St. Benedict of Nursia

Produced by the Word on Fire Institute.

May we never forget.....

If we want to grow in and with the living Christ, we are called to remember... 

The first step of humility, then, is that we keep "the reverence of God always before our eyes (Ps 36:2)" and never forget it. We must constantly remember everything God has commanded, keeping in mind that all who despise God will burn in hell for their sins, and all who reverence God have everlasting life awaiting them. While we guard ourselves at every moment from sins and vices of thought or tongue, of hand or foot, of self-will or bodily desire, let us recall that we are always seen by God in the heavens, that our actions everywhere are in God's sight and are reported by angels at every hour.

Humility

As we start anew this month on our journey through Benedictine Humility--I invite you to recall Sister Joan's commentary at the close of Chapter 46 where she reminds us: 

• if we choose spiritual people for our friends and our leaders,
• if we respect our elders for their wisdom,
• if we want growth rather than comfort,
• if we rip away the masks that hide us, and we're willing to have our bleeding selves, cauterized by the light of spiritual leadership and the heat of holy friendships,

we would...come to the humility that brings us real peace.

"Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power."  Tao Te Ching

Benedictine spirituality asks for both. May your journey through this reading of Chapter 7 bring you renewed strength and courage as you travel the way.

 

Whom shall we love….

 

Norman Rockwell, 1961

Pray for our country....

Norman Rockwell, in 1961, offered us a vision of humanity’s shared dignity: men, women, and children of every nation, faith, and complexion gathered under the golden words of the Gospel’s Golden Rule. That canvas spoke not just of America, but of God’s dream for humanity: that we might look into each other’s eyes and see not threat or stranger, but brother and sister. It was painted during the Cold War, the Civil Rights movement, and the uneasy dawn of global consciousness. It was aspirational—a reminder of who we might be, not who we were.

If the Creator—by whatever name invoked in our different traditions—were to look upon America today, I believe He/She would see a people both blessed beyond measure and broken by their own choices:

• Blessed, because we still carry extraordinary freedom, creativity, resources, and the ability to speak, gather, and worship. These are gifts entrusted to us, not earned by us.

• Broken, because division, anger, suspicion, and greed have crept into our common life. Many see neighbors not as fellow children of God, but as enemies. Our politics often reward outrage more than compassion. We live in an age of abundance, yet millions go hungry or are crushed under debt. The Creator must surely weep that after so many years, we still struggle with racism, violence, and indifference.

The eyes of the painting—serious, compassionate, longing—ask us whether we have grown closer to the dream Rockwell imagined, or drifted further.

Can we be humble enough to ask for help?

Humility is the only path back. We must admit:

• We cannot fix this by clever policies alone.

• We cannot heal by shouting louder than the other side.

• We cannot find peace until we are willing to kneel—each in our own way of prayer, silence, or surrender—and confess that we have fallen short.

Humility is not weakness. It is the courage to say: 

We need help. We need grace. 

We need wisdom greater than our own.

We stand again before Rockwell’s vision, sixty-four years later. The world is watching whether we can live into the words: 

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 

This is not sentiment—it is the Creator’s law written in every faith tradition: in Torah, in the words of Jesus, in the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), in the wisdom of the Buddha, in the counsel of the Bhagavad Gita.

Let us begin with small steps:

• See the humanity of the neighbor with whom you disagree
• Choose kindness when cruelty is easier
• Teach children not just to succeed, but to serve
• Pray—not only for your family—but for the stranger

If enough of us do this, then perhaps in another sixty-four years, a new artist might paint not just the dream, but the reality of a nation—and a world—that finally took the Golden Rule seriously.

Chapter 4: The Tools of Good Works

There are many moments when each of us feel as if we are resting in the arms of our Lord, and listening as He talkes to us as a loving parent. I believe Chapter 4 of the Rule of Benedict and Sister Joan Chittister's commentary are one of those precious moments.

I invite you to read this chapter in the deepest meditative, contemplative and reflective way that only you and your heart can describe. His voice echoes on every page as Benedict speaks to his monastics 1,400 year ago and Sister Joan to each of us now in the 21st-century. All three love us dearly and want only the best for each of us.

