The oblate Sunday in August followed the regular schedule of:
— MassWe start at 10:00 am and finish about 2:00 pm.
— Oblate novice class led by a monk
— Midday Prayer with the monks
— Lunch with the monks
— Oblate class led by the abbot
In the oblate novice class we are going through the Rule of St. Benedict.
In the August session we read and discussed chapter 5 of the Rule of St. Benedict on obedience and chapter 6 of the Rule on the spirit of silence.
Later in the oblate class I wrote in my notes that wisdom is for the community’s benefit and that lectio divina is for the community’s benefit.
The relation of lectio divina to the theme of silence in chapter 6 of the Rule of St. Benedict and to community benefit is apparent, but wisdom’s link to obedience and hence community benefit took some thought to click in my understanding.
It is easy for the modern mind to link wisdom to personal achievement, I appreciate the Benedictines for helping me to see wisdom’s wider and perhaps older place in a community of God’s servants.
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Footnotes:
The picture is To Beseech Thee by The Wandering Angel.
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Karim, thanks for the comment. My wife and I always spend the 45 minute drive home after an Oblate Sunday talking about what was discussed by the abbot in the oblate class. We feel very fortunate.
ReplyDeleteKarim, thanks for the comment. My wife and I always spend the 45 minute drive home after an Oblate Sunday talking about what was discussed by the abbot in the oblate class. We feel very fortunate.
ReplyDelete