A question recently posed to a group of people gathered for a discussion was, “Who holds you accountable to prayer?” My first response was, “I do.” As I continued to ponder this question, I realized how incomplete my first response was; I had only answered a portion of the question. I came to a better understanding that I am also held accountable to my community, to participate in our daily prayer as we gather to pray Liturgy of the Hours and Eucharist every day; to be in the Oratory or chapel for community prayer is a sign of my presence to the other sisters. We are accountable to ourselves to be present, yet also to one another. Our community prayer is our foundation. The more I pondered the question of prayer, I realized prayer is more than our foundation; it is our way of life, a way of life that I have chosen to be part of. For me, it is this way of life that holds me faithful to my prayer. The scheduled time for private prayer or communal prayer is central for me. I cannot do it on my own. I appreciate the community of women who surround me every day with the same desire, the same accountability to prayer that I have.
If you would like more information about Saint Benedict’s Monastery, please contact Sister Lisa Rose at lrose@csbsju.edu.
Lisa Rose, OSB
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