St Stephen's Cell
Extracts from the Maxims of St Stephen of Muret, Founder of the Grandmontine Hermits
There is no other Rule but the Gospel of Christ.
Brothers, I know that after my death there will be those who will question you about which Order you belong to, what Rule you adhere to. Some of these will do so out of sincere interest, others simply to find fault. You should humbly reply to either: 'You ask "which Rule?" as if there were more than one, but there is no other besides the Rule all Christians share. The Lord Jesus Christ is the unique Way to the Kingdom of Heaven; he is the Gate through which each of us enters the Church. From no other teacher but him alone, have come that grace and truth which constitute the common Rule of all.
To Novices:
You can move on to any monastery you wish, where you will find impressive buildings, delicate foods served up according to their seasons. There too you will meet with great expanses of land covered with flocks. Here, you will only find poverty and the Cross.
Religious life is grace, justice and security. And when God draws anyone to it, he has brought such a one back to Paradise. Just as the Lord denied Adam whatever was unnecessary, so God treats those who desire to stand firm in truth in a like manner. As long as they are content with essentials they will remain in repose, but let them reach out for other, unprofitable things, and they are sure to fall into trouble and distress just as Adam did. Whoever delights in God finds Paradise everywhere and lives the life of Heaven, while the one who stands aloof from God finds Hell at every turn.
Waterlogged kindling recently brought indoors will not flame up until the heat has dried it out. Likewise ourselves, soaked through with worldliness, we are unable to glow with God's love until his warmth has dried us out.
You can move on to any monastery you wish, where you will find impressive buildings, delicate foods served up according to their seasons. There too you will meet with great expanses of land covered with flocks. Here, you will only find poverty and the Cross.
Religious life is grace, justice and security. And when God draws anyone to it, he has brought such a one back to Paradise. Just as the Lord denied Adam whatever was unnecessary, so God treats those who desire to stand firm in truth in a like manner. As long as they are content with essentials they will remain in repose, but let them reach out for other, unprofitable things, and they are sure to fall into trouble and distress just as Adam did. Whoever delights in God finds Paradise everywhere and lives the life of Heaven, while the one who stands aloof from God finds Hell at every turn.
Waterlogged kindling recently brought indoors will not flame up until the heat has dried it out. Likewise ourselves, soaked through with worldliness, we are unable to glow with God's love until his warmth has dried us out.
On Humility:
Baseless self-conceit robs us of the trust that we owe to ourselves, our companions, and to our Lord. Trust like this is possible only when you can recognize and acknowledge that of all the members of your community you are the least.
Surely if you are worthy of the name 'Bonhomme', you will be more apt to spot your own faults than those of others, and to consider everyone to be your better.
But even so, you must never have such a low opinion of yourself as to think that the loving hand of God cannot yet reach out to help you. This mistake is often made by those who despise sinners who can rise and go on trying after a fall. The truth is though that it is the former, not the latter persons, who have departed from God.
God is never more receptive to those who love him than when they approve of nothing about themselves except those qualities that God has produced within them. These same persons wish neither that any good would come to them except by God's help, nor any salvation but by God's grace.
The Son of God who descended from Heaven, and knew how he would ascend there, preached and taught that no one would ascend to Heaven unless he first humbled himself.
On Asceticism:
For the sake of your religious commitment, look to your own welfare in matters of food, sleep and clothing, finding out how much you need to support your resolve to persevere. For our God is faithful, not cruel, and he wants us to serve him joyfully - not only with awe - without complsint from body or soul.
It is better for you to have enough to eat, and with it be obedient, than to fast overmuch while being critical of others and inattentive at worship.
Ascetic abstinence has nothing to do with going beyond some minimum limit. In short, to be concerned with measuring one's spiritual accomplishments brings blame upon those deeds.
Baseless self-conceit robs us of the trust that we owe to ourselves, our companions, and to our Lord. Trust like this is possible only when you can recognize and acknowledge that of all the members of your community you are the least.
Surely if you are worthy of the name 'Bonhomme', you will be more apt to spot your own faults than those of others, and to consider everyone to be your better.
But even so, you must never have such a low opinion of yourself as to think that the loving hand of God cannot yet reach out to help you. This mistake is often made by those who despise sinners who can rise and go on trying after a fall. The truth is though that it is the former, not the latter persons, who have departed from God.
