Benedict’s Way of Simplicity
“Benedictine spirituality asks us to spend our time well and to be careful that our wants are not confused with our needs and to treat the world and everything in it as sacred…Benedictine spirituality calls us to be mindful.”
-John Chittister, O.S.B.
Less stuff.
Less to think about.
Less to do.
Saint Benedict wrote his Rule over 1,500 years ago, yet it is still followed by many today. Does it have anything to say to us familial suburbanites in 2015 hurry busy America?
Have you ever been to a retreat center and stayed in one of those rooms with nothing but a desk, lamp, and bed? There’s just something about simple surroundings that fosters peace and spiritual openness, while the atmosphere of “stuff” serves as a spiritual distraction.
“Prefer nothing whatever to Christ,” Benedict advises, and “let peace be your quest and aim.”
Centering life on Christ and seeking this peace form the foundation of simplicity and frame five practices from Benedict’s Rule:
- Moderation
- Balance and Flexibility
- Attending to the Present Moment
- Generosity of Spirit
- Time with God
“These practices guide our relationship with possessions, with God, and with others to form a framework for living simply.” -Rev. Dr. Jane Tomaine
In the Name of Jesus,
Soli Deo Gloria