Benedict of Nursia QUOTES

1 " Idleness is the enemy of the soul; and therefore the brethren ought to be employed in manual labor at certain times, at others, in devout reading. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

2 " The sleepy like to make excuses. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

3 " The first degree of humility is prompt obedience. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

4 " And let them first pray together, that so they may associate in peace. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

5 " Listen and attend with the ear of your heart. "

― Benedict of Nursia

6 " Whatever good work you begin to do, beg of God with most earnest prayer to perfect it. "

― Benedict of Nursia

7 " He should first show them in deeds rather than words all that is good and holy. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

8 " Ora et labora. "

― Benedict of Nursia

9 " Almighty God, give me wisdom to perceive You, intelligence to understand You, diligence to seek You, patience to wait for You, eyes to behold You, a heart to meditate upon You and life to proclaim You, through the power of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. "

― Benedict of Nursia

10 " He should know that whoever undertakes the government of souls must prepare himself to account for them. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

11 " Wherefore let us consider how it behoveth us to be in the sight of God and the angels, and so let us take our part in the psalmody that mind and voice accord together. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

12 " The abbot ought ever to bear in mind what he is and what he is called; he ought to know that to whom more is entrusted, from him more is exacted. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

13 " The prophet shows that, for the sake of silence, we are to abstain even from good talk. If this be so, how much more needful is it that we refrain from evil words, on account of the penalty of the sin! "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

14 " Now, brethren, that we have asked the Lord who it is that shall dwell in His tabernacle, we have heard the conditions for dwelling there; and if we fulfil the duties of tenants, we shall be heirs of the kingdom of heaven. Our hearts and our bodies must, therefore, be ready to do battle under the biddings of holy obedience; and let us ask the Lord that He supply by the help of His grace what is impossible to us by nature. And if, flying from the pains of hell, we desire to reach life everlasting, then, while there is yet time, and we are still in the flesh, and are able during the present life to fulfil all these things, we must make haste to do now what will profit us forever. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

15 " For at all times we must so serve Him with the good things He has given us, that he may not, as an angry Father, disinherit his children, nor as a dread Lord, provoked by our evil deeds, deliver us to everlasting punishment as wicked servants who refuse to follow Him to glory. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

16 " Let us take part in the psalmody in such a way that our mind may be in harmony with our voice. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

17 " It is time now for us to rise from sleep. "

― Benedict of Nursia , The Rule of Saint Benedict

18 " 265. "Let the oratory be what it is called, and let nothing else be done or stored there. When the work of God is finished, let all go out with the deepest silence and let reverence be shown to God."~ "

― Benedict of Nursia