Amen

For the Thoughtful Believer

For the thoughtful believer, there is nothing more certain than the reality of uncertainty, nothing more natural than doubt, which is perhaps thirty seconds younger than faith itself.

Light can neither emanate from, nor enter into, a closed mind. And so, for all its limitations, reason--the weighing of evidence, the assessment of likelihood, the capacity to shift ones opinions in light of thought and of experience--remains essential. Without reason, we cannot appreciate complexity; without appreciating complexity, we cannot rightly appreciate the majesty and mystery of God; and without rightly appreciating the majesty and mystery of God, we foreclose the possibility of the miraculous and the redemptive.

Jon Meacham, The Hope of Glory

Place of Purpose

Sr. Joan speaks of place of purpose.  Here are a few thoughts to consider as you meditate on her writings for September 1.

Vocational/Calling Dimension.  In the classical sense, a place of purpose is where one’s calling (or vocation) aligns with the needs of the world. Theologian Frederick Buechner put it as “the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep hunger.” Here, purpose is not just about what brings satisfaction, but how it serves or contributes to something larger than oneself.

Existential Dimension.  From an existential viewpoint, an individual’s place of purpose is the spot where meaning is chosen and affirmed. It is not assigned externally, but discovered and lived into through reflection, freedom, and responsibility. It may shift across life stages but is grounded in authenticity—living true to one’s deepest convictions.

 Communal Dimension.  Purpose is rarely solitary. A person’s place of purpose can be described as the intersection between personal identity and the community’s recognition of that identity. In this sense, one’s purpose “takes place” not in isolation, but in relationship—with family, friends, colleagues, or a faith community.

 Benedictine/Spiritual Dimension.  Drawing from Benedictine thought (which you’ve explored deeply), place of purpose resonates with stability of heart. It is not so much a geographic “where” as a spiritual rootedness: a way of being fully present, committed, and obedient (in the sense of listening with the ear of the heart) to God, to others, and to one’s rule of life. Purpose then becomes inseparable from fidelity to a rhythm of prayer, work, and community.

 Practical/Everyday Dimension.  On a simpler, day-to-day level, one’s place of purpose is where talents, values, and passions converge with real opportunities. It is where the question “What am I good at?” meets “What matters to me?” and “Where can I make a difference?” This might look like teaching, creating, serving, or even simply being a faithful presence in the lives of others.

Life is a way of walking through the universe whole and holy. 

Sr. Joan Chittister

 

 

Thought for the Day

The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting.  

It has been found difficult; and left untried. 

G. K. Chesterton

Every time you begin a good work....

Saint Benedict reminds us today that every time we begin a good work, we must pray to God most earnestly to bring it to perfection. 

Why would we not want His aid?

Pat's Rainbow

Listening with the Ear of the Heart: A Meditation

To "listen with the ear of the heart" is to go beyond hearing words and sounds — it is to be present in a way that honors the speaker’s full humanity, as well as our own. This phrase, drawn from the Rule of St. Benedict, speaks not only to how we engage with others but how we attend to life itself: slowly, reverently, attentively.

The ear of the heart doesn’t filter through logic or judgment. It receives. It opens. It waits. In contrast to the distracted or reactive mind, the posture of listening with the ear of the heart is one of stillness and receptivity. It listens not to respond, but to understand — not only to what is said, but what is felt, what is meant, and what is left unspoken.

Listening with the heart cannot be rushed. It requires space and the willingness to be changed by what we hear. It is a posture of compassion. When we listen with the heart, we are no longer preparing our rebuttal or shaping our reply; we are entering into a sacred exchange, one that asks us to enter quietly and with grace into another’s reality.

To listen with the ear of the heart is to listen inwardly. The heart listens to the gentle nudging of truth that the mind may ignore. In silence, in prayer, in moments of quiet clarity, the heart can hear what matters most — a call to act, a wound to tend, a joy to cherish. This listening is the doorway to wisdom. It may not come with great clarity at first; it may be a whisper. But it is always honest.

In a world so full of noise, listening with the ear of the heart asks us to slow down, to turn off the phone, to look into someone's eyes when they speak. It asks us to feel rather than analyze, to connect rather than control. It demands vulnerability. It offers healing.

Consider a world where we all practiced this kind of listening. How many conflicts would soften? How many misunderstandings would clear? How many hearts better understood?

