You’re just in time to join four Worldwide Novices as they meet on Zoom. All are excited to share their research on verses 5 and 6 from Chapter 49: The Observance of Lent.
“During these days, therefore, we will add to the usual measure of our service something by way of private prayer and abstinence from food or drink, so that each of us will have something above the assigned measure to offer God of our own will with the joy of the Holy Spirit (1 Thess 1:6).” RB 49.5-6
Join the Zoom Call in progress
Novice Humphrey
Slocum Smith
Seattle, Washington
Novice Mr. Pippin Marmalade
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Novice Felicity
Clyde, Missouri
Novice Mimi
Clyde, Missouri
The novices exchange greetings and share the latest news from home and from the Cloister. Novice Humphrey Slocum Smith, chosen by the novices to chair the meeting, calls the meeting to order.
The Novices Pray Before Sharing Their Good Work
Novices, Prologue 4 in the Rule tells us to pray every time we begin a good work. So, let’s put our paws together and pray the prayer of St. Benedict.
With devout seriousness, each novice puts paws together. Heads are bowed. The prayer begins.
“We pray, Lord that everything we do may be prompted by your inspiration,
so that every prayer and work of ours may begin from you
and be brought by you to completion. Amen.”
From Saint Benedict’s Prayerbook, 113
After a brief and respectful silence, Novice Humphrey continues.
Novice Humphrey Sets the Stage
Novices, Br. Ricky chose us to unpack these verses from The Rule of St. Benedict because our humans are in the relig biz. Mr. Pippin Marmalade and I have clerics as housemates. Novices Felicity and Mimi, your human is a sister with the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, Missouri. Br. Ricky asked us to unpack verses 5 and 6 with an emphasis on why we can be joyful in Lent.
The novices nod in agreement. All are eager to share their insights. Novice Mr. Pippin Marmalade reads verses 5 and 6 shown above.
Novice Felicity, because you like investigating, you offered to gather background on the chapter as a whole. Felicity meows her eagerness to begin.
Novice Felicity – Benedict’s Realistic, Doable, and Joyful Approach to Lent
The curious and perceptive Felicity loves investigating, especially the Rule of
St. Benedict
As we learned one of Benedict’s resources was the Rule of the Master (RM). So, I read the chapters on Lent from this rule. Wow! The Master controlled everything the monks were to do during Lent. This took three chapters to Benedict’s one short chapter.
We’re so blessed because Benedict offers a beautiful and compassionate approach to Lent. I agree with feline Benedictine scholar Br. Terrence Furling, OSB-F, who wrote, “There is hardly a Chapter in the Rule that can match its gentle and serene approach to monastic life.” [1]
Benedict is so realistic and understanding of his fellow humans, and I add felines as well. After declaring that life ought to be a continuous Lent (RB 49.1) he quickly acknowledges the reality – we don’t have the strength to this.
The felines chuckle.
Both rules address joy, but there’s a difference. From Br. Terrence…
“In contrast with the Master, who calls for joy only after Easter (RM 53.20) Benedict thinks that it should also permeate the penitential season that leads up to Easter. This is the equivalent of saying that for Christians there is no time of sadness. How can we be sad when we know that Christ has conquered sin and death?” [2]
Noted by Br. Ricky as a feline who approaches life with joy, Novice Mimi claps her paws.
“That’s right. We can be joyful because we know the end of the story!”
All the novices nod in agreement and clap their paws at the call for joy in Lent. (Right: Illus. Feline clapping paws)
Felicity continues.
Resident Novice Little Jenny is fascinated by the writings of Smaragdus
Our novice scholar, Little Jenny, helped me out. She looked back to Smaragdus, the 8th– 9th century monk who wrote one of the earliest commentaries on the Rule. Smaragdus gives a good reason for joy in our Lenten practices.
“For [those] who serve the Lord with cheerfulness and joy and give him something will receive from him a hundredfold, and will moreover, possess eternal life as well” [3]
We can be joyful throughout Lent because St. Benedict asks of us what is important. Yet he offers a way that is reasonable and doable.
Novice Humphrey thanks Felicity for a good job. Felicity lowers her eyes and purrs as the others mew their thanks. Novice Mimi offers to share next.
