Randy’s Christmas Gift to his Readers and Fans – a very Benedictine version of the time-honored carol – “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” His references from the Rule follow each of the 12 days.
If you would like to hear Jane’s audio rendition, please click on the following link and enjoy!
12 Benedictine Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – a Rule to set my life free.
The entire Rule
On the second day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – two types of cooked food
RB 39.1
On the third day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – three solid vows
RB 58.17
On the fourth day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – four kinds of monks
RB 1
On the fifth day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – five ways to spend my day!…. work, prayerful reading, Opus Dei, rest with silence and meals!!
RB 48
On the sixth day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – six ancient readings
RB 73 – Old and New Testaments, Conferences, Institutes, Lives of the Holy Fathers and the Rule of Basil
On the seventh day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – seven nays on grumbling
RB 4.39, 5.14, 5.17-18. 23.1, 40.8-9
On the eighth day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – eight Opus Dei
RB 8-18
On the ninth day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – nine ways to treat guests
RB 53.1-– as Christ, announce and meet with courtesy of love, pray, kiss of peace, bow or prostrate to guest, sit with guest, Rule read, every kindness shown, wash guest hands and feet
On the tenth day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – ten monks in a deanery
RB 21.1-2
On the eleventh day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – eleven views on chastening
RB 23-28, 30, 44, 46, 69, 70
On the twelfth day of Christmas St. Benedict gave to me – twelve steps of humility!
RB 7
©December 2012 Jane Tomaine All rights reserved
[Shown Above – Longwood Gardens at Christmas]