Listening with the ear of the heart is an act of love — a deep, attentive, patient love that has the power to transform. It invites and is centered in the humility of the soul. It says, “I don’t know everything. But I am here. And I am listening.”

May we all strive to listen this way — to our friends, our enemies, ourselves, and the quiet voice of grace that speaks to us so often without words.

Let the noise fall away. Let the mind rest.

Listen — with the ear of your heart.

To become what we seek...

 Sr. Joan reminds us today of the importance of our reading and our prayers.  We are called to examine and reflect on every act, every thought, every step we take--every part of our lives.  In doing so we will come to realize that the God we seek is seeking us!

Our prayers will become a furnace ... to heat and purify our minds and our hearts, our ideas and our lives.  The prayers that pass our lips will change our lives and we will become what we say we are ... and God's presence will become palpable within us.

 

Prayer will burn off the dross that clings to our souls like mildew and set us free for deeper, richer, truer lives in which we become what we seek.

A Prayer for the Middle-East

 A Prayer for Peace in a Troubled Land

As offered by one who walks the earth with sand-worn feet, and lifts his eyes to the eternal heavens—
a philosopher of old, a child of the Creator,
bearing wisdom carved by time and fire.

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O Eternal One,
Maker of the heavens, the stars, and the deep-rooted earth,
Father of Abraham, of Ishmael and Isaac,
of those who call Your name in Hebrew, in Arabic, in silence—

Stretch forth Your hand upon this land
where brother turns against brother,
and the children of promise bleed into the soil of inheritance.

O Lord of Time, who sees the end from the beginning,
teach us again the wisdom of peace.
Let not the cries of the innocent rise to You unanswered.
Let not vengeance pass from father to son
like the shadow of a great mountain that never lifts.

You who breathe life into dust,
breathe gentleness into hearts hardened by generations of sorrow.
Break the bow, shatter the spear,
undo the clever machinery of war.

O God who numbers the hairs of each head,
let no life be counted lightly.
Pour the oil of healing upon Iran and Israel,
these children of Your covenant,
that they may yet sit beneath their own vines and fig trees,
and none shall make them afraid.

Make prophets of their poets,
make builders of their young,
and may Your justice—firm and radiant—walk hand in hand with mercy.

We ask not for triumph of one over the other,
but for the triumph of love over hatred,
of hope over despair,
of Your peace over our pride.

Amen.

Caprice

St. Benedict encouraged us today to curb our own caprice.  We are reminded that...

The phrase “curb our own caprice” calls us to recognize and restrain the impulsive, self-serving tendencies within ourselves—especially those rooted in fleeting desires, whims, or moods. Let’s unpack it more deeply:

1. Caprice: What It Is

The word caprice refers to sudden, unpredictable changes in mood or behavior—an inclination to act on impulse rather than principle or reason. It’s when we:

• make decisions based on fleeting emotions rather than long-term wisdom,

• pursue gratification even when it’s harmful or misaligned with our values,

• or change course erratically, driven by ego or boredom rather than clarity.

Examples of caprice might include:

• abandoning a responsibility for the sake of convenience,

• undermining a relationship because of pride or anger,

• or pursuing novelty over the steady disciplines of love, faith, or service.

2. Curb: The Intentional Restraint

To curb something is not to destroy it but to contain, channel, or discipline it. Curbing our own caprice means:

• pausing before acting, especially when emotions are high,

• weighing consequences with maturity rather than indulging desires,

• and choosing the harder right over the easier wrong.

It’s an act of interior strength—like bridling a spirited horse, not to break it, but to make it purposeful.

3. Spiritual and Moral Dimensions

In religious or moral traditions, curbing caprice often speaks to the path of wisdom, humility, and self-mastery. For instance:

• In Stoicism, it’s the practice of aligning with reason over emotion.

• In Christian spirituality, it’s an act of surrendering the ego to God’s will, putting love above self-gratification.

• In monastic tradition, it’s the daily discipline of stability and obedience, even when the heart is restless or discontent.

4. Why It Matters

Curbing our own caprice matters because:

• Freedom without form becomes chaos—we may think we’re acting freely, but we’re often enslaved to impulse.

• Character is forged not by how we act when it’s easy, but how we choose when it’s hard.

