RB Reflection: 29 June 2008

Chapter 22. The Sleeping Arrangements of the Monks

The monks are to sleep in separate beds. They receive bedding as provided by the abbot, suitable to monastic life.

If possible, all are to sleep in one place, but should the size of the community preclude this, they will sleep in groups of ten or twenty under the watchful care of seniors. A lamp must be kept burning in the room until morning.

They sleep clothed, and girded with belts or cords; but they should remove their knives, lest they accidentally cut themselves in their sleep. Thus the monks will always be ready to arise without delay when the signal is given; each will hasten to arrive at the Work of God before the others, yet with all dignity and decorum. The younger brothers should not have their beds nest to each other, but interspersed among those of the seniors. On arising for the Work of God, they will quietly encourage each other, for the sleepy like to make excuses.

When you were young did you ever go to a sleep over? Or to camp? Remember how raucous things could get, that is until the counselor came to bed and quieted everyone down. I imagine Benedict faced the same thing and decided that two young men in beds next to each other will keep up a giggle/farting fest, until no one in the room can sleep and everyone is laughing. They would be much less likely to do that with a senior beside them.

Lay Cistercians are reminded here to keep the same decorum that Benedict expected of his monks. Whatever your profession, think about the last convention you attended and that should remind you how important it is to keep some decorum. Also, in the darkness people can get up to all sorts of naughty things, not the least of which is late night raids on the kitchen. So Benedict said, keep a lamp lit all night.

What type of decorum do you keep in your night life? Is it filled with prayer? Television? A quiet evening with a good book? The list of "or is it filled with..." could go on and on, and not one thing on that last be edifying, healthy, or sinless.

Let us remember this chapter of the rule the next time we gather at the Abbey of Gethsemani for our retreat. The monks remember us [LCG] most of all for the noise we make, the chatter we carry on in the places marked "silence."

May God bring us altogether to everlasting life.