Presentation on the Benedictine perspective on work but also on moderation and balance. St Benedict was in favor of work over idleness and passivity, but included "holy leisure" among the "work" that his monks should undertake.

2. Consider the Structure of the Rule
• Define monastics
• Basic elements
• Abbot, Rule, Community
• Basic spiritual traits
• Silence, Obedience, Humility
• Schedule
• Grounded in prayer horarium
• Organized by season
• Mindful of human nature

3. A modern view of a medieval
monastic schedule
For most monks and nuns the basis of their daily
life was the Rule of Saint Benedict. In his rule,
Benedict devised a rigid, monotonous
routine of work, prayer, study and
sleep designed to make the mind and the will
submissive to God.The pattern of the day varied
only according to the seasons of the year and the
liturgical calendar.
“Daily Life in a Medieval Monastery at Mostly Medieval - Exploring the MiddleAges”

4. LINEAR TIME, HISTORICAL TIME
Birth Child Youth Adult Death
• We enter at conception
• We live each moment
• Circumstances form us (family, schools, jobs, events)
• We exit at death
• The secular perspective sees time as
motion, progress, a single direction.
• Culture defines the purpose or goal of time

5. Time as Cycle of God'sYear

6. 1:30AM: Preparation for night office.
2:00:AM: Nocturns
3:30AM: Matins (Lauds) at daybreak.
4:00AM:Change and wash.
5:00AM:Trina Oratorio, Reading
6:00AM:Prime, Morrow Mass,Chapter
7:30AM: Reading
8:00AM:Terce, Sung Mass
9:30AM:Work
11:30AM: Sext
12:00PM: Dinner
1:00PM: Siesta
2:30PM: None, Drink
3:00PM Work
5:30PM Supper
6:00PM Vespers
7:30PM: Change into night shoes, Collatio
8:00PM:Compline
8:15PM: Bed
2:30AM Preparation for night office.
3:00AM Nocturns (aka Matins.
5:00AM Reading
6:00AM Matins (Lauds) at
daybreak, Prime
7:30AM Reading
8:00AM Terce, Morrow mass, Chapter
9:45AM Work
12:00PM Sext, Sung Mass
1:30PM None
2:00PM Dinner
2:45PM Work
4:15PM Vespers
5:30PM Change into night shoes
6:00PM Collatio
6:15PM Compline
6:30PM Bed

7. “The external practices of monastic life are
directly connected with our search for God. In
and through these practices we express our
spiritual values and ideals, and daily live out our
commitment to God.”
Cummings, Monastic Practices

8. What features guide Benedict?
• The forces of nature
• Ch 10 v2
• The needs of human body
• Ch 8 – v2, v 4
• The size of the community
• Ch 17 v6, Ch 31
• Available technology
• Ch 11 12; ways of measuring time.

9. What makes balance hard?

10. Distractions

11. Overwork

12. Internet ImpactsOur Lives
•FOMO
•ICYMI
•YOLO
•Meme

13. This culture leads to
• Constant sense of
dissatisfaction with life.
• Constant anxiety that
one should be better
• Constant attempt to
make the right choice
• Constant sense that
change is needed

14. What Benedict keeps out
• Sends away fussy or complaining visiting monks
• Separates people who are having problems from
the rest of the community – for their own good but
also for others
• Guests are welcomed by not spoken to by all
• Monks who go out do not talk about what they see
(Ch 67)

15. How Benedict arranges things
• Decisions are not made at the moment
• Food is alloted ahead of time (Ch 39, 40)
• The time for asking is set ahead of time (Ch 31)
• Adjustments are made for identified needs
• Job descriptions
• People get what they expect
• They give back in good order (Ch 35)
• Their work is recognized by all
• All is done with intentionality
• Ch 38 v1 “not casually”

16. ponder
or write
about
what
makes
balance
hard in
your life.

17. “Our life in its outward
practices as well as its
inward spirit becomes
totally oriented towards
seeking and finding God.”
Cummings,
Monastic Practices

18. Rocks in a Jar

19. AlwaysWe Begin Again
• We do make progress
on this journey.
• Yet each day offers
both challenge and
opportunity.
• Balance is not ever
finished. It is an active
practice each day of
our lives.