How Benedictines should approach the common good

In the wonderful little book “Tales of a Magic Monastery,” Theophane the Monk brings alive the Benedictine call to tend to the common good in this short story. He writes:

“I thought it good fortune to go to the Magic Monastery for Christmas. But at the foot of the hill sat a blind beggar, and when I drew near to give him some money, I heard him ask, ‘Who will lead me into the heart of God?’

I couldn’t go on. Who would lead him into the heart of God?

I sat down in front of him. I took his hands.

‘Together,’ I said. ‘Together we’ll go into the heart of God.’”

This is the Benedictine way: together. St. Benedict lays out his communal vision in Chapter 72 of his Rule where he writes: “This, then,is the good zeal which members must foster with fervent love: ‘They should each try to be the first to show respect to the other’ (Rom. 12:10)… No monastics are to pursue what they judge better for themselves, but instead, what they judge better for someone else.”

The Benedictine way always has the common good at the forefront. With “fervent love,” Benedictines are to reach out to one another with care and respect. They are to accept one another’s weaknesses as part of the shared human condition. Everyone in a Benedictine community is to be seen and heard and included.

I have the privilege of teaching 45 sophomore students in the Benedictine Living & Learning Community who practice this respect for the common good time and again. These students live in intentional community and take a year-long course on Benedictine spirituality together. We had 80 students apply to be part of the program last spring–quadruple the interest from just a few years ago. A colleague and I interviewed all 80 of them! One of my biggest takeaways was that Bennies and Johnnies are hungry to be part of something bigger than themselves. In the face of rampant individualism, our students are saying, “My main goal is for everyone to feel heard and valued … Living with people whom I’m similar to makes us all grow to be the best version of ourselves.”

Another noted: “Benedictine spirituality emphasizes the importance of service. Welcoming others with an open heart helps contribute to my sense of purpose.”

One student compared living in a Benedictine community to “having a good workout buddy. You both are going for your own reasons, but you hold each other accountable and push each other to work harder!”

These students have that “good zeal” St. Benedict talks about. They are eager to better the common good and to do so together. Like Theophane the Monk, these Johnnies and Bennies understand that the way forward is together.

Together… we go into the heart of God together.

— Jessie Bazan is the associate director of the Benedictine Institute at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University.