How Rule of St. Benedict can impact others beyond the ordained

Published: August 13, 2022

By Edward C. Dodge
Catholic High School for Boys

What comes to mind when you think of St. Benedict and his monks? If you’re like me, perhaps your first thought is of the praying of the Divine Office, also known as the Liturgy of the Hours — that coming together of the whole community several times a day to chant psalms and canticles and to meditate upon God’s word.

Or perhaps it’s the famous Benedictine motto: ora et labora; prayer and work, which, for Benedict, were nearly one and the same! Perhaps you also know that Benedict wrote a rule of life for his monks.

There were precedents; some of the Desert Fathers had written rules for how hermits might live in community, seeking Christ both as individuals and as brothers. It makes sense, too, that Benedict would write a rule, as every family needs order, and anyone with a family knows disagreements are bound to happen.

The consequences of such could be dire, as Benedict knew. After all, his first monks tried to poison him. If you’ve glanced at the Rule, some of it may strike you as tedious (such as when Benedict lays out exactly which psalms the brothers should pray each day), and much of it may seem to have nothing to say to our modern non-monastic lives.

I long thought that Benedict’s Rule was helpful for those living in monastic communities, but it was little other than an interesting historical and religious artifact for me. How wrong I was.

Since last March, I have been reading portions of the Rule daily. I have read Benedict’s reflections on what kind of man an abbot should be, on the duties of the cellarer, the importance of humility and prayer, and even discipline.

I have been guided on this reading by Father Dwight Longenecker’s book “Listen My Son: St. Benedict for Fathers,” wherein Longenecker (himself a husband and a father of four) reflects upon each day’s reading before applying it to family life today.

The Rule calls us to be practical, to imbue every act with spiritual value, and to be strict but merciful. Benedict wants us to model the forgiving father of the prodigal son; he wants us, regardless of our role, to model Christ.

Longenecker’s book traverses the Rule three times each calendar year. When I began reading in March, the reflections focused more on discipline: how to handle unruly monks, how many times to welcome them back after they leave or how to uphold expectations for monks arriving on time to prayer (Benedict often withholds food).

He emphasizes there is an order to communal life, but even the most junior member has a role to play, and most senior member still needs to listen. How do these reflections parlay themselves into family life?

Longenecker writes that, like Benedict, a father and mother must hold their children accountable so that they learn to think of others; that families should show gratitude for one another; that while mom and dad establish order, children are better off for shouldering responsibilities around the house as well; that showing mercy, especially to the young or old, teaches children morality; that family time, especially spent acknowledging and praising God, is integral.

Longenecker may have subtitled his book “St. Benedict for Fathers,” but anyone who seeks to grow in Benedictine spirituality and has five minutes for such reflection each day stands to gain from St. Benedict’s Rule with the aid of this little book.

Edward C. Dodge teaches English and religion at Catholic High School for Boys in Little Rock. He holds a master’s degree in Catholic studies from Christian Brothers University.

This article was originally published in Arkansas Catholic August 13, 2022. Copyright Diocese of Little Rock. All rights reserved. This article may be copied or redistributed with acknowledgement and permission of the publisher.