Saint Benedict's Argument Essay

In Abbot Mark’s lecture, he taught the Freshman class about one of the forefathers of Christianity and this college. Saint Benedict’s journey to God perfectly exemplifies the phenomenon that as one’s position in life changes, they must to alter the values they practice and live by in order to achieve the same goal. An acetic hermit should seek the virtue of self-discipline as they must create guidelines that will allow themselves to develop a deeper relationship with God, while a monk who is an acting member of a greater community must practice strict obedience so that he can better the community and his relationship to God. It is important for a liberal art’s student to understand what truths should be sought in what setting so that they too

In a monastery “obedience is preferable to asceticism” because it is important to give up one’s own will in order to ensure the best outcome for the community (Ward, 234). The Abbott “is believed to hold the place of Christ in the monastery” and therefore the monks must always abide by his rule, whereas the ascetic hermit has no one to abide to but himself and God (Saint Benedict, 21). Monks today still live by these truths. When asked by a student what the hardest thing about a being a monk was, Father Matthias said for him it was obedience. He noted that it can be hard to always obey the wishes of the abbot, even when you believe it is not the best decision for yourself. For example, Abbot Matthew asked Father Matthias to take on a new position within the college that Father Matthias did not believe was a good fit for him. However, he abided to Saint Benedict’s rule that one should “obey the orders of the abbot unreservedly” (Saint Benedict, 28). Obedience is best sought through a community approach because in order for a community to succeed, its members must give up their free will and personal desires to by adhering to the rules created by their superiors in order for the community to