Greetings! We are launching our new series of blog posts, thought-provoking quotes, and celebrations of saints on their respective feast days. Today we feature some of the wide-reaching wisdom of St. Benedict, the founder of the Benedictine monastic order.
If you find these quotes inspiring and would like to share the gift of St. Benedict’s wisdom, consider giving one of our St. Benedict-related works of sacred art as a gift! We have plaques, statuettes, and more.
Feast Day of St. Benedict (480-550 A.D.), Founder of the Benedictine Monastic Order | July 11th
Here we celebrate some of the core values that St. Benedict espoused in animating the monastic life. We hope that you find these to be as inspiring and applicable to your life as we find them today as we think on them.
Awareness of God
“We believe that the divine presence is everywhere.” RB 19.1
Community Living
“ . . . and may he bring us all together to everlasting life.” RB 72.12
Taking Counsel
“As often as anything important is to be done . . . the abbot shall call the whole community together and explain what the business is . . . “ RB 3.1
Respect for persons
“No one is to pursue what is judged best for oneself, but instead, what is better for someone else. “ RB 72.7
Listening
“Listen . . . with the ear of your heart.” RB Prologue 1
Dignity of work
“. . . they live by the labor of their hands.” RB 48.8
Hospitality
“Let all . . . be received as Christ”. RB 53.1
Stewardship
“Regard all utensils as if they were the sacred vessels of the altar.” RB 31.10
Truthful living
“Through this love, all . . . will now begin to be observed without effort, as though naturally, for habit, . . . out of love for Christ, good habit, and delight in virtue.” RB 7.68-69
Moderation
“All things are done in moderation.” RB 48.9
Common Good
“We intend to establish a school for the Lord’s service . . . We hope to set down nothing harsh, nothing burdensome. The good of all concerned may prompt us to a little strictness in order to amend faults and to safeguard love.” RB Prologue 45-47
Justice
“. . . that in all things may God be glorified.” RB 57.9
