"Today is the feast of St. Romuald. Ran across this wonderful instruction to his monks, which I can put it into practice in my adoration time before the Blessed Sacrament. "His brief Rule for the monks of the Camaldolese order instructed them: Sit in your cell as in paradise. Put the whole world behind you and forget it. Watch your thoughts like a good fisherman watching for fish. The path you must follow is in the Psalms — never leave it.If you have just come to the monastery, and in spite of your good will you cannot accomplish what you want, take every opportunity you can to sing the Psalms in your heart and to understand them with your mind.And if your mind wanders as you read, do not give up; hurry back and apply your mind to the words once more.Realize above all that you are in God’s presence, and stand there with the attitude of one who stands before the emperor.Empty yourself completely and sit waiting, content with the grace of God, like the chick who tastes nothing and eats nothing but what his mother brings him."- See more at: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/kathys...-advice-from-st-romuald/#sthash.iKpHPJCw.dpuf This is timely advice for me, since I recently decided to start getting myself to church early and praying the divine office before morning Mass. (Or as we say in Texas, I'm fixin' to start.)
God bless with the Office Kathy. St Therese said towards the end of her life she only read two books The Bible and, 'The Imitation of Christ'. I think even later all she read was scripture. It is wonderful to have the scripture rising within us like yeast. I envy our Protestant sisters and brothers who have all scripture learnt of. But it is even better to have it written on the heart than in the head. I always recall that the Divine Office grew up in the fire of Persecution, in the Catacombs. Time for bed...this to go asleep with..beautiful.
