One of the differences between a gadget and a tool is that a gadget tends to be a Hydra with many “heads”—the BrewButler 8000 Millennium Edition not only makes the perfect cup of coffee, it is a fully functional alarm clock and digital personal assistant. But when I think of a tool, I picture a device that excels as the one thing its inventor designed and destined it to be—the Bialetti makes one small cup of espresso…period.

That’s a bit of an exaggeration, a small overstatement of the distinction, but beneath these broad strokes lurks at least a small grain of truth. There is often some sacrifice that comes with making a thing serve multiple functions; while versatility has its virtues, virtuosity often lies in focus of vision. This may be a little of what Saint Benedict intends when he writes, “The oratory should be in fact what it is called, and nothing else should be done or stored there” (RB 52:1).

He then describes, not the appointments of the room, but the deportment of those who come and go within its walls. The oratory is for prayer, both corporate and private, and for no other activity. The room is reserved, and yet all are welcome, so long as their purpose is prayer. In fact, the moral principle that Saint Benedict describes is one of honoring others. First of all, praying to God, carrying out the Opus Dei, is an act reverence to God, that concludes in the same spirit: “When the Work of God is finished, they shall all leave in deepest silence and show reverence for God” (RB 52:2). This shows honor to God.

Then the community shows honor to others and to their need for a place to pray by the peace and quiet it preserves in the oratory: “Thus will the brother who may wish to pray by himself not be hindered by the thoughtlessness of another” (RB 52:3). The space and time that opens in the oratory offers a sanctuary (the word we most often use to describe the place where we worship) for individuals who desire a place for prayer: “But if someone perhaps wishes to pray privately at some other time, let him simply go in and pray, not in a loud voice but with tears and full attention of heart” (RB 52:4).

The principle of honoring others is reflected in showing reverence to God and respect for others and their need for a place for prayer. As Saint Benedict concludes, “Therefore, whoever is not busy with this kind of work is not permitted to remain in the oratory, as the place is called. For the prayer of another should not be disturbed” (RB 52:5). Here Saint Benedict ends by repeating the observation he made at the outset; the oratory is a place for prayer. It is a tool with a single purpose.

So when I ask myself how this insight can shape my life, two actions come to mind. First, I can be careful that my demeanor when I am in any sanctuary does not inhibit another from using that place and time for prayer. Second, when I am in a position of responsibility and leadership in a parish, I can promote a vision that sees the oratory/sanctuary as a place for honoring others, in showing reverence to God and in offering respect to others.

Ut in Omnibus Glorificetur Deus.