The Rule of Benedict is not so much a book of rules as it is recommendations for adopting a rule of life. There are some dos and don’t. Do treat everyone as Christ (RB 53); do not murmur (RB 34). But, for the most part, St. Benedict wished to establish a school in service to God whose curriculum was love, prayer, stability, conversion, obedience, discipline, humility, stewardship, hospitality and community.

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Those are the Benedictine values that serve as a trellis or framework for the monastic and, truthfully, for anyone. As human beings, regardless of religious belief, we are called to live lives that further the dignity of others, the cause of justice, the care of the earth and the glory of God.

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Vowed Benedictine women and men and Benedictine oblates strive to shape their lives in tandem with the values set forth centuries ago. Because they are so inherent to humanity and based on the Holy Scriptures, Benedict’s ideas have endured.

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The Rule of St. Benedict is a treasure. It holds solid advice on how to live with others; how to treat the least among us, the stranger, orphan and refugee; how to care for the sick; how to pray to God; and how to steward the goods of the earth.

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As you seek to establish your own rule of life, one that guides your actions and interactions, you could not do any better than to consult the Holy Rule.