A Pre-Modern Faith???

Following the formulation on my three "theses"of a postmodern faith, I began to search. To search for a community where my ideas might be accepted and appreciated. At the same time, I was casually looking for new material to read, having just finished Rollins' book and several others. I was searching the website of Paraclete Press when I stumbled across two words I had never heard of, "oblate" and "oblation."
I found these new (actually ancient) words connected with other words like 'monk', 'monastery', 'St. Benedict', and 'Rule'. Having always had a fascination with monasticism, my interest was sparked, but never did I imagine these strange and unfamiliar words might somehow connect to my newly found understanding of Christianity.
In short, an oblate is someone who lives a normal "secular" life, while at the same time committing to follow The Rule of St. Benedict, a fifth century document created to guide a monastic community towards fuller life in Christ and community. To find out more about this seemingly odd commitment, I began to search cyberspace for information, more out of curiosity than any spiritual calling. What I found was an ancient interpretation of Christianity that put a body on my intellectual skeleton. Here is a short description of my discovery:
In the 73 short chapters of The Rule, St. Benedict discusses everything from sleeping arrangements to prayer, from alcohol consumption to deep theological inquiry. As a result of this, it is challenging to summarize such a work (especially since I have yet to finish reading it), however I will try, based on the secondary readings I have done.
Benedictine spirituality calls for people to make vows of:
1. obedience,
2. stability, and
3. ongoing conversion.

In addition to these three vows, Benedictines also value:
4. silence,
5. humility,
6. peace,
7. community,
8. "glorifying God in all things",
9. reverence toward God,
10. devotion to the Eucharist,
11.praying the Liturgy of the Hours,
12. hospitality,
13. concern for the poor and underprivileged,
14. stewardship for creation,
15. and prophetic witness

-Per the Saint Vincent Archabbey website, http://www.osb.org/sva/obl/inquire.html

In these fifteen ideas I found many connections to my postmodern faith: a call to humility and recognition of one's limited nature, a call to silence, the idea of a continuing conversion experience and faith journey, a decree for the Church to embody and live out the gospel message, and a recognition of God's greatness and our call to submission and obedience.
Finding these remarkable connections, I have decided to search my soul and God's plan for my life, it is not coincidence these thoughts have all culminated at once, as I type. I hope in this blog to record my ongoing interactions with St. Benedict's Rule as I discern God's will. I invite you to come along...