Benedict of Nursia is a saint who lived about 1500 years ago. But many of his ideas are as relevant today as they were then. We can live a holy life by following his instructions for the order and orderliness of the monastic life. Here are 10 suggestions from Benedict to improve our daily life.
1. Listen
Saint Benedict begins his advice with the matter of listening. If we want to pay attention to someone, we must first remain silent. Silence helps us to reflect on ourselves and to pay more attention to others. And in silence, we are able to experience God’s presence and hear Him.
2. Work Helps Maintain a Healthy Mind
St. Benedict writes that laziness is the enemy of the soul. He defined that his monks should divide their time between work, reading and prayer. Thus the monks were able to keep their mind, body and soul healthy.
3. Turn each Responsibility into a Prayer
For Saint Benedict, all work was a participation in the creative work of God and in union with the suffering of Christ. So every action he took turned into a prayer. Services rendered to others become prayers. This will help you to fulfill your responsibilities with the utmost loyalty and beauty.
4. Days to Stay in Tune
There must be a rhythm to our lives. Rhythm is considered as an order. The life of the monks in the monastery was spent in prayer, work, reading, and reflection. Such rules will teach you how to manage time. It will make our life easier.
5. Be Attentive to Others
For Benedict, respect for others was paramount. The saint exhorted the saints to “accept all as Christ.”
6. Discipline can be Practiced
This holy monk had reminded us that special consideration should be given to discipline in life. No matter how accurately it is done, it should be stopped after the allotted time. Although it is difficult to do so, it becomes a blessing when we accept it obediently before the will of God. Rules and habits, and their proper observance, motivate us to lead a quiet and peaceful life.
7. Reading that Feeds the Mind and Soul
The saint encouraged other monks to read the scriptures and other books daily. Books can strengthen, widen and fill our minds with new ideas.
8. Identify why we Prioritize
The highest priority for saints is to seek God. Especially through prayer. Monastic life is centered on this one thing. The saint would always remind the saints that your goal should be none other than Christ. Christ is the goal of every human being today. There must be time to seek and find that Christ.
9. Be at Peace
The saint wants to apologize whenever he has hurt others. Benedict had appealed to his monks. He specifically reminded us to keep in mind these scriptures: “Seek peace and pursue it,” and “If anyone disagrees, make peace before the sun sets.” The desire for peace will lead to the growth of goodness and the unity of society.
10. Live each Day as if it were the Last Day
There will never be another day in your life. Live each day with the view that this is the last day allowed by God. Then it will make our life more meaningful. At the same time, you can find love there and live in peace