God is never more receptive to those who love him than when they approve of nothing about themselves except those qualities that God has produced within them. These same persons wish neither that any good would come to them except by God's help, nor any salvation but by God's grace.
The Son of God who descended from Heaven, and knew how he would ascend there, preached and taught that no one would ascend to Heaven unless he first humbled himself.
On Asceticism:
For the sake of your religious commitment, look to your own welfare in matters of food, sleep and clothing, finding out how much you need to support your resolve to persevere. For our God is faithful, not cruel, and he wants us to serve him joyfully - not only with awe - without complsint from body or soul.
It is better for you to have enough to eat, and with it be obedient, than to fast overmuch while being critical of others and inattentive at worship.
Ascetic abstinence has nothing to do with going beyond some minimum limit. In short, to be concerned with measuring one's spiritual accomplishments brings blame upon those deeds.
On God's love:
We can get some idea of the love God bears us, when we consider that whatever any of us does for another's true welfare, be it material or spiritual, God considers our deed a personal favour. When, on the other hand, we do what is harmful to ourselves, God is vexed, since we do not live for ourselves alone.
God shows so much genuine affection and works so hard on our behalf; this ought, above all, to shame us in our sins. For God contrives so much good for us, and speaks to us of his tender feelings, only to receive so much evil in return.
If our life seems good so,
God alone has made it so,
For we are the ones he loves so,
And God loves
putting love's gifts
into loving hands.
From us who believe in him, the Lord demands an unfettered love. To that end, we must load even our worldly cares upon him, letting him manage our affairs. By asking this he does us a much greater kindness than if he said "you may love me as soon as you have seen to your own needs".
We can get some idea of the love God bears us, when we consider that whatever any of us does for another's true welfare, be it material or spiritual, God considers our deed a personal favour. When, on the other hand, we do what is harmful to ourselves, God is vexed, since we do not live for ourselves alone.
God shows so much genuine affection and works so hard on our behalf; this ought, above all, to shame us in our sins. For God contrives so much good for us, and speaks to us of his tender feelings, only to receive so much evil in return.
If our life seems good so,
God alone has made it so,
For we are the ones he loves so,
And God loves
putting love's gifts
into loving hands.
From us who believe in him, the Lord demands an unfettered love. To that end, we must load even our worldly cares upon him, letting him manage our affairs. By asking this he does us a much greater kindness than if he said "you may love me as soon as you have seen to your own needs".
On talking:
The 'Bonhomme' should always be talking either with God in prayer, or about God in conversation.
On self-examination:
In the spiritual life, there is no better way to identify your greatest hindrance than this. It is the one thing you never notice. In fact, it is the frequency of the flaw that makes it undetectable. It is only when you have finished with a fault that you notice it. It is like living in darkness; until you have emerged from it, it is imperceptible.
On use of God's Word:
If you are well-intentioned, your first response to God's word will be to assess yourself according to its measure. Listen with a bad will and you are bound to twist the words around, to exonerate yourself while blaming someone else.
On contentment:
Be it ever so narrow a place, a 'Bonhomme' can tarry there with room to spare, because Love is his companion. But that fool who nurses resentments, all the world's kingdoms together will be too strait to hold him.
On intention:
Your waking, your working, and your settling down to sleep, all should be accompanied by a single intention. The voice of the heart should ever say: "Defend me, Lord God, that I may not depart from you. Yesterday, it is true, I was not consistent enough in my pursuit of my goal. Today I mean to redouble all my efforts to stay with you."
On trust in God:
Seek your security in anything but God, and you will never find it.
Only Jesus can say to one who holds him dear:
All that I did, I did for you.
For you I was born and baptized.
My death is your life,
My resurrection your forgiveness,
My ascension your glorification.
It is God - who loved you more than any other, suffering willingly for your sake - who now keeps you securely. You will see. All else will fail you in your time of fear.
The 'Bonhomme' should always be talking either with God in prayer, or about God in conversation.
On self-examination:
In the spiritual life, there is no better way to identify your greatest hindrance than this. It is the one thing you never notice. In fact, it is the frequency of the flaw that makes it undetectable. It is only when you have finished with a fault that you notice it. It is like living in darkness; until you have emerged from it, it is imperceptible.