• Communities thrive when individuals choose commitment over caprice, fidelity over fickleness.

Amen and Amen

We are called....

Today, Sister Joan reminds us that we are called to lead, "...we are to birth souls of steel and light...".  We talked recently about random act of kindness, today Sister Joan reminds us that we are to 

...love indiscriminately...to call the the community to the height and depth

and breadth of the spiritual life; to rejoin in our own weaknesses in order

to deal more tenderly with the weaknesses of others; to attend more to the

spiritual than the physical aspects of community life; and to save our own

souls in the process....

 

O God of Unmeasured Mercy, teach us to love without condition or caution—

to open our arms wide, as Christ opened His on the cross, embracing others 

not for what they are or are not, but simply because they are Yours. 

Remind us that silence nourishes, humility strengthens, and the unseen work

of grace shapes the soul more than any labor of the hand.

Let us rejoice in our weaknesses, where Your strength is made perfect.  Teach 

us to cradle the flaws of others tenderly, as we have learned to cradle our own.

Draw our hearts beyond shared meals to the deeper communion of spirit;

prayers said for one another in secret; forgiveness offered before it is asked;

and compassion rising from an understanding heart.

And in all things, may we remember that to love well is to follow You.

Amen.

Once Again

O Eternal One, Light Beyond All Lamps,

The Breath Behind All Prayers

You have spoken across the sands of time 

to Abraham beneath the stars,

to Moses through the fire,

to Mary on angel's wing,

to Muhammad in the hush of a cave. 

 

From the sea of creation flowed the Torah, Gospel, and Qur'an.

Though each stream carved its own bed through time,

all are filled with longing for You, the One from which we all came.

 

Draw us now, O Holy Mystery,

not into sameness but into shared reverence.

Let the Jew embrace the Muslim,

the Christian bless the Sufi,

the doubter walk beside the faithful.

 

Tear down the walls we have built in fear.

Scatter our pride like chaff in the wind.

Teach us that we might see and say:

"I see the Light in you, though you walk a different road."

 

Like the moon’s reflection in many cups,

we each hold only part of Your glory.

Let Your Spirit within us—even now 

crying, longing for the creator—help us understand, remember, 

and imagine that life of perfect unity at the moment of creation.

 

Bring us home, O Lord of Light,

to the shore where no name is needed,

and no lamp is required—

for You will be the sea, the sky, the dawn.

And we, will be One again with you.

 

Amen 

 

A Prayer for Transformation

Inspired by Sister Joan's story of the Hasidim and the disciple...

        A Prayer for Transformation

        O Holy One,
        You who breathed the world into being and whispered wisdom onto the scrolls of old,
        I have walked the paths of your Word,
        I have traced the letters, studied the laws, read the stories with my eyes and lips—
        But now, with trembling heart, I ask:
        Let these sacred words walk through me.

        Let them not remain bound in parchment or memory,
        but arise, living and active, in my bones and breath.
        Let them enter where no scholar’s hand can reach—
        into my intentions, my silences, my shadowed places.

        Unfold within me the compassion of Abraham,
        the courage of Moses,
        the holy yearning of the psalmist.
        Let justice roll through me like a river,
        and justice and mercy dwell within my soul.

        Break open my pride,

        humble me,
        dissolve my illusion of mastery,
        and write your truth upon the tablets of my heart.

        I do not ask for knowledge without love,
        nor wisdom without transformation.
        I long to be read by your Word,
        to be written anew by your Spirit,
        to become, not just a student of your word—
        but its living echo in your world.

        Amen.

The Prolog to the Rule

Dear Friend,

 I was reminded this morning of His Grace to be found in a close reading and reflection on the Prolog to the Rule of Benedict and most particularly, in the words of Sr. Joan Chittister's commentary.  And so I include it here, should you not yet possess it, the Prolog from Sr. Joan's commentary.  I invite you to read it in its entirety, meditatively, and reflectively.  It is rich with His word and truth of practicing His way.

Secondly, if you do not already have a copy of Sr. Joan's Commentary on the Rule of Benedict, I encourage you to seek one out and add it to your library.  It is organized so that you might easily ready it through, 3-times a year.  You will find that it indeed offers insight for the ages.

