Rule of St. Benedict ~ for beginners

HERE BEGINNETH THE PROLOGUE TO A RULE FOR MONASTERIES

"Hearken continually within thine heart, O son, giving attentive ear to the precepts of thy master. Understand with willing mind and effectually fulfil thy holy father’s admonition; that thou mayest return, by the labour of obedience, to Him from Whom, by the idleness of disobedience, thou hadst withdrawn. To this end I now address a word of exhortation to thee, whosoever thou art, who, renouncing thine own will and taking up the bright and all-conquering weapons of obedience, dost enter upon the service of thy true king, Christ the Lord."

St. Benedict starts his Rule off as a welcome to comers to the monastery. 

We are looking forward to welcoming a new Postulant on Monday. 

So lets give the Lord the ear of thine heart, and listen to what is calling us to for the greater glory of His Kingdom. 

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Guardian Angels

Guardian Angels

May our Guardian Angels always look after us and protect us from the Evil one, and sing us to sleep.

Someone suggested that I should name my Guardian Angel, so that when I need a little extra help (who doesn't) I can call him/her by name.

Prayer of His Holiness Benedict XVI

Ground Zero, New York
Sunday, 20 April 2008

O God of love, compassion, and healing,
look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions,
who gather today at this site,
the scene of incredible violence and pain.

We ask you in your goodness
to give eternal light and peace
to all who died here—
the heroic first-responders:
our fire fighters, police officers,
emergency service workers, and Port Authority personnel,
along with all the innocent men and women
who were victims of this tragedy
simply because their work or service
brought them here on September 11, 2001.

We ask you, in your compassion
to bring healing to those
who, because of their presence here that day,
suffer from injuries and illness.
Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families
and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.
Give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope.

We are mindful as well
of those who suffered death, injury, and loss
on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Our hearts are one with theirs
as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.

God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.
Turn to your way of love
those whose hearts and minds
are consumed with hatred.

God of understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost here
may not have been lost in vain.
Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all.

© Copyright 2008 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

G ~ is for...

Gratitude

Am I one whose prayer is all petition, asking for everthing and giving thanks for nothing?

Am I grateful to God for all His gifts to me ~ gifts of body and soul?

Do I acknowledge that many contradictions and disappointments have been blessings in disguise?

Am I really grateful fo God's gift to me of a religious vocation?

Spiritual Gem Selections Grand Central Annex New York, N.Y.

F~ is for....

Faith

Looking down into the Easter Holy Water vase. 

Am I one who would see without believing,

 rather than believe without seeing?

Do I see the authority of God in the authority of my superiors?

Do I accept failures and reverses in a spirit of faith?

How can I increase my spirit of faith?

Spiritual Gem Selections Grand Central Annex New York, N.Y.

E~ is for ....

Exercises of the Rule

Do I appreciate the sanctifying effect of the exercises of the Rule?

Is my interest in active works balanced by my fidelity to spiritual exercises?

Do I make an honest effort to resist drowsiness during prayer?

Spiritual Gem Selections Grand Central Annex New York, N.Y.

Conversion to Vocation ~ from a Nun at St. Emma part 8

O Lord, show me what your will is in my life and help me to do it.

I continued to work at various jobs, at one point I had three part-time jobs and one weekend off a month, which I spent at the monastery.

I loved being a teacher, working at the nursing home, and also working with the mentally and physically handicap in their homes.  But I knew that I wasn't called to stay working in this way for life.

I have always tried to figure out what God was trying to teach me in this part of my. I started to think this way since I started my first job as a hostess at King's Family Restaurant when I was 18.

I just kept working and praying that God would find some way to make this work because I couldn't do this on my own, and that is what God was teaching me at this point in my life.

I remember someone coming up to me after Mass one day and said that I have too much faith in God and that he didn't want me to be devastated when God doesn’t answer my prayers. Now I know where he was coming from and that he didn't want to see me hurt, but I took it as a wonderful comment.  This meant that he could see what I couldn’t; I have struggled with my faith in God and still continue to “work” on it.