On use of God's Word:
If you are well-intentioned, your first response to God's word will be to assess yourself according to its measure. Listen with a bad will and you are bound to twist the words around, to exonerate yourself while blaming someone else.
On contentment:
Be it ever so narrow a place, a 'Bonhomme' can tarry there with room to spare, because Love is his companion. But that fool who nurses resentments, all the world's kingdoms together will be too strait to hold him.
On intention:
Your waking, your working, and your settling down to sleep, all should be accompanied by a single intention. The voice of the heart should ever say: "Defend me, Lord God, that I may not depart from you. Yesterday, it is true, I was not consistent enough in my pursuit of my goal. Today I mean to redouble all my efforts to stay with you."
On trust in God:
Seek your security in anything but God, and you will never find it.
Only Jesus can say to one who holds him dear:
All that I did, I did for you.
For you I was born and baptized.
My death is your life,
My resurrection your forgiveness,
My ascension your glorification.
It is God - who loved you more than any other, suffering willingly for your sake - who now keeps you securely. You will see. All else will fail you in your time of fear.
On Prayer:
What pleases God most about any prayer is the love it displays.
Our God is a gracious Lord. As often as we wish (though without demanding) to converse with God in prayer, he is there ready to listen. If, however, you presented yourself before some powerful personage of this world wanting to have private speech with him, chances are you would be kept waiting until another day.
Whoever would have free and easy conversation with God needs to understand that God cannot hear a summons that comes froma distracted heart. What friend could visit you if, after you sent the invitation, you went off on a journey? So, be careful that silly thoughts do not entice your heart away; rather remain therein as you pray, and God will be present to you.
When you are praying privately, find a position that suits you, that will increase your feelings of love for God - be it sitting or standing, humble prostration or kneeling.
The power of your prayer is measured by the strength of your love for God. But divine love cannot dwell in you unless humility makes room for it.
There is a time and a place for every godly work, but not in the case of prayer. There is a proper time for saying psalms, for talking about God, for listening to such talk, and for working; for all else it is the same. God has varied his requirements so we will not grow sick of serving him; instead we change from one activity to another with optimum enjoyment. But he wants us, in each and every thing we do, to pray to him, saying from the heart, "My God, I do this so that I might love you".
Final words:
Let your conviction be firm, that there is no other Rule besides the divine precepts. Anyone who keeps these is a true religious; whoever strays from them is living outside the bounds of all Orders and Rules.
(Maxims of Stephen of Muret, Translation by Deborah van Doel. Cistercian Publications, Kalamazoo Michigan, 2002)
What pleases God most about any prayer is the love it displays.
Our God is a gracious Lord. As often as we wish (though without demanding) to converse with God in prayer, he is there ready to listen. If, however, you presented yourself before some powerful personage of this world wanting to have private speech with him, chances are you would be kept waiting until another day.
Whoever would have free and easy conversation with God needs to understand that God cannot hear a summons that comes froma distracted heart. What friend could visit you if, after you sent the invitation, you went off on a journey? So, be careful that silly thoughts do not entice your heart away; rather remain therein as you pray, and God will be present to you.
When you are praying privately, find a position that suits you, that will increase your feelings of love for God - be it sitting or standing, humble prostration or kneeling.
The power of your prayer is measured by the strength of your love for God. But divine love cannot dwell in you unless humility makes room for it.
There is a time and a place for every godly work, but not in the case of prayer. There is a proper time for saying psalms, for talking about God, for listening to such talk, and for working; for all else it is the same. God has varied his requirements so we will not grow sick of serving him; instead we change from one activity to another with optimum enjoyment. But he wants us, in each and every thing we do, to pray to him, saying from the heart, "My God, I do this so that I might love you".
Final words:
Let your conviction be firm, that there is no other Rule besides the divine precepts. Anyone who keeps these is a true religious; whoever strays from them is living outside the bounds of all Orders and Rules.
(Maxims of Stephen of Muret, Translation by Deborah van Doel. Cistercian Publications, Kalamazoo Michigan, 2002)
Litany of St Stephen of Muret
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy,
Lord have mercy.
Holy Mary pray for us.
Holy Stephen, man of God, pray for us.
Hidden with Christ in God, pray for us.
Friend of Bridegroom and Bride, pray for us.
Planter of hermitages, pray for us.