Love

Peace Prayer 2025

 

The Drazuk Series

To acquire wisdom

Have you every thought about taking care of yourself as an opportunity to acquire wisdom?  What an interesting idea!

Quoting the rabbi, Sr. Joan reminds us today that every day we have gives us another chance to become the real person we are meant to be.

Chapter 36 is devoted to care of the sick.  By now, we have learned that Sr. Joan's commentary on the Rule of Benedict is itself so very rich in wisdom.  Sr. Joan stressing that...

...every bit of kindness, every tender touch we lay upon another in life can heal what might otherwise have died, certainly in them, perhaps even in ourselves.

Most importantly, Sr. Joan asks us just how much of own precious time 

do we spend on those with little time left? 

 

Between the two you will forget to sin

Sr. Joan reminds us that humble work is as sacred and sanctifying as prayer.  Today I am blessed to live in a world surrounded by people devoted to taking care of me.  They open my eyes every day to the sacred.

We are all called to work and pray.  The Sayings of the Jewish Fathers reminds us that 

It is wise to work as well as to study the Torah:

between the two you will forget to sin.

Many of us are beginning to be called to read the scriptures of our faith every day and to serve others.  The Jewish Fathers remind us that if we do both, we are beginning to walk and live the way.  Amen

I am building a cathedral

Today we are reminded of the transcendent purpose of work.  We are called to focus on what we do, remembering always, why we serve and love.

As I have done, so you must do...

We all live in community--our homes, at work, among our wider circle of friends and family.  If we do not wish to live alone together we must recognize that we are all called to serve--to serve one another where ever we are--whom ever we are with.

Love and service are the fulcrum of community!

They bind us to Him and to each other!

Echos

Above all, let the cellarer be humble.

Benedict reminds us that we are to be humble all times.  We have a responsibility to serve others without any pride or delay--to burden others to satisfy our own need to be important.

We can give freedom and joy with every gift we give.

Sacred Vessels

Benedict's instructions for qualifying a cellarer describe a person of genuine merit, to the extent that the celler becomes a model for the community.  Someone who knows the difference between needs and desires--guiding us away from excess and indolence.

In the house of Benedict, the principles of the life live in ways no words can convey, in the people who carry them out.  The call to be what we say we believe...

Sister Joan reminds us that people in authority must also keep watch over their own souls--guarding themselves against arrogance, disinterest, unkindness, aloofness.  We are not, for the sake of efficiency, to overlook the sick, the young, the guests, and the poor.  Reminding us that we will be held accountable.

A Benedictine soul takes care of things, treating all the tools of life as sacred vessels of the altar.

A Call to Growth

Sister Joan calls Chapters 23-30 of the Rule, Benedict's penal code.  In doing so she points out that while Benedict called for discipline, Benedict's punishment is always meant to heal, never to destroy; to cure, not to crush.  Most importantly, she reminds us that on the journey to spiritual adulthood, we are called to use every tool we have: love, listening, counsel, confrontation, and prayer. 

Let us look inward today, and invite ourselves to return to God's fold when we stray.  He loves us beyond measure and is ready to listen and counsel us.  But we must invite him in.  We must surrender to His unconditional love.

A Fresh Beginning

Life is often a series of false starts while we find out who we are and determine where we really want to go.  Benedict understands the struggle of uncertainty and indecision.

Eventually we must all settle down and do something serious with our lives and every day we must make a fresh beginning of it.

We are reminded again that He does not expect perfection.  Persistence, however, makes Him smile.

The Price

Human development demands that we grow...grow beyond childish uncontrol

to maturity and that we be willing to correct things in ourselves in order

to grow, whatever the cost.

Benedict clearly believes that there are indeed things we must be willing to die

to in life if we want to go beyond the fruitless patterns we're in right now.

The spiritual life in the Benedictine tradition is not a series of overnight stays.

Human community is the universal obligation to live fully ourselves and to live well with others. 

 

What price do we pay for failure?  Does recognition of this price help us set the cost we are willing to pay to amend our ways?  How much has been said and written about dying to self?  Is this this not another way to say surrender to His saving grace?

When God is at its center!

Sister Joan reminds us life is at its best

when God is at its center.  

God frequently reminds us to slow down and truly be present in His world. We are called to be present and to help Him!  

