Christmas Services in the Abbey Church

Daily Reading from the Rule of St Benedict

CHAPTER 48: DAILY MANUAL WORK
IDLENESS is the enemy of the soul. Therefore the brethren ought to be occupied at definite times in the work of the hands, at other set times in holy reading. So we think that both these are catered for in the following arrangement.
From Easter until September 14th, in the morning when they come out from Prime, they work at whatever is required until near the fourth hour; from the fourth hour until about the sixth hour they are free to read. After Sext, when they get up from table, they are to rest on their beds in perfect silence, or if anyone wants to read he must read to himself in such a way as not to disturb others. None should be said rather early, about the middle of the eighth hour, and then they work again at what has to be done until Vespers.
If local conditions or poverty require them to get in the crops themselves, let them not be distressed, for then they are truly monks if they live by the labour of their hands, as did our fathers and the apostles. Yet let all be done with due moderation for the sake of the fainthearted.