Emulator of Our Lord's Forerunner, pray for us.
Despiser of riches, pray for us.
Happy dweller in desert places, pray for us.
Worthy Grandmontine, pray for us.
Joy of our Congregation, pray for us.
Shelterer of the poor, pray for us.
Distainer of quarrels, pray for us.
Lily of virginity, pray for us.
Meek and humble of heart, pray for us.
Man who has truly chosen the best part, pray for us.
Sparrow alone on the housetop, pray for us.
Pelican in the wilderness, pray for us.
Keeper of peace unbroken, pray for us.
Poor in life and spirit, pray for us.
Rule of devotion, pray for us.
Mirror of penitence, pray for us.
Willing exile, pray for us.
Good and faithful man, pray for us.
Man of angelic purity, pray for us.
Man of dove-like simplicity, pray for us.
Man of great holiness, pray for us.
From all dangers of body and soul, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From worldly desires, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From too many visitors, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From great possessions, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From vain and foolish thoughts, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From the relaxation of thy Rule, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From evil sloth and vain regrets, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From all types of quarrels, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
That our minds may be instructed by the discipline of thy Rule, thy sons beseech thee to hear us.
That thou wouldest impart to us the spirit of thy Rule, thy sons beseech thee to hear us.
That among thy sons brotherly love may remain unbroken, thy sons beseech thee to hear us.
That we may have peace in our souls and keep it faithfully even to the end of our days, thy sons beseech thee to hear us.
That by thy merits we may come to be with thee in the Kingdom of Heaven, thy sons beseech thee to hear us.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Antiphon: O Stephen, consoler of the poor, by thy prayers, increase the sum of our virtues, we pray; and take away from us all that leads to death, that we may rejoice to be seated with thee in Heaven, where thou reignest with all the Saints.
Pray for us holy father Stephen
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray,
Almighty, everlasting God who ever dost surround and protect us with the glorious confession of thy holy servant Stephen; grant us both to profit from his example and rejoice in his intercession. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Christ have mercy,
Lord have mercy.
Holy Mary pray for us.
Holy Stephen, man of God, pray for us.
Hidden with Christ in God, pray for us.
Friend of Bridegroom and Bride, pray for us.
Planter of hermitages, pray for us.
Emulator of Our Lord's Forerunner, pray for us.
Despiser of riches, pray for us.
Happy dweller in desert places, pray for us.
Worthy Grandmontine, pray for us.
Joy of our Congregation, pray for us.
Shelterer of the poor, pray for us.
Distainer of quarrels, pray for us.
Lily of virginity, pray for us.
Meek and humble of heart, pray for us.
Man who has truly chosen the best part, pray for us.
Sparrow alone on the housetop, pray for us.
Pelican in the wilderness, pray for us.
Keeper of peace unbroken, pray for us.
Poor in life and spirit, pray for us.
Rule of devotion, pray for us.
Mirror of penitence, pray for us.
Willing exile, pray for us.
Good and faithful man, pray for us.
Man of angelic purity, pray for us.
Man of dove-like simplicity, pray for us.
Man of great holiness, pray for us.
From all dangers of body and soul, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From worldly desires, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From too many visitors, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From great possessions, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From vain and foolish thoughts, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From the relaxation of thy Rule, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From evil sloth and vain regrets, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
From all types of quarrels, may God deliver us by thy prayers, holy Father.
That our minds may be instructed by the discipline of thy Rule, thy sons beseech thee to hear us.
That thou wouldest impart to us the spirit of thy Rule, thy sons beseech thee to hear us.
That among thy sons brotherly love may remain unbroken, thy sons beseech thee to hear us.
That we may have peace in our souls and keep it faithfully even to the end of our days, thy sons beseech thee to hear us.
That by thy merits we may come to be with thee in the Kingdom of Heaven, thy sons beseech thee to hear us.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Antiphon: O Stephen, consoler of the poor, by thy prayers, increase the sum of our virtues, we pray; and take away from us all that leads to death, that we may rejoice to be seated with thee in Heaven, where thou reignest with all the Saints.
Pray for us holy father Stephen
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray,
Almighty, everlasting God who ever dost surround and protect us with the glorious confession of thy holy servant Stephen; grant us both to profit from his example and rejoice in his intercession. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.