The Road To Eternal Life: Reflections on the Prologue of Benedict's Rule

by Michael Casey Ocso

In the Prologue of his Rule, St. Benedict maps out the road that leads to heaven; he lays the foundation for life in a community that seeks God. The themes that are present throughout the Rule 'obedience, humility, prayer, fear of the Lord, eternal life 'are grounded in the Prologue. By reflecting on the Prologue one verse at a time, Michael Casey, OCSO, delves into the richness of meaning that can be found in Benedict's words. These reflections, first given as talks and made available on his community's web site, build a bridge between the sixth-century text and twenty-first-century Christians. In The Road to Eternal Life , Casey invites readers to reflect on the Prologue in light of their own experiences, to seek the road that leads to salvation. Michael Casey, OCSO, has been a monk of Tarrawarra Abbey (Australia) since 1960. After completing a degree in Scripture at Leuven, he received his doctorate from Melbourne College of Divinity for a study of desire for God in the writings of Bernard of Clairvaux. For the past decades he has been engaged in exploring different aspects of monastic spirituality, writing, and giving conferences throughout the English-speaking monastic world. His books include Strangers to the City (Paraclete Press, 2005), A Guide to Living in the Truth (Liguori, 2001), and Sacred Reading (Liguori, 1996).

Genres: Spirituality

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Kathleen Stark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the clear greatness of this book, it was a difficult book to grasp. But the last chapter pulled it all together in a way I could relate so well. I will read it again and hopefully continue to get more out of it.

[Irene Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book by Michael Casey that I studied for my Benedictine Study Group.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on St. Benedict's prologue

[Andrew Marr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A verse by verse commentary on the Prologue to the Rule of St. Benedict. This book is filled with the wisdom of a monk who has lived by the Rule for several decades. Best read a chapter or two at a time accompanied by generous reflection time.

[Candace Simar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking a deeper spiritual life. I LOVED it.

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled to get into Casey's word flow. A few Benedictine friends have strong appreciation for him, so I'll still lean toward him in reading.