BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//eriebenedictines.org//NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.30.10// CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH UID:fd9dbfb4-e2be-4b80-b5f2-7cb7f87afa2c X-WR-CALDESC:For bedding monastics will need a mat\, a woolen blanket an d a light covering as well as a pillow.\n\nThe beds are to be inspected fr equently by the prioress or abbot\, lest private possessions be found ther e. Anyone discovered with anything not given by the prioress or abbot must be subjected to very severe punishment. In order that this vice of privat e ownership may be completely uprooted\, the prioress or abbot is to provi de all things necessary: that is\, cowl\, tunic\, sandals\, shoes\, belt\, knife\, stylus\, needle\, handkerchief and writing tablets. In this way e very excuse of lacking some necessity will be taken away.\n\n'The best way to know God\,' Vincent Van Gogh wrote\, 'is to love many things.' Thi ngs do not destroy us. It is the way we approach things that entraps us. T he Rule of Benedict provides for human needs without frugality\, without a bstemious control\, without small-mindedness and without indulgence. False asceticism is not a Benedictine virtue. Deprivation is not a Benedictine ideal. On the contrary\, the point of Benedictine life is to live simply\, joyfully and fully. Benedict wants the monastic to have enough\, to have it from the community and to avoid hoarding\, accumulating\, consuming and conniving. The Rule recognizes that people who lack the necessities of li fe often spend their time either consumed with thoughts of subsistence or struggling against bitterness and clawing for survival. On the other hand\ , people smothered by things run the risk of slipping into indolence or be coming blinded to the important things of life. In striking a balance betw een the two\, Benedictine spirituality seeks to free the body so that the soul can soar. It is a gift long lost in a consumer society.\n\nThe abb ot and prioress\, however\, must always bear in mind what is said in the A cts of the Apostles: 'Distribution was made as each had need (Acts 4:35).' In this way the prioress and abbot will take into account the weakness of the needy\, not the evil will of the envious: yet in all their judgments they must bear in mind God's retribution.\n\nSelf-control is one value in the lexicon of monastic spirituality but compassion is another. Benedi ct may expect simplicity from the monastic but he clearly expects great la rgesse from the abbot and the prioress. The function of authority\, in oth er words\, is to hold the Rule aloft in the community\, to be clear about its standards and respectful of its values\, without ever using the Rule a s an excuse to frustrate people or irritate them or control them.\n\nThere is a great deal of pain administered in the interest of virtue. Righteous ness allows no exceptions. As a result\, laws meant to free the spirit so often enslave it to ideals far beneath its purpose. Benedictine spirituali ty\, practiced in the little things of life like the distribution of cloth ing that calls for a minimum and then allows more\, says that we must alwa ys grasp for what we cannot reach\, knowing that the grasping itself is en ough. X-WR-RELCALID:f232fee895cffc5eba198589f570366b X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/New_York BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:STANDARD TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 RDATE:20261101T020000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 RDATE:20270314T020000 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:947ef788-6da5-44c3-be76-7df1c58ae2fd DTSTAMP:20260405T113755Z DESCRIPTION:For bedding monastics will need a mat\, a woolen blanket and a light covering as well as a pillow.\n\nThe beds are to be inspected fre quently by the prioress or abbot\, lest private possessions be found there . Anyone discovered with anything not given by the prioress or abbot must be subjected to very severe punishment. In order that this vice of private ownership may be completely uprooted\, the prioress or abbot is to provid e all things necessary: that is\, cowl\, tunic\, sandals\, shoes\, belt\, knife\, stylus\, needle\, handkerchief and writing tablets. In this way ev ery excuse of lacking some necessity will be taken away.\n\n'The best way to know God\,' Vincent Van Gogh wrote\, 'is to love many things.' Thin gs do not destroy us. It is the way we approach things that entraps us. Th e Rule of Benedict provides for human needs without frugality\, without ab stemious control\, without small-mindedness and without indulgence. False asceticism is not a Benedictine virtue. Deprivation is not a Benedictine i deal. On the contrary\, the point of Benedictine life is to live simply\, joyfully and fully. Benedict wants the monastic to have enough\, to have i t from the community and to avoid hoarding\, accumulating\, consuming and conniving. The Rule recognizes that people who lack the necessities of lif e often spend their time either consumed with thoughts of subsistence or s truggling against bitterness and clawing for survival. On the other hand\, people smothered by things run the risk of slipping into indolence or bec oming blinded to the important things of life. In striking a balance betwe en the two\, Benedictine spirituality seeks to free the body so that the s oul can soar. It is a gift long lost in a consumer society.\n\nThe abbo t and prioress\, however\, must always bear in mind what is said in the Ac ts of the Apostles: 'Distribution was made as each had need (Acts 4:35).' In this way the prioress and abbot will take into account the weakness of the needy\, not the evil will of the envious: yet in all their judgments t hey must bear in mind God's retribution.\n\nSelf-control is one value in the lexicon of monastic spirituality but compassion is another. Benedic t may expect simplicity from the monastic but he clearly expects great lar gesse from the abbot and the prioress. The function of authority\, in othe r words\, is to hold the Rule aloft in the community\, to be clear about i ts standards and respectful of its values\, without ever using the Rule as an excuse to frustrate people or irritate them or control them.\n\nThere is a great deal of pain administered in the interest of virtue. Righteousn ess allows no exceptions. As a result\, laws meant to free the spirit so o ften enslave it to ideals far beneath its purpose. Benedictine spiritualit y\, practiced in the little things of life like the distribution of clothi ng that calls for a minimum and then allows more\, says that we must alway s grasp for what we cannot reach\, knowing that the grasping itself is eno ugh. DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260408T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260408T235900 LOCATION:Chapter 55 SUMMARY:Clothing and Footwear END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR