1. In the first place, to love the Lord God with the whole heart, the whole soul, the whole strength. 2. Then, one's neighbor as oneself. 3. Then not to murder. 4. Not to commit adultery. 5. Not to steal. 6. Not to covet. 7. Not to bear false witness. 8. To honor all (1 Peter 2:17).9. And not to do to another what one would not have done to oneself. 10. To deny oneself in order to follow Christ. 11. To chastise the body.12. Not to become attached to pleasures. 13. To love fasting. 14. To relieve the poor. 15. To clothe the naked.16. To visit the sick. 17. To bury the dead. 18. To help in trouble. 19. To console the sorrowing. 20. To become a stranger to the world's ways. 21. To prefer nothing to the love of Christ.

It is my rule not to look ahead, but I have nonetheless done so. Benedict gives us seventy-two "tools of the spiritual craft."

I recognize and accept most of these twenty-one. But I do not love wholly. I am too often divided and distracted. I very seldom deny myself to follow Christ. I do very little to relieve the poor, clothe the naked, or visit the sick.

Forgive me and strengthen me.

I am not a stranger to the world's ways, but the world's way are often strange to me and in many instances I do not or cannot practice the ways of the world even when I try.

Should I seek greater understanding or accept more happily my apparent innocence?

I wonder about Benedict's instruction to chastise - castigare - the body. I am aware of Paul's teaching and what has been done with his teaching. But is this the will of God who created our bodies?

Above is a modern icon of Saint Benedict.