Leadership in the Rule of St. Benedict

This is my sixth and final article offering reflections based on my reading of Judith Valente’s book, How to Live: What the Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning, and Community (Charlottesville, VA: Hampton Roads Publishing. 2018). You can see the five previous articles as follows: “Being Spiritual in the World Today”, “Striving to be Disciples of …

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Living Simply as Instruments of God’s Mercy

This is my fifth article offering reflections based on my reading of Judith Valente’s book, How to Live: What the Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning, and Community (Charlottesville, VA: Hampton Roads Publishing. 2018). You can see the four previous articles as follows: “Being Spiritual in the World Today”, “Striving to be Disciples of Christ.”, “Overcoming …

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Leadership Advice from St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Prompted by some other recent reading, I just finished reading Five Books on Consideration Advice to a Pope written by St. Bernard of Clairvaux (translated by John D. Anderson and Elizabeth T. Kennan. Athens, OH: Cistercian Publications. 1976, Third Printing 2004). St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote this work as a series, offering guidance to Pope …

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Suffering and Serving

Today’s first reading comes from the fourth of four passages in the Book of Isaiah that speak of a “suffering servant.” People see suffering as something terrible and to be avoided. However, in the first reading, regarding the suffering servant, we hear how “The LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity.” It is the …

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