Shamayim (שָׁמַיִם), the Hebrew word for “heaven” (literally heavens, plural), denotes one component of the three-part biblical cosmology, the other elements being erets (the earth) and sheol (the underworld).

a high place

In the historical description of the exodus, the wilderness is the place where God’s gracious provision was given to the Israelites in spite of their grumbling. Though the Israelites were tested by God in the desert, they witnessed the glory of the Lord in the same place.

The desert is symbolic of all the obstacles and hardships that stand between people and their dreams. The desert demands an arduous journey that people must undertake to achieve what they want. Nothing that is worthwhile comes easily and the desert becomes a metaphor for the struggle.

He is portrayed as vulnerable to the deceits of Satan. Why would Jesus go into the desert for a forty day retreat after his baptism? Jesus needed time to understand the revelation of his identity given by the voices of his Father at his baptism: “You are my beloved Son, my favor rests on you.”

Augustinian spirituality is not authoritarian and hierarchical even in the Church. It will be a spirituality for a church attempting to replace a hierarchical and authoritarian clerical style with a pastoral one. Fourth, Augustinian spirituality is one of fall and conversion, of grace and forgiveness.

Biblical spirituality can be defined as the process of the divine restoration and healing of the broken relation between the Triune God and humanity. As such, biblical spirituality is the response of a repentant human heart and mind to the loving heart and mind of God (1 Cor 2:12-‐13; Rom 8:14).

Benedictine simplicity of life is understood properly with the reality of Christ and his mission in mind. It is rooted in faith, and like Christ’s own simplicity of life must be an outward expression of trustful dependence on God. Of all creatures, the human person is in fact the neediest.

They were founded by Saint Benedict of Nursia, a 6th-century monk who laid the foundations of Benedictine monasticism through the formulation of his Rule of Saint Benedict.

Benedictines don’t take a vow of silence but take their dinner and breakfast without talking. At dinner, they don’t talk, but one of the monks sits at the front of the cavernous room, surrounded by stained glass, and reads an article from Benedictine history and passages from the Rule of St. Benedict.

Benedictine Values

• Community. Striving together for the common good and growing in relationship with God, one another, and self.
• Hospitality. Receiving others as Christ with warmth and attentiveness.
• Moderation. Honoring all of God’s creation and living simply with balance and gratitude.
• Prayer.
• Respect for Persons.
• Service.

Benedict’s rule provided for a monastic day of work, prayer, and contemplation, offering psychological balance in the monk’s life. It also elevated the dignity of manual labour in the service of God, long scorned by the elites of antiquity.

St. Benedict was a religious reformer who lived in Italy in the late 400s and early 500s. He is known as the “father of Western monasticism,” having established a Rule that would become the norm for innumerable Christian monks and nuns. He is the patron saint of Europe.

Chapters 31 & 32 order the appointment of officials to take charge of the goods of the monastery. Chapter 33 forbids the private possession of anything without the leave of the abbot, who is, however, bound to supply all necessities. Chapter 34 prescribes a just distribution of such things.

Poverty: the monk cannot own anything. Stillness: the monk cannot travel far unless it is necessary. Sometimes this means that the monk must be cloistered which means that they must not leave their monastery (especially Warsa period). Sometimes they can be allowed to leave, but must not go very far.

Definition. Friars are different from monks in that they are called to live the evangelical counsels (vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience) in service to society, rather than through cloistered asceticism and devotion. Monks or nuns make their vows and commit to a particular community in a particular place.

By the time of Saint Benedict of Nursia, the monastic Liturgy of the Hours was composed of seven daytime hours and one at night. He associated the practice with Psalm 118/119:164, “Seven times a day I praise you”, and Psalm 118/119:62, “At midnight I rise to praise you”.

What do monks do all day? They do the things that make them communal — Mass, prayer, reflection, service. They also do the things that make them unique — exercise, collecting, composing, cooking.

Matins (a later portion of Vigil, from 3 a.m. to dawn) Lauds (dawn; approximately 5 a.m., but varies seasonally) Prime (early morning, the first hour of daylight, approximately 6 a.m.)

Between praying up to seven times a day and working a medieval monk got little sleep. They averaged approximately five hours sleep between evening prayers and the 2am church service, and then snatched another half an hour before being up at 4am for more prayer.