Today is the feast of St Benedict of Nursia. Benedict lived in the fifth century and is regarded as the father of Western monasticism.

He lived at a time of great turmoil and political instability. He established communities of intentional Christian discipleship under a shared rule of life. He established the Benedictine tradition, which in spite of the dissolution of the monasteries, was reestablished in the Church of England in the nineteenth century. Mucknell Abbey in Worcestershire is a familiar retreat for some members of our community at the University Church.

Although we might imagine that Benedict's rule is just for monks and nuns, many recent writers have seen within the rule a resource for living beyond the walls of a monastery or enclosure.

One of the distinctive characteristics of Benedict's rule is his description of the 12 Steps of humility. These 12 Steps provide a ready guide for anyone who wants to grow in wisdom: the fear of God, self denial, a capacity for attentiveness (or obedience), perseverance, repentance, serenity, modesty, prudence, silence, dignity, discretion and reverence.

Benedict describes a way of life which shows the path to heaven. He says this: “ Thus, after ascending all these steps of humility, the Monk will presently come to that love of God which is perfect and casts away our fear. Through this love, everything that he observed through fear in the beginning, he will begin to do by custom, without any difficulty, as if it came naturally, no longer for fear of hell, but now for the love of Christ, good habit, and for taking delight in virtue. All this our Lord will manifest through the work of the Holy Spirit.”