February
2008
2/26/08
Broadcasting the Benedictine Message
Last Tuesday, February 19, listeners to Detroit “Catholic Radio” station 1090AM had an opportunity to learn about St. Benedict as well as our Benedictine Order and monastic community. Prior Daniel Homan, O.S.B. gave a live interview to Ms. Kay Brown during her weekly radio program “Truth Seekers”. The half hour broadcast began at 8:00 a.m. and covered a range of topics including monastic spirituality and history, life and ministry at St. Benedict Monastery and the continuing need for vocations. Fr. Dan was able to highlight the great gift that monastic life has been for him and the significant insights and perspectives it offers to people in our day.
New Helps for our Prayer Life
Since its inception, St. Benedict Monastery
has kept alive the centuries-old tradition of the communally praying
the various “hours” the liturgy: morning, midday, evening and night
prayer. This liturgical “prayer of the Church” is based largely
on the book of psalms and also includes canticles and other passages
from sacred scripture. Each Benedictine monastery creates special
prayer books for this purpose. These reflect the monastic
community’s particular usages and preferences, and each are based on
guidelines set forth by the Benedictine Order.
This week saw the long-awaited arrival of a
new set of books for this daily celebration of the Liturgy of the
Hours. They are the product of a decision made several years ago
to revise, simplify and update the edition that was assembled some
twenty-five years ago - from typewritten originals! Thousands of
hours of scanning, word processing, editing and discussing - as well as
much trial and error - went into these two volumes of over three
hundred pages each. And many eyes and hands have been involved,
including those of a good number of the monks of our Priory, as well as
our friend and monastic enthusiast, Tom Kostrzewa, and new oblate and
computer wizard, Al Knasinski.
The monks will spend much time each day
praying with gratitude from these books. And we will continue to
seek ways to strengthen and rededicate our liturgical life which is at
the core of who we are as followers of St. Benedict.
Looking for “Lencten”
As our readers are likely aware, the forty-day season of Lent began last Wednesday with the traditional giving of ashes on the forehead, calling all God’s people to repentance. The word “Lent” actually derives from the Old English word “Lencten” meaning “spring”. This is presumably because the Lenten season ordinarily corresponds the coming of springtime.
This year, however, Lent arrived unusually early – just about as early as it can possibly occur. So today the snow and ice of winter are very much with us. Still, our inner life can experience a new springtime regardless of the weather outside. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving can free us from the cold chill of indulgence and self-sufficiency and open our hearts to the warmth of God’s love. And when this happens we can truly greet the spring with joy in the gift of new and risen life.