Praying with Saint Benedict

July 12, 2008 | Filed Under hospitality, prayer |

O Lord, I place myself in Your hands and dedicate myself to You. I pledge myself to do Your will in all things:

To love the Lord God with all my heart, all my soul, all my strength.

Not to kill, not to steal, not to covet, not to bear false witness, to honor all persons.

Not to do to another what I should not want done to myself.

To love fasting. To relieve the poor.
To clothe the naked. To visit the sick.

To bury the dead. To help those in trouble.
To console the sorrowing. To hold myself aloof from worldly ways.
To prefer nothing to the love of Christ.

Not to give way to anger.
Not to foster a desire for revenge.
Not to entertain deceit in the heart.
Not to make a false peace.

Not to forsake charity.
Not to swear, lest I swear falsely.
Not to return evil for evil

To do no injury, indeed, even to bear patiently any injury done to me.
To love my enemies.
To bear persecution for justice’s sake.

Not to curse those who curse me but rather to bless them.

Not to be proud.
Not to be given to intoxicating drink.
Not to be an overeater.
Not to be lazy.
Not to be slothful.
Not to be a detractor.

To put my trust in God.
To refer the good I see in myself to God.
To refer any evil I see in myself to myself
To fear the day of judgment.
To be in dread of hell.

To desire eternal life with spiritual longing.
To keep death before my eyes daily.
To keep constant watch over my actions.
To remember that God sees me everywhere.

To call upon Christ for defense against evil thoughts.
To guard my tongue against wicked speech.
To avoid much speaking.
To avoid idle talk.

To read only what is good to read.
To pray often.
To ask forgiveness daily for my sins, and to seek ways to amend my life.
To obey my superiors in all things rightful.
To fulfill the commandments of God by good works.

Not to desire to be thought holy, but to seek holiness.
Not to seek to appear clever.
Not be jealous or envious of anyone.
Not to love strife.
Not to love pride.

To love chastity.
To hate no one.
To honor the aged.
To pray for my enemies.
To make peace after a quarrel, before the setting of the sun.

Never to despair of your mercy, O God of mercy

– St. Benedict

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2 comments so far
  1. Jane July 14, 2008 8:32 am

    Dang it - I thought I “had” it. Thanks for the reminder! So I pray.

    Jane

  2. Gayle Spangler September 2, 2008 7:13 pm

    I am a retired chaplain. I love this prayer. I think it can be adapted for use in church services as a responsive reading.

    Although it originated in the Catholic benedictine tradition, it contains a tremendous amount of Judeo-Christian theology that make us the essence of the Christian faith; therefore, I think it should be used and appreciated by Christians of all denominations.