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The Prologue

The Prologue. Benedict’s “Invitation”. Some questions. What do you yearn for? What do you grieve for? What do you desire? What do you pray for? What do you obey? What do you listen to?. Some questions. Whom do you yearn for? Whom do you grieve for? Whom do you desire?

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The Prologue

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  1. The Prologue Benedict’s “Invitation”

  2. Some questions • What do you yearn for? • What do you grieve for? • What do you desire? • What do you pray for? • What do you obey? • What do you listen to?

  3. Some questions • Whom do you yearn for? • Whom do you grieve for? • Whom do you desire? • Whom do you pray for? • Whom do you obey? • Whom do you listen to?

  4. Prologue: an invitation “Obsculta” (“Listen”) • Famous first word of Rule • Connotation: respect, reverence, obedience: ab-audire (listening contained in it) • Compare: Milton’s demons incapable of it • Scripture: “If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” • Prayer: “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.”

  5. Prologue: awakening Theme of waking up • from apathy, assumptions, alienation • “…the time has come to rouse ourselves from sleep. Let us open our eyes to the light that can change us into the likeness of God” (Prologue, lines 8-9)

  6. Prologue: prayer Prayer center of monasticism • Prayer defines hours, day, week, season, life • “Make prayer the first step in anything worthwhile you undertake.” (Prologue, line 4) • “Indeed nothing is to be preferred to the work of God” (Chapter 43)

  7. Prologue: personal Singularity of the monk • “monos”: singularity of the monk; individual attention and care • “nothing harsh or burdensome” (not one size fits all) (Prologue, line 46) • “each of us has a special gift” (adapt to and understand each other) (Chapter 40, line 1)

  8. The Extraordinary in the Ordinary Extraordinary? • Rule enables us to find extraordinary in the day-to-day; in simplicity • “…Concern with doing ordinary things quietly and perfectly for the glory of God… is the beauty of the pure Benedictine life.” (Thomas Merton)

  9. Benedict’s “Invitation” end

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