here we stop doing and just be, we still our hearts and minds, find rest in God’s loving arms as His precious child. We may continue our reading or end our prayer with thanksgiving.
Certainly one of my favorite passages of Scripture to meditate on is Psalm 23. Here are a few others you may consider:

Psalm 51 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love.”
Psalm 91 “You who live in the shelter of the Most High”
Romans 8 “There is therefore no condemnation…

I hope you will enjoy the practice of lectio divina. I’m looking forward to putting it more into practice for myself this upcoming year.

Blessings…

RESOURCES:
St. Benedicts Toolbox: The Nuts and Bolts of Everyday Benedictine Living by Jane Tomaine
Monk Habits for Everyday People: Benedictine Spirituality for Protestants by Dennis Okholm
How to be a Monastic and Not Leave your Day Job by Br. Benet Tvedten