A Monk’s Chronicle: Out with the Old and in with the Old

The following story is republished from A Monk’s Chronicle, written by Fr. Eric Hollas, OSB. 

For thirty-five years we have used a venerated set of binders for the recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours at Saint John’s Abbey. They had served their purpose well, but a few years ago they had begun to show noticeable wear and tear. Daily usage, the constant turning of the pages, and an occasional crash to the floor took their toll. The time for their retirement had come — and it had done so several years ago. Finally, this last Saturday, those books guided us through their last service, and they ceded their place in choir to their successors by the evening.

Was it just a matter of reprinting the old books? Not in the least. It took years to revise the old texts and the new books immediately proved their worth. It was gratitude if not love at first sight when we opened them for their first evening service.

And what are the differences? First of all, the texts from the old volumes have been consolidated into half as many books, leaving lots of space on the book shelf at each choir stall. There is also one touch that even the monks can appreciate. In the past we could not get through a service without consulting several of the books. In the new regimen the text for each service has been brought together, eliminating the need to consult the other books. This convenience for the monks is even greater for the guests, many of whom were at sea as we progressed through a service. They needed regular coaching; but not so now.

With the new volumes have come other changes. In Saint Benedict’s routine the last service of the day should be rather short — perhaps as brief as fifteen minutes. Over the years, however, our recitation of evening prayer had slowly morphed into 35+ minutes. By the end of a long and busy day the recitation of the Psalms could produce cat-naps in the choir stalls. That was never part of Saint Benedict’s plan.

In a final touch, we rebalanced the prayer schedule and reaffirmed the traditional names that monks have used for centuries. Morning prayer once again has became Lauds, and it begins at 6:45 am. Evening prayer has migrated from 7:00 pm to 5:00 pm and reclaimed its old name of Vespers. And Compline, which we had done in private for as long as fifty years, has now reappeared in the schedule at 7:00 pm. It’s over in about fifteen minutes, and it fulfills its original purpose as it signals the close of the day.

In his Rule Saint Benedict allowed communities to adapt their horarium to the needs of the community. Now, after thirty-five years, we have recognized the need for continued adaptation. In this case it is a matter of “out with the old, and in with the old.” It recalls the words of Jesus, reminding us that a good householder can bring forth things old and new from the storehouse. For these wonderful results we are grateful to the monks who have spent years on this revision. But we monks are not the only ones who are glad. Our guests especially will find the services much easier to navigate. Praised be Jesus Christ!

NOTES

+Fr. Cyril, who works in the guesthouse, tries to alert us to the guests who will be joining us for prayer. His more recent announcement on the board this week described a rather eclectic gathering, however. “New and returning students. Nine Jesuit novices and their director. Members of Zion Lutheran Church in Litchfield, MN. A group from the First Presbyterian Church in Chicago. Others about whom I know nothing.” I suspect Saint Benedict would be quite happy with this announcement. And we did our best to follow his command to “receive all guests as Christ.”

+Recently the Abbey woodworking shop delivered an organ to its new home in a church in suburban Chicago. In today’s post are three photos of the team packing the organ up for its delivery. At bottom is a carving by our deceased confrere Brother Placid. It greets visitors to the woodworking shop.