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X-WR-CALDESC:On hearing the signal for an hour of the divine office\, mo
nastics will immediately set aside what they have in hand and go with utmo
st speed\, yet with gravity and without giving occasion for frivolity. Ind
eed\, nothing is to be preferred to the Opus Dei.\n\nIf at Vigils monastic
s come after the Doxology of Psalm 95\, which we wish\, therefore\, to be
said quite deliberately and slowly\, they are not to stand in their regula
r place in choir. They must take the last place of all\, or one set apart
by the prioress or abbot for such offenders\, that they may be seen by the
m and by all\, until they do penance by public satisfaction at the end of
the Opus Dei. We have decided\, therefore\, that they ought to stand eithe
r in the last place or apart from the others so that the attention they at
tract will shame them into amending. Should they remain outside the orator
y\, there may be those who would return to bed and sleep\, or\, worse yet\
, settle down outside and engage in idle talk\, thereby 'giving occasion t
o the Evil One (Eph 4:27\; 1 Tm 5:14).' They should come inside so that th
ey will not lose everything and may amend in the future.\n\nAt the day hou
rs the same rule applies to those who comes after the opening verse and th
e Doxology of the first psalm following it: They are to stand in the last
place. Until they have made satisfaction\, they are not to presume to join
the choir of those praying the psalms\, unless perhaps the prioress or ab
bot pardons them and grants an exception. Even in this case\, the one at f
ault is still bound to satisfaction.\n\nBenedictine spirituality does
not ask for great feats of physical asceticism but it does require commitm
ent to community and a sincere seeking of God through prayer. Tardiness is
not to be tolerated. Indolence is not to be overlooked. Half-heartedness
will not be condoned. Benedict does not want people sleeping-in or dawdlin
g along\, or 'preferring anything to the Opus Dei\,' the work of God. Noth
ing in life qualifies as an exchange for the Word of God\, not good work\,
not a job almost finished\, not an interesting conversation\, not the nee
d for privacy.\n\nBenedictine life centers around the chapel and chapel mu
st never be overlooked. What is being asked for in monastic spirituality i
s a life of fidelity to prayer and to the praying communities of which we
are a part. Prayer is a community act in Benedictine life. It is at commun
ity prayer\, in the midst of others\, that we are most reminded that we ar
e not a world unto ourselves.\n\nBenedict will go so far as to have the co
mmunity pray the opening psalm slowly to give the slow a chance to get the
re in an age without alarm clocks but he will not allow such a lack of per
sonal spiritual discipline to grow. Tardiness\, the attempt to cut corners
on everything in life\, denies the soul the full experience of anything.
\n\nIt is a lesson to be relearned in a modern age perhaps. There is nothi
ng more important in our own list of important things to do in life than t
o stop at regular times\, in regular ways to remember what life is really
about\, where it came from\, why we have it\, what we are to do with it an
d for whom we are to live it. No matter how tired we are or how busy we ar
e or how impossible we think it is to do it\, Benedictine spirituality say
s\, Stop. Now. A spiritual life without a regular prayer life and an integ
rated community consciousness is pure illusion.
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UID:c2b7e326-f43a-4583-80d1-3fff7334d31d
DTSTAMP:20260408T045922Z
DESCRIPTION:On hearing the signal for an hour of the divine office\, mon
astics will immediately set aside what they have in hand and go with utmos
t speed\, yet with gravity and without giving occasion for frivolity. Inde
ed\, nothing is to be preferred to the Opus Dei.\n\nIf at Vigils monastics
come after the Doxology of Psalm 95\, which we wish\, therefore\, to be s
aid quite deliberately and slowly\, they are not to stand in their regular
place in choir. They must take the last place of all\, or one set apart b
y the prioress or abbot for such offenders\, that they may be seen by them
and by all\, until they do penance by public satisfaction at the end of t
he Opus Dei. We have decided\, therefore\, that they ought to stand either
in the last place or apart from the others so that the attention they att
ract will shame them into amending. Should they remain outside the oratory
\, there may be those who would return to bed and sleep\, or\, worse yet\,
settle down outside and engage in idle talk\, thereby 'giving occasion to
the Evil One (Eph 4:27\; 1 Tm 5:14).' They should come inside so that the
y will not lose everything and may amend in the future.\n\nAt the day hour
s the same rule applies to those who comes after the opening verse and the
Doxology of the first psalm following it: They are to stand in the last p
lace. Until they have made satisfaction\, they are not to presume to join
the choir of those praying the psalms\, unless perhaps the prioress or abb
ot pardons them and grants an exception. Even in this case\, the one at fa
ult is still bound to satisfaction.\n\nBenedictine spirituality does n
ot ask for great feats of physical asceticism but it does require commitme
nt to community and a sincere seeking of God through prayer. Tardiness is
not to be tolerated. Indolence is not to be overlooked. Half-heartedness w
ill not be condoned. Benedict does not want people sleeping-in or dawdling
along\, or 'preferring anything to the Opus Dei\,' the work of God. Nothi
ng in life qualifies as an exchange for the Word of God\, not good work\,
not a job almost finished\, not an interesting conversation\, not the need
for privacy.\n\nBenedictine life centers around the chapel and chapel mus
t never be overlooked. What is being asked for in monastic spirituality is
a life of fidelity to prayer and to the praying communities of which we a
re a part. Prayer is a community act in Benedictine life. It is at communi
ty prayer\, in the midst of others\, that we are most reminded that we are
not a world unto ourselves.\n\nBenedict will go so far as to have the com
munity pray the opening psalm slowly to give the slow a chance to get ther
e in an age without alarm clocks but he will not allow such a lack of pers
onal spiritual discipline to grow. Tardiness\, the attempt to cut corners
on everything in life\, denies the soul the full experience of anything.\n
\nIt is a lesson to be relearned in a modern age perhaps. There is nothing
more important in our own list of important things to do in life than to
stop at regular times\, in regular ways to remember what life is really ab
out\, where it came from\, why we have it\, what we are to do with it and
for whom we are to live it. No matter how tired we are or how busy we are
or how impossible we think it is to do it\, Benedictine spirituality says\
, Stop. Now. A spiritual life without a regular prayer life and an integra
ted community consciousness is pure illusion.
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240322T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240322T235900
LOCATION:Chapter 43
SUMMARY:Tardiness at the Opus Dei or at Table
END:VEVENT
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