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X-WR-CALDESC:<i>Monastics should diligently cultivate silence at all times\
 , but especially at night. Accordingly\, this will always be the arrangeme
 nt whether for fast days or for ordinary days. When there are two meals\, 
 all will sit together immediately after rising from supper. Someone should
  read from the Conference or the Lives of the early Church writers or at a
 ny rate something else that will benefit the hearers\, but not the Heptate
 uch or the Books of Kings\, because it will not be good for those of weak 
 understanding to hear these writings at that hour\; they should be read at
  other times.\n\nOn fast days there is to be a short interval between Vesp
 ers and the reading of the Conferences\, as we have indicated. Then let fo
 ur or five pages be read\, or as many as time permits. This reading period
  will allow for all to come together\, in case any were engaged in assigne
 d tasks. When all have assembled\, they should pray Compline\; and on leav
 ing Compline\, no one will be permitted to speak further. If monastics are
  found to transgress this rule of silence\, they must be subjected to seve
 re punishment\, except on occasions when guests require attention or the p
 rioress or abbot wishes to give someone a command\, but even this is to be
  done with the utmost seriousness and proper restraint.</i>\n\nSilence has
  two functions. The first effect of exterior silence is to develop a sense
  of interior peace. The second value of silence is that it provides the st
 illness that enables the ear of the heart to hear the God who is 'not in t
 he whirlwind.'\n\nThe constantly blaring record player\, the slammed door\
 , the ceaseless\, empty chatter in the hall\, the constantly harsh voice\,
  all break the peace of the heart and agitate the soul. Day after day\, mo
 nth after month of them thickens the walls of the mind until it becomes im
 possible to hear the talk within us that shows us our pain and opens our m
 ind to the truths of life and the presence of God.\n\nSilence is not enoug
 h\, however. Benedict wants night to rest our spirits as well as our bodie
 s. He wants to send us to bed with instruction on the gentle Word of God\,
  not on the scriptural history narratives with their blood and struggles\,
  so that the stresses of the day can be softened by the thoughts of someth
 ing beyond them.\n\nWe live with noise pollution now and find silence a gr
 eat burden\, a frightening possibility. Muzak fills our elevators and radi
 os are set into wrist watches and TV's blare from every room in the house 
 from morning till night. We say we do not have the time to think but what 
 we actually lack is the quiet to think. Yet\, until we are able to have at
  least a little silence every day\, both outside and in\, both inside and 
 out\, we have no hope of coming to know either God or ourselves very well.
 \n
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UID:dfc151ad-3211-476e-b896-0faf91a2e888
DTSTAMP:20260412T100041Z
DESCRIPTION:<i>Monastics should diligently cultivate silence at all times\,
  but especially at night. Accordingly\, this will always be the arrangemen
 t whether for fast days or for ordinary days. When there are two meals\, a
 ll will sit together immediately after rising from supper. Someone should 
 read from the Conference or the Lives of the early Church writers or at an
 y rate something else that will benefit the hearers\, but not the Heptateu
 ch or the Books of Kings\, because it will not be good for those of weak u
 nderstanding to hear these writings at that hour\; they should be read at 
 other times.\n\nOn fast days there is to be a short interval between Vespe
 rs and the reading of the Conferences\, as we have indicated. Then let fou
 r or five pages be read\, or as many as time permits. This reading period 
 will allow for all to come together\, in case any were engaged in assigned
  tasks. When all have assembled\, they should pray Compline\; and on leavi
 ng Compline\, no one will be permitted to speak further. If monastics are 
 found to transgress this rule of silence\, they must be subjected to sever
 e punishment\, except on occasions when guests require attention or the pr
 ioress or abbot wishes to give someone a command\, but even this is to be 
 done with the utmost seriousness and proper restraint.</i>\n\nSilence has 
 two functions. The first effect of exterior silence is to develop a sense 
 of interior peace. The second value of silence is that it provides the sti
 llness that enables the ear of the heart to hear the God who is 'not in th
 e whirlwind.'\n\nThe constantly blaring record player\, the slammed door\,
  the ceaseless\, empty chatter in the hall\, the constantly harsh voice\, 
 all break the peace of the heart and agitate the soul. Day after day\, mon
 th after month of them thickens the walls of the mind until it becomes imp
 ossible to hear the talk within us that shows us our pain and opens our mi
 nd to the truths of life and the presence of God.\n\nSilence is not enough
 \, however. Benedict wants night to rest our spirits as well as our bodies
 . He wants to send us to bed with instruction on the gentle Word of God\, 
 not on the scriptural history narratives with their blood and struggles\, 
 so that the stresses of the day can be softened by the thoughts of somethi
 ng beyond them.\n\nWe live with noise pollution now and find silence a gre
 at burden\, a frightening possibility. Muzak fills our elevators and radio
 s are set into wrist watches and TV's blare from every room in the house f
 rom morning till night. We say we do not have the time to think but what w
 e actually lack is the quiet to think. Yet\, until we are able to have at 
 least a little silence every day\, both outside and in\, both inside and o
 ut\, we have no hope of coming to know either God or ourselves very well.
 \n
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240721T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240721T235900
LOCATION:Chapter 42
SUMMARY:Silence after Compline
END:VEVENT
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