Preferring Christ: A Devotional Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict

A modern approach to spiritual deepening using the ancient, but wise Rule of St. Benedict.

The Rule of St. Benedict continues to attract those who seek to live a deeper life, connected to Christ. But with such an ancient text, how can we authentically engage St. Benedict’s Rule in a manner that is true to its profound insights―and to our own spiritual journey? Norvene Vest suggests that the answer lies in the way we read the Rule. “It shouldn’t be studied like a book of regulations, or a school textbook. It should be read as lectio divina.”

This profound yet very practical volume speaks to our urgent spiritual need. People yearn for an interior life deeply rooted in God, humanly balanced, and substantially founded in the Christian heritage. Vest offers a valuable resource by rendering much more accessible the spiritual wealth of the key text of the ancient Benedictine charism. Here is the solid, balanced wisdom that has nourished and guided innumerable Christians for nearly fifteen centuries.

Norvene Vest has been involved in Christian formation for 30 years through one-to-one spiritual direction, leading retreats and workshops, and writing books. She is the author of Preferring Christ, Still Listening, and Tending the Holy. She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.