On July 11 we remember St. Benedict and his contribution to the Church. Although The Rule of Saint Benedict was written over fourteen hundred years ago, its witness to the vitality of Christian living still fires the vision and lives of thousands of Christians today. Those praying the morning and evening prayers of the Church have much to learn from Benedict's Rule.

If you are interested in reading the Rule, here are two good translations:

The Rule of Saint Benedict, ed. Timothy Fry, O.S.B.

Saint Benedict's Rule: A New Translation for Today in The Benedictine Handbook.

If you want a good scholarly edition, go for The Rule of Saint Benedict: In Latin and English with Notes.

And here are three good books on The Rule of St. Benedict; after each title is a short review written by a reader; the reviews are from http://www.amazon.com/:

Norvene Vest, Preferring Christ: A Devotional Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict.

Though targeted for an audience of Benedictine oblates, or lay associates of Benedictine monasteries, Preferring Christ will find a welcome among any serious seeker on the spiritual journey.

Written 1500+ years ago, Benedict's Rule is still a fresh commentary on the applied Gospel and Christian living. Because of its monastic context, the Rule is often bypased by all but the most intense disciples. Vest has written a beautiful, practical commentary on the Rule that can be applied by anyone looking to live the Good News. Herself an oblate, Vest comments not out of theorhetical platitude, but out of lived experience.

The book is laid out with the text of the rule, commentary, and space for the individual to write their own reflections. The text of the Rule is a relatively new translation by Dom Luke Dysinger, O.S.B

Brain C. Taylor, Spirituality for Everyday Living

I just finished this book last night, and I found it to be very inspiring, and insightful. The author is an Episcopalian priest, married with family. He really brings an interesting insight to the Rule of Benedict coming from someone who is a pastor by profession and a parent. I found the book to be a concise quick read, and the page layout was just fine. For Oblates or those wishing to become Oblates add this book to your reading list. The author being someone who is married with children lays out simple ways for the laity to incorporate The Rule of Benedict in everyday life. I am Catholic and I did appreciate the neutrality

Joan Chittister, OSB., Wisdom Distilled from the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today.

This is a book for everyone, to inspire and uplift all readers and to provide guidance to everyone for how to develop a spiritual life. It is full of lucid observations such as her distinction between praying people and spiritual people "There is nothing easier than to lead people down the path of prayer forms without ever asking them what goes on inside them as a result. At the end, consequently it is possible to get a praying person; it is not alwyas possibel to get a spiritual person. Praying people get their prayers in and wait for God somehow miraculously to deliver them from their private deomns. Spiritual people expect the demons. What they look for is a way to find God even there."

The book is written in reference to a Christian document, but the guidelines are not exclusive for Christians. Chittister's view, based on her interpretation of the Rule of St. Benedict, is that spirituality can not be developed in a vacuum, only through prayer, or only through attending church, or only through working with people, but that needs to be honed through balancing all aspects of life. Balance is the key. She elaborates on different facets of life that one should listen to and conduct attentively in order to realize enlightenment. She does not offer exact perscriptions for what dosage of each component a person needs, because the requirements depend on a person's individual situation and needs. Among these components are daily spiritual reading ("lectio") with an attitude of seeking "not so much and attempt to know God in history or Jesus in Israel as much as it is an attempt to know God in my life and Jesus in me;" contemplation, as "not a vacation from life.Contemplation is the pursuit of meaning...Those who find the will of God every where and feel the presence of God any where are the real contemplatives;" spiritual prayer; applying the gospel to all decisions in life such as what you buy and how your work; developing a sense of community with your neighbors, your colleagues and your family(a key center piece of which is a family meal).

Benedictine spirituality focuses much on interactions of people with each other and their environemt; listening to God's voice and learning to recognize it in every one you meet, and every event that occurs. It is an ideal framework for people today who do not live as hermits because it is based on the idea of a members of a community receiving reinforcement from the group for their weeknesses and sharing their strengths with the group. A community can be found any where. I found the book beautiful and inspiring and would recommend it to any one who is looking for a resource that will help them with spiritual growth and the art of discerning God's voice. The tone is easy and converstional, and provides a flexible blue print for the pursuit of spirituality in any type of life style.