Novice Mimi – Unburdening What Weighs Us Down Brings Joy
I signed up for the daily meditations from St. Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, Minnesota. In her meditation, Sr. Joyce Iten, OSB, explains that the word Lent comes from the word “spring.” She connects the purpose of Lent with spring and new growth.
“Lent is meant to be a time for awakening to new life in our soul. Letting go of the useless and excessive in our lives, in order to free us for a fresh, new life is the invitation to all Christians which includes the practice of fasting.” [4]
Hearing the word “fasting” brings gasps. Novice Humphrey’s fur rises as he considers fasting from his delicious venison, whirred daily in a blender by his cleric human. Mimi observes the responses and continues in a soothing mew.
Please don’t panic. Sr. Joyce showed me that fasting is more than denying myself crunchy treats or extra naps.
“Fasting during the season of Lent is meant to affect those aspects of our lives that are burdening and weighing us down. We can fast from excessive food or drink, or from excessive entertainment with TV or other electronic gadgets. We can be fasting from words and thoughts that are harmful or useless. Lent is meant to be a springtime or renewal for our souls and our lives.” [5]
The purpose of Lent is to clear away, even just a little bit, what gets in the way of our relationship with God, with others, and even with ourselves. After all, this is the first verse in the Tools for Good Works.
“First of all, love God with your whole heart, your whole soul and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:37-39; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:27). RB 4.1-2
Novice Mimi loves to interact with people and felines.
The novices quietly ponder this. “Well, not having my nightly treats has given me some extra time for my holy reading,” offers Pippin. “It’s my quiet time with God.” Mimi gives Pippin a feline smile and continues on.
The anxious Sr. Espy often falls prey to nibbling, a habit prohibited in the Rule (RB 43. )
Right, Pippin. The other thing that unburdening does is that it removes a habitual action that can mask something about ourselves that we need to look at. Sr. Espy, the Cloister cellarer, admitted to me that she often nibbles when she feels anxious or stressed. During Lent, instead of nibbling she could pause and look into those stresses. Then perhaps changes can be made in what she is doing or how she is viewing whatever is bothering her.
Giving up what we discover that controls who we are, what we say and what we do is freeing. And that is something to be joyful about.
My favorite feline scholar, Sr. Scholastica Muffin, OSB-F, gave me a great clue for what I needed to let go of in Lent – whatever is becoming a din in my inner heart. [6]
The din in my heart is that I always want to be the center of attention. My Lenten practice is to quiet this din. Even if I cannot do this all this time, I am joyful because I am doing my best.
The novices thank Mimi. After a brief sharing of their chosen practices for Lent, Novice Humphrey shares his research.
Sr. Scholastica Muffin, OSB-F, noted feline Benedictine scholar
Felix pondering how best to let go of the din
in his heart –
the craving for Cat TV
Sam watching Cat TV
Novice Humphrey Slocum Smith – The Joy of the Holy Spirit
Novice Humphrey expresses his opinions about everything, especially the finer points of The Rule of St. Benedict
I was struck by Benedict’s link of Lent with joy, too. I thought a scribe might have inserted this into verses 6 and 7. The novices giggle at this thought.
There are the only two places in the Rule that Benedict uses gaudium, the Latin word for “joy.” Both are in this chapter. And both are connected with the Holy Spirit. Here’s verse 7.
“In other words, let each one deny themselves some food, drink, sleep, needless talking and idle jesting, and look forward to holy Easter with joy and spiritual longing.” RB 49.7
Br Cuthbert, intent on adding his own
“theological touch”
to
the Rule of St. Benedict
In her newest book Finding Joy With The Rule of St. Benedict, Sr Maria Benedicta Ramos, OSB-F draws “a tentative conclusion that for Saint Benedict one of the qualities of a monk is joy, and that this joy is a result of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the monk’s life and in the community.” [8]
The Holy Spirit is with us, especially in Lent helping and inspiring us. Something else perked up my ears when I read these verses. My hunch was confirmed by Br. Terrence.
“Humans and us felines sometimes wonder if anyone smiled or even laughed in these early Benedictine communities. This chapter gives an answer. In our verse Benedict clearly states his monastics deny themselves needless talking and idle jesting . He wouldn’t have mentioned these if talking and jesting were not permitted in the monastery.” [7]
The novices are delighted to learn of this insight.
