Description
Ut in omnibus glorifi cetur Deus! - So that God may be glorified in everything!
The glorification of God in life and through the life – thus, we could summarize the meaning and purpose of the Rule of Saint Benedict. Within a prologue and 73 chapters, the Italian monk endeavors to provide his scholars with guidance. He preaches prayer, asceticism, obedience and monastic moral conduct, yet he does not claim any extremes. He determines modest standards that could be held true for every human being. Focused on the Holy Script, he suggests, for instance, various tools of spiritual art (Regula Benedicti (RB), Chapter 4). These include the Ten Commandments, the Acts of Mercy as well as general advices, as for example, to restore peace before the sunset (RB 4,73).
The spirit of the Rule of Saint Benedict is articulated in three imperatives:
Ora - pray!
Labora - work!
Lege - read!
Pray – to praise the Lord in a solemn liturgy, to thank and beg Him. Work – to earn for the livelihood and to avoid the lethargy or idleness. Read – to grow in understanding of the Word of God and to be able to realize it in the everyday practice. Saint Benedict regards his work as an aid in fulfillment and happiness in life. And so it is written in the last chapter: Whoever you are, therefore, who are hastening to the heavenly homeland, fulfill with the help of Christ this minimum Rule as a beginning (RB 73,8).
P. Winfried Schwab OSB, Admont Monastery
