. . . this holy monk is certainly a great example of monastic holiness, nourished from the sources of the Benedictine tradition. For him, the ideal of the monk consists in “adhering tenaciously to Christ” (Ep. 53, loc. cit., p. 161), in a cloistered life distinguished by “monastic humility” (ibid.) and hard work (Ep. 77, loc. cit., p. 211) as well as an atmosphere of silent contemplation and constant praise of God. The first and most important occupation of the monk, according to Peter of Cluny, is the solemn celebration of the Divine Office “a heavenly action and the most useful of all” (Statutes, I, 1026) to be accompanied by reading, meditation, personal prayer and penance observed with discretion (cf. Ep. 20, loc. cit., p. 40). In this way the whole of life is pervaded by profound love of God and love of others, a love that is expressed in sincere openness to neighbour, in forgiveness and in the quest for peace. We might say, to conclude, that if this lifestyle, combined with daily work, was the monk’s ideal for St Benedict, it also concerns all of us and can be to a large extent the lifestyle of the Christian who wants to become an authentic disciple of Christ, characterized precisely by tenacious adherence to him and by humility, diligence and the capacity for forgiveness and peace.
Pope BenedictXVI
