MORNING

"The first degree of humility is obedience without delay. This is the virtue of those who hold nothing dearer to them than Christ; who, because of the holy service they have professed, and the fear of hell, and the glory of life everlasting, as soon as anything has been ordered by their Superior, receive it as a divine command and cannot suffer any delay in executing it. Of thee the Lord says, 'As soon as he heard, he obeyed Me'. And again to teachers He says, 'He who hears you, hears Me.'
-- St. Benedict, The Rule of Benedict, Chapter 5 Excerpt

Prayers:

God our Father,
stir up in your Church
the spirit that animated St. Benedict,
that filled with this spirit
we may learn to love what he loved
and practice what he taught.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Benedict,
admirable Saint and Doctor of Humility,
you practiced what you taught,
assiduously praying for God's glory,
and lovingly fulfilling all work for God
and the benefit of all human beings.
You know the many physical dangers
that surround us today,
often caused or occasioned by human inventions.
Guard us against poisoning of the body
as well as of mind and soul,
and thus be truly a "Blessed" one for us.
Amen.

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AFTERNOON

"Let us do what the Prophet says: 'I said: I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue. I have set a guard to my mouth. I was mute and was humbled and kept silence even from good things.' [Psalms 39:2-3] Here the Prophet shows that if the spirit of silence ought to lead us at times to refrain even from good speech, so much the more ought the punishment for sin make us avoid evil words."
-- St. Benedict, The Rule of St. Benedict, Chapter 6 Excerpt

Prayer:

O God,
you have endowed your servant Benedict
with the gifts of prayer and universal charity.
His life, like the good tree planted near living water,
has born fruit in countless women and men
who have embraced his way of life.
Bless your laboring Church
whose valiant defender he was
and whose inspiration he continues to be.
We ask this in Jesus's name.
Amen.

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EVENING

"Hence, brethren, if we wish to reach the very highest point of humility and to arrive speedily at the heavenly exaltation to which ascent is made through the humility of this present life, we must by our ascending actions erect the ladder Jacob saw in his dream, on which Angels appeared to him descending and ascending. By that descent and ascent we must surely understand nothing else than this, that we descend by self-exaltation and ascend by humility. And the ladder thus set up is our life in the world, which the Lord raises up to heaven if our heart is humbled. For we call our body and soul the sides of the ladder, and into these sides our divine vocation has inserted the different steps of humility and discipline we must climb."
-- St. Benedict, The Rule of Benedict, Chapter 7 Excerpt

Prayer:

Glorious St. Benedict,
sublime model of virtue, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me humbly begging your intercession. I implore you in your loving kindness to pray for me before the throne of God. To you I have recourse in the dangers that surround me. Shield me against my selfishness and my indiference to God and to my neighbor. Inspire me to imitate you in all things. May your blessing be with me always, so that I may see and serve Christ in others and work for His Kingdom.
Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be.
Amen.