V. THE COMMUNAL WAY  

You learned earlier, as you studied THE DESERT WAY, that after Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the ‘state’ religion, those who truly longed to give themselves to God fled to the desert to pray.  These desert mothers and fathers may have sought solitude, but soon they became famous for their wisdom and spirituality. In time communities called monasteries developed for the many who longed to be holy, went to the desert for instruction

From the Egyptian deserts, these communities spread to Europe.  After Patrick helped convert the Irish to Christianity, Celtic Christians from Ireland established British monastic communities, places for contemplation.

Many variations of monastic life developed into hundreds of Christian communities ordered around prayer, communal worship, physical work and scholarship (hand copying the Scriptures and other documents).

• BENEDICT’S RULE 

Benedict (died 545) was an Italian layman who founded a great monastery at Monte Cassino and then guided it for twenty-five years. He loved God and sought practical ways to lead the brothers under his care in a daily life of holiness. To help his followers live simply and faithfully, yet practically, Benedict wrote his guidelines in what have since been called his ‘rule.’ This document became a standard for all monastic life since. Within the Benedictine pattern, monks devoted a major part of each day to sacred reading, including Scripture.  

For the full text of Benedict's rule, visit this website.

Benedict believed in interweaving work and prayer throughout each day.

Specific times for prayer were:  

• Lauds – midnight
• Prime – dawn – 4:00 a.m.
• Terce – midmorning – 9:00 a.m.
• Sext – midday – noon
• None – mid-afternoon – 3:00 p.m.
• Vespers – dusk – 6:00 p.m.
• Compline  – before bed – 9:00 p.m.

 Key Benedictine Values for Monastic Life

• Listening to the Gospels, the Rule, one another, the world around us
• Unceasing prayer and reading of the Word
• Work as therapy
• Community vs. individualism
• Care of the earth
• Simplicity in ‘material’ possessions
• Hospitality – welcome others as Christ
• Obedience as a way of life
• Stability—commitment
• Humility as realty ‘to the full’
• Peace- the sign of a gentle heart

MAJOR MONASTIC ORDERS TODAY  

For more complete descriptions of these groups and their distinctives, check out these orders on the sites listed below.  

'Lectio Divina' (pronounced 'lex-i-o diveena') is Latin for sacred reading—or prayerful reading of Scripture. Benedictines incorporated this practice into their daily rhythm of work and prayer.

Christians in earlier centuries taught devotion to God via spending time musing over small Scriptural passages. The four stages of lectio divina included:

• Lectio – reading, preferably slowly and aloud
• Meditatio – musing, wondering, pondering the Word
• Oratio – praying the Word, inserting your own concerns
• Contemplatio – falling silent and allowing the Word to address you via thoughts that come spontaneously

 Exercise  - Read John 15:15-17 slowly and contemplatively working through the four stages of lectio divina. (Hint: Before beginning this process, read the following suggestions.)  

 Lectio Divina – Sacred Reading –   Suggestions

1 –Read the passage slowly and perhaps out loud.  
2 – Read over it two or three more times, slowly, allowing for the words to speak to you.  
3 – Notice what words or phrases ‘grab’ you.
4 – Go back to those words or phrases and focus on them without trying to make anything happen. Notice what associations are made or where these words take you. Note feelings as well as thoughts.  
5 – Be with the words and listen for the voice of the Lord through them.  
6 – When you feel the passage is finished with you, journal your musings.

Ask yourself what you will take with you from this passage. What in you has shifted as a result of this reading?  

Here is another similar pattern you can try:

1– Read the passage and attempt to enter into the scene imaginatively. See the setting, the characters, the Lord. See yourself in the picture as one of the characters and allow the story to play out.  
2 - Notice what happens in your thoughts and feelings.  
3 – Just BE in the passage a while and let it speak to you.  
4 – When the passage is finished with you, journal or draw what transpired.

With this method, ask the same questions: What will you take with you from this passage? What in you has shifted as a result of this reading?  

REMEMBER: In lectio divina, do not attempt to master the text. Let the text master you.  

The Celtic Christians saw and worshipped the reflection of God’s glory in nature in a way many of us have lost. Because of their reverence for nature, they saw all of life as interdependent and God-ordained.  

Many Celtic prayers reflect this tie between God and the visible world. See the following example:  

Glory  
Glory in all my seeing  
Glory in all my being  
Glory in all my speaking  
Glory in all my seeking  
Glory in all my hearing
Glory in every appearing
Glory in all my feeling
Glory in God’s revealing  

Glory of the Mighty Three
Glory entwining around me
Glory in the opening day  
Glory in the rocky way
Glory in the morning light  
Glory in the darkest night  
Glory there for beholding  
Glory ever me enfolding

Glory of God  
Hand above  
Glory of Christ  
Heart of love  
Glory of spirit  
Covering dove.

Quoted from Tides and Seasons, David Adam. London: Triangle Books, 1989, p. 50. See also:  The Edge of Glory. David Adam. London: Triangle Books, 1985.

Columba is aname many people associate most easily with Celtic Christianity. Columba led a group that brought Christianity to Scotland. He and twelve companions crossed the Irish Sea in a small craft made of wicker and hides, arriving on the Island of Iona on Pentecost, May 12^th, 563. There they built both a church and a community of believers, which included King Brude of Caledonia (an ancient name for Scotland).  

Columba spent his life preaching the Christian Gospel up and down the glens of Scotland. When not traveling, he lived at Iona Abbey. There he wrote approximately three hundred books. Among other gifts, his legacy includes a continuing Christian presence at Iona Abbey. Today you can visit this tiny island (one half mile wide and a mile and a half long) and discern the lingering essence of prayers accumulated through the centuries.  An ecumenical Christian community lives on the island and ministers to pilgrims from all over the world, offering rich twice-daily worship services with music composed by Iona residents. (Wild Goose Publications publishes their books and music.)  

?~~Questions~~ Communal Way  

Ø      Choose a monastic order and research its history, its values and its founder.

Ø      Study Benedict’s ‘Rule’ to learn more about the details of monastic daily life.

Ø      Choose one of the primary Benedictine values: poverty, stability or simplicity. Give serious thought (on your own or via research) to how this value would have impacted monastic life and could influence your own lifestyle.

Ø      Investigate how ancient monastic communities supported themselves.  What type of work did they do? How have things changed for monastic communities today?

Ø      Review this website on illuminated manuscripts. Check out its manylinks. Explore the riches of ancient monks' artistic work.

Ø      Research the way Scripture was woven into the fabric of monastic life.

Ø      What about monastic life appeals to you? What would NOT suit your practice of spirituality?

Ø      Review this website on Celtic prayer. How does Celtic prayer relate to the elements of nature? How does Celtic prayer emphasize the character of God

Ø      What elements of Celtic Christianity appeal to you?

 Exercise: Try taking a walk simply to enjoy the beauty of creation and praise God for it. Let yourself just ‘be’ with the Lord and enjoy what God has created for you. If you like, take one of the Celtic prayers with you and recite it (or Psalm 104) as you walk.

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