Book Review: "Expanding Our Hearts in Christ: Perspectives on The Rule of Saint Benedict"

"The Rule of St. Benedict" is an optimistic work. Sister Aquinata Bockman, the author of the book of commentary on it titled, "Expanding our Hearts in Christ: Perspectives on The Rule of Saint Benedict", says it is so for the monastic, and for the reader of The Rule who is a layperson. Aquinata Bockmann calls the work, in declarative terms, an "imperative."

The Benedictine Nun, who has taught in Rome since 1973 at the Pontifical Institute for Spirituality and Moral Theology Regina Mundi, says it is "...a promise offered personally to each monastic..." that "...expresses the optimistic tone." (My editorial emphasis.)

The Rule begins: "Listen..." Simple, yet profound.

There is much here for all of us to gain benefit. The writer is learned.

Referring to another classic work, as she often does to expand and explain in a scholarly manner The Rule in her wonderful and thoughtfully fulfilling book, "Expanding Our Hearts in Christ: Perspectives on the Rule of Saint Benedict," The German Sister quotes: "My son, listen, son, to your father's instruction, and incline your ear to my words. Readily devote your attention to me, and with a faithful heart heed to all that is said. For I want to teach you about the spiritual battle and to instruct you in the ways that you should fight for your king."

How excellently this adds measure to the opening words of The Rule, which is: "Listen carefully, my son, to the master's instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. This is advice from a father who loves you; welcome it, and faithfully put it into practice."

These words come down to us through fifteen hundred years. Traditional truth and learning, certainly. She notes Benedict had certainly read that first quote in the Latin in the Admonitia S. Basilii ad filium spiritualem. Right from her book's beginning the theme that St. Benedict worked with previous texts, especially "The Rule of the Master" indicates both a strength in his work and his ability to make it a Rule outliving, and widely outlasting in popularity and use all previous sources. This Rule is without doubt one of Benedict's own originality and wisdom, though it relies on the Fathers of the Church, Scripture, and previous texts. Where does the work of commentary point the reader?

It is pointed out to us that it is Christ who points us from within. So we learn about expanding the heart in Christ in this work, and it is a work that delivers. You won't be disappointed in her commentary, so I believe. "The inmost soul expands and extends into God," she writes of The Rule. Covering selected parts of The Rule, she continues, "Like the Master, Benedict seems to believe that walking, just moving ahead, is not enough. Rather one should hasten, run (cf. RB 73). This seems to be a sign of intense love and zeal, as well as of longing for God and the magnetism of God who comes to meet us."

In a decade, nay even an era, where we have forgotten God, and some say God has forgotten us, and faith is hard to come by, we learn of ways of faith and the heart, we learn that The Rule asks for zeal. The commentary points a way, the way of The Rule. What is this "zeal" the postmodern man and woman may ask? Sister Aquinata writes, "...we see that zeal is a radical passion in people. It is exclusive, permeates everything, and knows no half-measures. It is a dynamic reality, the direct opposite of weak, tired, timid, or hesitant movement." We are given doors that open us to the necessities of faith in this work, an important need in this time and certainly both the century previous to this one. Broad statement as I've made, large in its expansive way, there is a truth to this book's exhortations, as there remains the strength that The Rule brings to its reader's faith. Call this commentary a companion book of faith.

In the book's section, "That This Rule Does Not Contain the Full Observance of Justice," we learn, "Benedict addresses any human being, `anyone,' indicating that he is not referring to special perfection for a certain group." This is a commentary that calls the work a way to the Creator. Benedict "...realizes his solidarity with all of humanity that ought to let the Fathers, especially through Sacred Scripture, help us on the way to the Creator." A work that relies heavily on scripture, Benedict is a genius--a religious genius. So I say, and so it is implied in this work about his Rule. How one enters in the monastery, makes a request, is similar to the way one makes a request in Christ of God. The Rule says, "Therefore, if the newcomer perseveres in knocking and if it becomes evident in four or five days that he patiently bears the injustices done to him and the difficulties of entering and persists in his request, then entrance is to be granted, and he may first stay in the guest quarters for a few days." It is pointed out in the commentary, "Yet we may also recall that the Lord himself knocks in this way on our door and remains there even if we do not open to let him in readily..." A metaphor for coming to Christ, certainly. "

How much it is emphasized that humility is an important attribute of The Rule. "...[H]umility is the fundamental attitude of hospitality." In my own zeal for hospitality, I've gone on at length about the commentary and The Rule. I purposefully wrote a long review, yet despite various efforts have not done the book justice, nor given it the review it merits to say how good it really is as a commentary. There is so much to this book. Read it yourself; you won't be sorry. What is the worth of The Rule, and what is the worth of all the exhortation and explanation and commentary of the work by Sister Aquinata Bockmann in her book, "Expanding Our Hearts in Christ: Perspectives on the Rule of Saint Benedict"?