Live out the Gospel message today!

From "The Upper Room"

Today's reflection comes from The Upper Room for February 11, 2025. 

As I sit on the patio, the breeze brushes against my face, and I can feel the wind and hear it as it swirls through the trees. I have learned to see and enjoy God in everything. Like a gentle breeze, God’s presence is all around. God fills the space around us and is in constant motion — always working, always breathing life into us. 

Scripture tells us in 1 Kings 19 that Elijah was disturbed and confused after a spiritual battle that sapped his strength. As he stood at the mouth of the cave where he had taken refuge, God spoke in a gentle whisper to him that gave Elijah new strength and direction that his life needed. No matter what life brings, we can be certain that God is in constant motion, filling the space around us, as the impulse of the Holy Spirit inspires and guides us.

Learn what has been learned....

By now we have recognized the wisdom and insight to be gained from the Rule of Benedict and Sr Joan's commentary.  Not surprisingly, the eighth step of humility, encourages us to follow the good examples of those who have come before us, and those who live among us.

Value the truths taught by ohers, seek out wisdom and enshrine it in our hearts.  Do not make the mistake of becoming our own blind guide.

Our living communities have a great deal to teach us.  All we need is respect for experience and the comforting kind of faith that it take to do what we cannot now see to be valuable.

We must learn to open our eyes and our hearts 

to the wisdom of others. 

The opportunity to be kind....

Sister Joan reminds us, in the seventh step of humility, of our own meager virtues, of our own massive failures despite all our great effort, of all our fine desires, the chance to understand the failure of others. 

 

In this moment, we have the opportunity to become kind.

A Beautiful Reminder

During a recent EfM opening worship, a new friend reminded us of these most important things to say to our friends and those we love, while we still can.  I offer them to you for your consideration.

1. You are one of the most important people in my life and I’m grateful for you every day.
2. Thank you for always being there for me, through everything.
3. I hope you know how much I appreciate everything you do and the person you are.
4. You have helped shaped who I am, and I’m a better person because of our friendship.
5. I’m so lucky to have someone who truly understands me and accepts me for who I am.
6. If I don’t say enough, just know that I love you and cherish our friendship.
7. I am here for you, always, no matter what you need or when.
8. Thank you for the laughter and the joy you bring into my life.
9. I am proud of everything of you have accomplished, and I admire you.
10. I appreciate that you are always honest with me, even when it is hard to hear.
11. If there is ever anything you need to talk about, I will always listen.
12. I want you to know that you have made a difference in my life, and that means so much to me.
13. Life is unpredictable, but I know that our friendship is something I can count on.
14. Thank you for being you – just as you are, you are amazing.

 

A Monastery of the Heart

There is no such thing as a private life in a globalized world. For a monastery, there never was. The monastery is that model of a place where the doors are always open, the environment is always gentle, the rhythm is always ordered and God is always the center of life. A monastery is to be a light to remind all of us how beautiful the world would be if we shaped our own lives out of the same values. 

Dear Lord, build in us a monastery of the heart that we mind server you here in our community.  Amen

Freshen our Eyes

Sister Joan reminds us today that we can see all His many gifts if we but freshen our eyes to His world.  How do we do this? We are called to one another by love and respect.  We are to love and care for one another.

Benedictine spirituality reverences the other based on the spark of the divine that is in all of us.  This is our gift to this time and place alive with distinctions and so chooses to not care for the scarred and bleeding--to a world that simply does not see the sacred in all of His children.

The History of Monte Cassino

Greetings.  I thought you might like to know more about the history of the Benedictine moastery at Monte Cassino.  An excellent telling can be found at Britannica.

The following was produced by ChatGPT.  

The Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino has a long and turbulent history marked by spiritual significance and repeated destruction. Here is a comprehensive history from its founding in 529 AD to the present day:

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1. Founding and Early Growth (529–581)

• 529 AD: Founded by Saint Benedict of Nursia on a hill once dedicated to the pagan god Apollo. Benedict established the Rule of Saint Benedict, which became the foundation of Western monasticism.
• 581 AD: The monastery was destroyed by the Lombards during their invasion of Italy. The monks fled, carrying Saint Benedict's relics with them.

