Visitors tell the monks how inspiring and edifying our liturgy is. We will never refuse a compliment, but that’s not why we strive for a beautiful prayer life. The whole idea behind a holy Mass and Divine Office is to experience a genuine dialogue with God. The monks’ prayer is literally a conversation with God Himself.

Producing a beautiful, edifying, sanctifying liturgy is a lot of work. This may not be the best comparison, but it’s considered a big deal to get a backstage tour of a ballet or stage production. You get to appreciate what effort goes into the ultimate results. You learn to appreciate the hard work necessary for a beautiful outcome. For us to successfully engage in the Work of God, our monastic prayer, there is a lot of background work to make it happen.

The major difference between monastic liturgical prayer and a stage production is that we are truly participants in the conversation with God. Divine Office and Holy Mass and the Rosary — all these prayers are normative and transformative, meaning, according to Pope Benedict, that, “By entering into the words of the great history of prayer, we ourselves are conformed to the spirit of these words and are enabled to speak to God.”

What does it take to create that atmosphere of prayerfulness? It’s amazing what simple tasks produce such profound results. You’ll find Brother Pio polishing the candlesticks. Brother Bernard could be editing Gregorian chant books on the computer or vacuuming the chapel. Abbot Marc might lead a music practice, and Fr. Peter and Br. Joachim instruct the servers for special events like a solemn profession. Please consider making a donation today to support the monks of Saint Benedict Abbey and our life of continuous prayer and work. And you can help.