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…

Sometimes as I read chapters in The Rule of Benedict, the cultural and historical differences between the sixth and twenty-first centuries seem especially pronounced. Chapter 51 provides one of those times when the distinctions assert themselves. It’s a brief chapter, so it’s worth reading as a complete unit: If a brother is sent out on…

For some reason, modern English has grown enamored with the term center. One of the places this word now appears is in reference to worship center, meaning the place in a parish’s building where the community gathers for worship. An older term is sanctuary, which carries with it some resonant and tender associations. Another—perhaps still…

One of the stereotypes of Christians is that they can be somewhat dour and lacking in joy. That might have been lurking in the back of my mind as began this morning’s reading from The Rule of Benedict, where he writes, “At all times the lifestyle of a monk ought to have a Lenten quality”…

Yesterday morning, a young man from Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church came to our house to work outdoors for five hours. He came because we had submitted the highest bid in a “Servant Auction” sponsored by the youth who are raising funds for their trip to the ELCA’s National Youth Gathering in New Orleans…

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to prepare a sermon and to lead worship at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Marquette, Neb. Last night I met with two members of the Congregation Council at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., to talk about my service to that parish as its interim pastor beginning July 1.…

Saint Benedict writes two chapters that fall a little harshly on modern ears. They address “Those Who Make Mistakes in the Oratory” (RB 45) and “Those Who Err in Some Other Way” (RB 46). To turn to one of the Lutheran tools for reading a text, it seems fair to see that most of these…

Sometimes as I read The Rule of Benedict, the text seems to speak directly, offering a clear word about how I ought to live. But then, on other occasions, as I am reading it, the tremendous differences in time and culture step to the forefront. The title of the chapter I looked at this morning,…

One of the most famous sayings, or mottoes, to arise from Benedictine spirituality is the phrase, “ora et labora,” meaning “prayer and work.” It’s a shorthand way of gathering up the insights about the value, both spiritual and physical, in achieving and maintaining a proper balance in one’s life between one’s vocations to serve God…