Benedictine Spirituality

“Listen, O my son, to the precepts of the master, and incline the ear of your heart..”

These opening words of the Rule of St. Benedict capture the essential purpose of our Benedictine Spirituality Group at Christ the King. At our meetings, we read a portion of the Rule aloud (thus listening with our ears as well as our minds), reflect on its application to our lives, and discuss the insights our reflection has brought to mind. We include inour meetings Evening Prayer, or Vespers, and Night Prayer, or Compline. This structure engages us in two Benedictine spiritual practices: Lectio Divina and Opus Dei, or the Work of God. Lectio is a method of prayer that involves 1. reading, 2. meditating, 3. listening, and 4. contemplating. The Work of God for monastics is to pray and praise God throughout the day by reciting (principally) the Psalms. Obedience (which has as its root meaning “to listen”), stability, and conversion of life: these are the precepts of Benedictine monastic life. We seek to apply these same precepts to our own lives as lay Christians as our state in life allows.

You are welcome to join us! Hospitality is another Benedictine virtue. We meet on the second Thursday of each month, beginning with Vespers for Peace at 5:30 p.m. in the Chapel, and continuing in the Children’s Chapel at about 6:00 p.m. Just come! Or if you have questions, Just come! Or if you have questions, please contact Joyce Jungles at joyce.jungles@clinecom.net or 375-1308

The face of the medal has in its center the image of St. Benedict. His right hand holds the cross; his left hand holds his Rule. The words around the edge mean: “May his presence protect us at our death.” On the reverse of the medal, the letters stand for Latin words whose meaning in English is as follows:

C.S.P.B. -- The cross of the Holy Father Benedict.

C.S.S.M.L. -- May the holy cross be my light.

N.D.S.M.D. -- Let not the devil be my guide.

V.R.S.N.S.M.V. -- Get thee behind me, Satan! Never suggest vain things to me.

S.M.Q.L.I.V.B. -- What thou offerest me is evil. Drink thou thy poison.

You can read much more about the medal and its efficacy at several websites:

http://www.osb.org/gen/medal.html (this site shows the face of the medal too)