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2. Restoration and the Carolingian Renaissance (718–883)

• 718 AD: Rebuilt under Abbot Petronax of Brescia with encouragement from Pope Gregory II and donations from the Lombard Duke Romuald II of Benevento.
• Monte Cassino became a renowned center for spiritual, cultural, and intellectual life.
• 883 AD: The monastery was sacked and burned by Saracen raiders, causing significant loss of life and property.

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3. Second Restoration and Medieval Flourishing (949–1349)

• 949 AD: Rebuilt under Abbot Aligerno after being abandoned for decades. This era saw the monastery become one of Europe’s most important centers of learning and art.
• The 11th century marked Monte Cassino's peak. Under Abbot Desiderius (later Pope Victor III), the monastery was lavishly adorned with mosaics, frescoes, and manuscripts.
• It became a focal point of the Gregorian Reform Movement and a model for other Benedictine monasteries.

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4. Earthquake and Reconstruction (1349–1500s)

• 1349: A massive earthquake devastated the monastery, leaving it in ruins. Reconstruction began slowly due to financial and political challenges.
• By the 15th century, Monte Cassino was partially rebuilt and continued its spiritual mission, albeit with diminished influence.

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5. Renaissance and Baroque Rebuilding (1500s–1799)

• The monastery underwent significant renovations during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, culminating in the grand structure known for its splendor by the 17th century.
• 1799: The monastery was sacked by French Revolutionary troops, leading to the loss of precious manuscripts, relics, and treasures.

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6. Revival and the Napoleonic Era (1815–1944)

• 1815: After the fall of Napoleon, the monastery was restored again, resuming its role as a spiritual and cultural beacon.
• By the early 20th century, Monte Cassino had regained prominence as a religious and historical monument.

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7. Destruction in World War II (1944)

• February 15, 1944: During the Battle of Monte Cassino, Allied bombers destroyed the monastery, mistakenly believing it was being used as a German stronghold. The bombing reduced the structure to rubble, and invaluable artworks and manuscripts were lost.
• Fortunately, many treasures had been evacuated to the Vatican before the bombing, preserving part of the monastery's cultural legacy.

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8. Post-War Reconstruction (1944–1964)

• After World War II, the Italian government and the Benedictine community undertook the meticulous reconstruction of Monte Cassino.
• 1964: The rebuilt monastery was completed, faithfully replicating its pre-war Baroque design.

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9. Modern Era (1964–Present)

• Today, Monte Cassino stands as a symbol of peace and resilience. It continues to function as a Benedictine monastery and a pilgrimage site.
• The site includes a museum, which houses artifacts from its history, and serves as a memorial to those who fought in the Battle of Monte Cassino.

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Summary of Key Destructions

1. 581 AD: Destroyed by Lombards.
2. 883 AD: Sacked by Saracens.
3. 1349: Devastated by an earthquake.
4. 1799: Sacked by French Revolutionary troops.
5. 1944: Bombed during World War II.

Each reconstruction after these events underscored Monte Cassino’s enduring spiritual and cultural significance.

St Gregory: The Dialogues

Written by 6th century Pope St. Gregory I, this text is one of the only ancient accounts of St. Benedict's life and work.

 

St. Gregory first introduces the life of Benedict with information about his birthplace in Italy, his parentage, and his primary education. St. Gregory tells us that at an early age, St. Benedict abandoned all worldly cares to seek a life of close union with God. In his adulthood, St. Benedict built twelve monasteries and was believed to have performed numerous miracles. St. Benedict is largely known for his book The Rule of St. Benedict, a collection of spiritual and administrative instructions for monks--as a result of this achievement, St. Benedict is often recognized as the founder of Western monasticism.

 

The second half of St. Gregory's text is the reproduction of St. Benedict's seventy-three chapter Rule. Although St. Gregory never engaged with St. Benedict himself, he was able to craft this illuminating portrait of St. Benedict's life by consulting several of St. Benedict's close disciples and successors.

Emmalon Davis 

 

 

Click here to see and read a reproduction of early edition of The Dialogues.

The Medal

Let love be affirmed...

So great was Christ's compassion for its weakness that "he mercifully placed it on his sacred shoulders" and so carried it back to the flock.  (Luke 15:5)

Our role, the Rule of Benedict insists, is to soothe what hurts them, heal what weakens them, lift what burdens them and wait.  The spiritual life is a process, not an event. It takes time and love and help and care. It takes our patient presence. Just like everything else.

