pat loughery

The Rule of St. Benedict provides practical wisdom for living the Christian life. It is a highly influential Rule of Life and has benefitted communities for 1500 years. When you read through the Rule (and it’s very worthwhile to read), you find that Benedict understood human psychology well and was gracious and flexible with people who stumbled.
 
I recently re-read the Rule, and on this read I was impressed with Chapter 4, in which Benedict lists the good deeds that he encourages his monks to participate in. I’m usually vehemently against lists of spiritual tasks, but Benedict’s list feels different to e. I have been thinking and praying through these items, and think that each one would make a good daily emphasis for meditation (one per day).
 
Below is a translation for Benedictine nuns, from http://www.osb.org/rb/text/rbejms2.html#4.
 
> Chapter 4: What Are the Instruments of Good Works
>
> 1. In the first place, to love the Lord God with the whole heart, > the whole soul, the whole strength.
> 2. Then, one’s neighbor as oneself.
> 3. Then not to murder.
> 4. Not to commit adultery.
> 5. Not to steal.
> 6. Not to covet.
> 7. Not to bear false witness.
> 8. To honor all (1 Peter 2:17).
> 9. And not to do to another what one would not have done to oneself.
> 10. To deny oneself in order to follow Christ.
> 11. To chastise the body.
> 12. Not to become attached to pleasures.
> 13. To love fasting.
> 14. To relieve the poor.
> 15. To clothe the naked.
> 16. To visit the sick.
> 17. To bury the dead.
> 18. To help in trouble.
> 19. To console the sorrowing.
> 20. To become a stranger to the world’s ways.
> 21. To prefer nothing to the love of Christ.
> 22. Not to give way to anger.
> 23. Not to nurse a grudge.
> 24. Not to entertain deceit in one’s heart.
> 25. Not to give a false peace.
> 26. Not to forsake charity.
> 27. Not to swear, for fear of perjuring oneself.
> 28. To utter truth from heart and mouth.
> 29. Not to return evil for evil.
> 30. To do no wrong to anyone, and to bear patiently wrongs done to > oneself.
> 31. To love one’s enemies.
> 32. Not to curse those who curse us, but rather to bless them.
> 33. To bear persecution for justice’s sake.
> 34. Not to be proud.
> 35. Not addicted to wine.
> 36. Not a great eater.
> 37. Not drowsy.
> 38. Not lazy.
> 39. Not a grumbler.
> 40. Not a detractor.
> 41. To put one’s hope in God.
> 42. To attribute to God, and not to self, whatever good one sees in > oneself.
> 43. But to recognize always that the evil is one’s own doing, and to > impute it to oneself.
> 44. To fear the Day of Judgment.
> 45. To be in dread of hell.
> 46. To desire eternal life with all the passion of the spirit.
> 47. To keep death daily before one’s eyes.
> 48. To keep constant guard over the actions of one’s life.
> 49. To know for certain that God sees one everywhere.
> 50. When evil thoughts come into one’s heart, to dash them against > Christ immediately.
> 51. And to manifest them to one’s spiritual mother.
> 52. To guard one’s tongue against evil and depraved speech.
> 53. Not to love much talking.
> 54. Not to speak useless words or words that move to laughter.
> 55. Not to love much or boisterous laughter.
> 56. To listen willingly to holy reading.
> 57. To devote oneself frequently to prayer.
> 58. Daily in one’s prayers, with tears and sighs, to confess one’s > past sins to God, and to amend them for the future.
> 59. Not to fulfill the desires of the flesh; to hate one’s own will.
> 60. To obey in all things the commands of the Abbess, even though > she herself (which God forbid) should act otherwise, mindful of the > Lord’s precept, “Do what they say, but not what they do.”
> 61. Not to wish to be called holy before one is holy; but first to > be holy, that one may be truly so called.