I want to end this review with a quotation about stability of heart used in the book from Gregory of Nyssa: "This is the most marvelous thing of all, how the same thing is both a standing still and a moving...I mean by this that the firmer and more immovable one remains in the Good, the more he progresses in the course of virtues...It is like using the standing still as if it were a wing while the heart flies upward through its stability in the Good." This Rule of Benedict is a book of ethical teaching, moral teaching, and a work about God and getting to know and live with him, a means of expanding our hearts in Christ. It says stay with God.

--Peter Menkin, Pentecost, Christ the King Sunday, 2007

This review appears on Amazon.com.

Film Review: "Into Great Silence"

An edited transcription from a public email discussion of “Into Great Silence” indicates that this film is a winner: director Philip Groening's study of the Grande Chartreuse monastery.This is the opening email, written by Father R. and talks about the main character of the movie. Keep in mind that the film is silent, with subtitles, and that it took sixteen years for the filmmaker to receive permission to film the inner life of the monastery. Father R. writes in his message:

“Fr. Laurence Freeman…made a fascinating point, that the major character of the whole is the mysterious God, there everywhere: in the monks, in the hallways and the church, out in the fields. And the implication is that God should be the main character in our lives, in our hallways and church and fields.”

The life of a monk is one dedicated to God. “Into Great Silence” documents the events in the life of monks who live in a Carthusian monastery in France. The DVD I own has two disks, with the second disk containing a statement by Cardinal Pupard, (that is an added attraction and insightful words on the cultural merits of "Into Great Silence"). There are other interesting commentaries on the second disk. Regarding the film, which is on the first disk, I found this a powerful film.

In response to Father R., I wrote in my public email:

“Dear Father R.
"I like what you say about the film ("Into Great Silence"), for it is so apparent and yet not noticed as you've said: The mysterious God. That's part of the mystery. Thanks for the surprising observation.The photography (cinematography) is excellent, so artistic and spare, adding to the silence and simplicity. The director captures the pace of life in the monastery effectively. It helps in viewing the film. Many fine shots, like stills. This is a good documentary, and a work of art.I received my 2 CD set as a birthday gift, bought from Amazon.com. The experience of watching the film helps me to fill out the sense of community and relationship between monks and with God. I'm lucky to be reading Aquinata Bockmann, "Expanding Our Hearts in Christ, Perspectives on the Rule of Saint Benedict." Film is a powerful help to the imagination, and this film brings outa sense of lives committed to Christ. For not only is that a message in this film, it is also a message of Sister Bockmann’s book.”

There are many special moments in this film: the changing of the seasons, the rhythm of daily life through the seasons, and even the faces of the monks looking into the camera. This series of portraits is in itself interesting. During the email discussion, Anne wrote of her delight and interest in seeing the faces of the monks:

In response to the power the film held for this religious woman, Anne a viewer of the film, said:

“What they seemed to be saying to me was -- We have found it: the thing everyone in the world looks for, the deepest longing of every human heart: we have discovered it. Their faces radiate a celestial joy and a peace from beyond themselves. Something in my soul reached back out to them in longing and recognition and love. It's a moment that makes your heart whisper a long 'yes.'”

She saw in the film men fulfilling their lives. This is a positive film, filled with a kind of awe. The awe is in the life of these monks, as how they live and what they do in their prayers and dedication. It is in their peace, and their connectedness to the Almighty.

For the individual or group interested in religious subjects, wanting to learn more about life in a monastery, or what it is to dedicate one’s life to Christ, this film is an excellent choice. For film buffs interested in an artistic and visually beautiful film, this is an excellent choice. For seekers of God who wish to see what a group of people are like who make God primary in their lives, this choice of film is helpful and edifying. In fact, in its form, style, and method, this is an edifying film.

--Peter Menkin, Pentecost 2007 (November)

This review is posted on Amazon.com.