Folks, it was years in the making but last year, praised be Jesus and the assistance of the Holy Spirit and thanks to the advice of numerous people, I put together a Personal Rule of Life. I’ve been following it since.
If you want to be holy, you should have one. It doesn’t matter if your write it or not, or how long it is, as long as you have one.
For the nitty-gritty of writing one, please read the following booklet by Fr Michael Woodgate, A Rule of Life for Daily Christian Living. It is published by the Catholic Truth Society. It is filled with lots of valuable advice and insight on how to put one together. Creating A Rule of Life by Dr. Joe Colletti is also a worthy essay on the subject. There’s a good one too from the Episcopalian Benedictines at Washington’s National Cathedral, Creating a Rule of Life.
I also humbly offer my own Rule of Life in PDF, which you may download from here.
Feel free to ask me any questions on this subject. If I can’t answer them. I’ll try to steer you to the right person or source for the answer or simply say, “I don’t know”.
Remember, things that work for me may not work for you. Use mine as an example or guide, not as a blueprint. If you have problems downloading the document from Google Docs, let me know via email (click on the e-mail link in the left sidebar) and I’ll email it to you.
Take advantage of this Lenten season to write one! May the Lord richly bless all of us as we grow toward him during this Lent.
- Download Theo’s Personal Rule of Life
- Another example, John Sturdy’s Rule of Life.
- Sagely advice on the subject from hermit Sr. Laurel O’Neal, of Stillsong Hermitage.
- A Married Man's "Rule of Life" by Deacon Pat Kearns.
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4 comments:
Your personal rule seems great (and very thorough). I like the idea of making one for myself, but I don't know if I would actually use it.
Is this something you read every day? Or just something you look at when you're struggling/need the reminder of the person you want to be? How does it affect your every day life? Thanks!
I read it periodically, but not every day. I also always read it before confession. It seems to me that it's a good guide for an examination of conscience.
When I compose the Rule I put in things that I knew I could do along with things I knew I had to do. I'd already been keeping a prayer rule for a while and for a man in my state of life, that was a tough one. But it has become second-nature.
A regular communicant and participant in the sacraments would fulfill a good chunk of my rule, but it is when it comes to the practice of love, to the pursuit of the works of mercie where I know I need to work harder and in a sense, it is there where Christian fulfillment is found.
The Rule reminds me of what I've achieved and of what I need to strive for.
-Theo
I'd never thought of such a thing! I will investigate. This might be a way to steer out of some entrenched spiritual weaknesses!
Thank you for sharing your rule of life.
I was searching for information on personal rules and am grateful to have found yours; it is a thing of inspiration and fearsome beauty.
I will remember you and your family in my prayers today.
Again, thank you.
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