silhouetten monniken

 

The abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren

 

 

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Lectio divina
'Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.' (Psalm 119,105)

An important aspect of the monastic tradition is lectio divina or spiritual reading. The monk searches in the Holy Scripture for nourishment for the heart. 		Lectio divina
Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore, the brothers should be occupied at certain times in manual labour, and again at fixed hours in sacred reading. (RB 48)

Careful lectio divina greatly strengthens the brothers' faith in God. This excellent monastic practice by which God's Word is heard and pondered, is a source and a school of contemplation, where the monk speaks heart to heart with God. For this reason, the brothers are to devote a fitting amount of time each day to soul searching. (Constitution 21)