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15 Days of Prayer with Saint Benedict

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Gozier introduces the leader for this 15-day spiritual journey as the patron saint of failures. Benedict faced so many trials that he accepted them as his path to sainthood. Yet, Gozier writes, Benedict achieved his goal with the Rule he wrote for his religious community. The central theme of the retreat is to "truly seek God" as Benedict did. Topics include listening and looking for God, obedience, welcoming, peace, and prayer.

The sessions consist of a brief introduction followed by an exploration of the daily theme as played out in Benedict's life with applications for our time. Each session ends with reflection questions.

Session 2, Looking for God, centers on Chapter 4 of the Rule, 72 "instruments of the spiritual art." Gozier provides the list and points out that the final two instruments, make peace before sundown and never despair of God's mercy, summarize Benedict's whole teaching on forgiveness and hope. He recommends using the list as an examination of conscience. The day's reflection questions ask readers to think about ways these 72 "instruments of good works" can benefit our spiritual life: Which is my biggest challenge? Do I practice a measure of self-renunciation? Do I view the works of mercy as "antiquated"?

As part of a wider series, 15 Days of Prayer with Saint Benedict includes helpful guidelines for tailoring the retreat to personal preferences and schedules. The flexible format and short chapters make this a good resource for faith-sharing groups as well as individuals.