Benedictine scholar Sr. Maria Ramos, OSB-F
I don’t know if Jesus was joyful during his forty days in the wilderness. But as Jesus denied himself, so too we deny ourselves some food, drink, bad habits, and/or what weighs us down. This denial can help us shed a bit of our self-centeredness. I think that is another reason why we should go through Lent joyfully. Let’s face it. As felines we could use a bit of backing away from always insisting that we have the right way in everything. That can get pretty stressful.”
“For not only felines,” chimes in Novice Mimi, who feels himself very special. “I see this in humans, too.” Nods all around at this declaration.
“Benedict tells us that Lent is the time to make new efforts to be what we say we want to be.” [9] So let us step forward to that goal, dear novices, and do so with joy!”
Mews of assent are heard from each novice.
Novice Mr. Pippin Marmalade – What You Do in Lent is Not Just for You
Novice
Mr. Pippin Marmalade loves meeting new people
Novice Pippin begins with excitement in his mew. I found another reason for joy in Lent. It is something that I had not even considered. I hadn’t imagined that there could be another reason for joy that is beyond just me. The clue is in verse 2.
“…we urge the entire community during these days of Lent to keep its manner of life most pure and to wash away in this holy season the negligences of other times.” RB 49.2-3
There is a communal aspect of our Lenten disciplines! Sr. Scholastica helped me to see an important reason for joy.
“Lent is not individual, it is communal. Even if we are not in a religious community, we ARE in communities and who we are affects the whole.” [10]
This is true whether we are in a monastery, a family, among friends, or in a work or church community. What we do as an individual impacts the whole. We are always to strive to form our communities to be more and more Christ-like. What we do in Lent can help this happen by who we are, what we say, and what we do.
Animated mews are heard from each novice on the Zoom call
as they consider this new and interesting take on Lent.
Illus. Feline thumbs up
Benedict then goes on to say the things that we can do together during this holy season. We are to avoid evil habits, and devote ourselves to prayer, reading, compunction of heart, and self-denial (RB 4)
But what I do is not just for me. What I do is for you, too. And that is probably even more important. This idea of the communal nature of Lent highlights my responsibility to the communities that I am in. And it reminds me that who I am and how I am impacts others. But it’s not just me – it’s the community together. I think that is something to feel joyful about.
The novices all nod in agreement and give a feline thumbs up to Novice Pippin for this insight.
The somewhat startled feline Novice Jack Wilson (second from the right) unsure that his Lenten discipline will do anything to help this motley crew
The Novices Prepare a Summary PowerPoint Slide
Novice Humphrey sets the stage for the final task.
Novices, let’s prepare that PowerPoint slide for the next Chapter Meeting of the Feline Cloister. We can list the reasons for joy in Lent and use that in our sharing.
The novices nod enthusiastically. Here is what they prepared.
Reasons for Joy in Lent
Benedict asks us to be joyful (What better reason is there?)
Benedict’s requests are doable and realistic
New life awakens when we unburdening ourselves from what weighs us down
Our Lenten disciplines are our offerings to God given with joy
The Holy Spirit is with us throughout Lent
Lent is not just for the individual; what we do in Lent is for the community
A Note from the Four Novices:
We sure hope that you have found this article helpful. May your Lent be joyful!
In the joy of Lent,
Novices Humphrey, Pippin, Felicity, and Mimi
Endnotes
[1] Terrence G. Kardong, Benedict’s Rule: A Translation and Commentary (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1996), 408.
[2] Ibid., 406.
[3] Samaragdus of Saint-Mihiel, Commentary on the Rule of Saint Benedict (Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 2007), 440.
[4] Sr. Joyce Iten, OSB, Daily Meditations from the Sisters of St. Benedict, March 5, 2025.
[5] Loc. Cit.
[6] Mother Gail Fitzpatrick, OCSO, Seasons of Grace: Wisdom from the Cloister (Chicago, IL: ACTA Publications, 2000), 26,
[7] Kardong, 406.
[8] Mark A. Scott, OCSO, At Home With Saint Benedict: Monastery Talks (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2011), 34.
[9] Joan Chittister, OSB, The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1992 & 2010), 220.
[10] Scott,
[11] Kardong, 409-410
“Lent is in no way inferior to Easter, for although we are waiting for the resurrection that causes the outpouring of the Spirit, we already possess the Spirit by baptism. Our waiting is joyful and hopeful, for we already experience what we await.” [11]
© March 2025 the Novices and Jane Tomaine