Sr Joan Chittister   

The great work of growth....

Today's reading can be a bit of a challenge for those of us who always want to fix the broken in the other.  Sister Joan reminds us...

Sometimes pain itself cures. Benedict wants the cure to have the time to heal. Meddling, agitating, distracting a person from the great work of growth at such an important time in a person's life is grave fault itself. 

In those moments when we see pain in those whom we love, we are called to quietly reflect on the potential value of the healing properties of that pain.  It seems antithetical to allow the suffering to continue. I believe Benedict invites us reflect carefully on the healing potential in life's painful encounters--the potential for significant and meaningful growth.

Serious Faults....

 There is no failure except in no longer trying....

Atonement

Things broken must be mended; things running away with us must be curbed; things awry in us must be set straight.

Sr. Joan Chittister

How do we impose discipline on ourselves?

How do we lead ourselves by rewards?

How do we encourage & nurture ourselves to lead moral and productive lives? 

How do we set and maintain a path of growth?

 

 We must surrender.  In His hands we will prevail.

Follow the Christ within you...

Benedictine Reading List

Pray....

When God is its center....

Sister Joan reminds us that life is better when God is at the center.  Not surprisingly she observes this after reading Benedict's writing on the role of Alleluia in our lives.

The Navahos wrote, "We felt like talking to the ground, we loved it so."  Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "The earth laughs in flowers."  Benedict of Nursia wrote, say "Alleluia" always, no matter the time of day, no matter the season of life.

Sr Joan Chittister

 

Alleluia ~ Praise the Lord!

 

When earth first opens its eyes....

 At the break of dawn, every day of the week, Benedict, through his organization of the morning psalms, reminds the monastic of two unfailing realities.  The first is that life is not perfect, that struggle is to be expected, that the human being lives on the brink of danger and defeat at all times.

St Joan Chittister

In Chapter 13, The Celebration of Lauds on Ordinary Days, Sr Joan reminds us of the importance of order in which we recite the Psalms, the story they tell, and the comfort they bring.

In his meditation on Psalm 92, Charles H. Spurgeon further reminds us of the beauty and peace to be found in the psalms.

You declare Your loving kindness in the morning.  There is a peculiar freshness and charm about early morning praises, the day is loveliest when it first opens its eyelids, and God Himself seems then to make distribution of the day's manna, which tastes most sweetly if gathered before the sun is hot. It seems most appropriate that if our hearts and harps have been silent through the shades of night, we should be eager again to take our place among the chosen choir who ceaselessly hymn the Eternal One.

And Your faithfulness every night. No hour is too late for praise, and the end of the day must not be the end of gratitude. When nature seems in silent contemplation to adore its Maker, it ill becomes the children of God to restrain their thanksgiving.  Evening is the time for retrospect: memory is busy with the experience of the day, hence the appropriate theme for song is the divine faithfulness of which another day has furnished fresh evidences. 

When darkness has settled down over all things, then there comes over wise people a congenial, meditative spirit, and it is most fitting that they should take an expanded view of the truth and goodness of Jehovah. 

Charles H. Spurgeon

  

Tread tenderly...

Tread tenderly upon life around you.  There is room for all of us in life.  We are each an ember of the mind of god and we are each sent to illumine the other through the dark places of life to sanctuaries of truth and peace where God can be God for us because we have relieved ourselves of the ordeal of being god ourselves. We are called to be kind, gentle, and calm--never smothering the other.

There is a great paradox of being kind and gentle to those with whom we do not agree--they will find we are easy to be around, and in time, they may follow the teaching we live out in our lives.

The Humble Person

The humble person cultivates a soul in which everyone is safe.  A humble person handles the presence of the other with soft hands, a velvet heart, and an unveiled mind. 

We are transparent.  We are who we seem to be.  

There is room for all of us!

Humility

The following is a gentle summary Chapter 7 drawn from Sr Joan's commentary.  Gentle because some of the content of each of the 12 steps has been gently reorganized to allow this writer to better follow what St Benedict is asking us to do.  I invite you to read this periodically.  I have added it to the links of interest so it will always easily be accessable.