Our Rule of Life
“God does not, indeed, extend His mercy to them because they know Him, but that they may know Him; nor is it because they are upright in heart, but that they may become so, that He extends to them His righteousness, whereby He justifies the ungodly.”
- St. Augustine
Eight Principles
Members of the Society of St. Mary Magdalene commit to a common life oriented around 1. common prayer and worship; 2. private spiritual exercises; 3. study; 4. mutual support and accountability; 5. evangelism; 6. love of neighbor; 7. generosity; and 8. temperance
Applied to Your Life
Members will develop their own Rule of Life in consultation with their sponsor based on the society’s eight principles as here elaborated.
You can find more on how to develop your own rule of life on this page.
Common Prayer
and Worship
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”
- Psalm 29:2
Following God’s ordinance and the consistent practice of the Church, members of the Society faithfully participate in the public worship of God on the Lord’s Day in the local church to which they belong. Members belonging to ecclesial bodies which also mark other feasts of Our Lord or of the saints are encouraged to find opportunities for public worship or to privately mark these feast days. In all cases, members are to study, learn from, and hold fast to the examples of lives of particularly holy disciples from the Christian tradition. Understanding all to be participants, and never merely spectators, of the communal worship of the church, all members are expected to participate in, and, as appointed, lead worship with the highest reverence, joyful seriousness, and precision, however this may look in their particular contexts. Such reverence, joyful seriousness, and precision shall not imply any preference by this Society for any particular form of worship, except that such forms sit in the creative tension between our God being a God of order and of freedom, and that such worship is oriented toward the glory of God that leads to the greater sanctification of human beings.
In obedience to Jesus’ command to celebrate the Supper he instituted, members of the Society join in the eucharistic rhythm of their community. Following St. Paul’s injunction to discern the body, members particularly stress careful preparation for and thanksgiving after receiving the Sacrament, using materials provided by the Society for this purpose or other aids which emphasize self-examination, meditation on the benefits of the Sacrament, and thanking God for this tremendous gift.
In order to fulfill the Biblical command to pray without ceasing and honor the ancient and catholic practice of set hours of prayer, members of the Society engage in daily liturgical prayer according to the practice of their particular church. A minimal commitment would be the Lord’s Prayer, a psalm, and a short Scripture lesson in the morning and in the evening. Members strive to join or provide opportunities for the communal or public celebration of the daily office. As part of this daily liturgical prayer, members of the Society intercede for each other daily.
Private Spiritual Exercises
“Therefore, my beloved...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
- Philippians 2:12-13
Recognizing that a personal relationship with God and growth in holiness is not the preserve of a clerical or monastic elite but the duty and opportunity of all Christians, members of the Society commit to a life of personal prayer, self examination, and spiritual practice.
A particular emphasis of the Society is a regular practice of self examination for sins in need of repentance and growth in holiness for which to thank God. A weekly self examination before Sunday worship is normative but members may adjust the frequency of this practice in conversation with their sponsor or collegium in discerning their own spiritual needs. The self examination is carried out with a devotional aid such Wesley’s Twenty-Two Questions, the Ignatian Examen, Luther’s Catechisms, the Heidelberg Catechism, or the Westminster Catechisms.
As an aid to growth in God, members of the Society are encouraged to explore other devotional practices found in Scripture and the tradition, especially fasting and keeping vigil. The season of Lent and Fridays throughout the year are particularly commended as penitential days, on which members are encouraged to adopt fasting and/or other practices of penance appropriate to their needs. Penance is understood by the Society not as a juridical punishment for sins but rather as a medicinal healing of warped affections and expression of repentance towards and reliance upon God. Members are also encouraged to fast if appropriate before receiving the Eucharist. Practices of fasting are complemented by practices of feasting, particularly on Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost.
Study
“Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice?”
- Proverbs 8:1
The sanctifying work of God encompasses not only the affections but the human intellect as well; thus, members understand growth in the knowledge of God as essential for the typical path of Christian discipleship. This growth occurs above all through prayerful study of God’s Word written, the Holy Scriptures. Members engage in regular Scripture study, both privately and communally, either in their own churches or with other members of the Society, and aim to read the entirety of the Bible every two years. Members are encouraged to pursue additional study of theological and devotional writers as well as of the natural world, and avail themselves of regular educational events held by the Society.
Mutual Support
and Accountability
“For this reason, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous person is powerful in what it can achieve.”
– James 5:16
Every member of the Society participates regularly in a collegium, organized geographically if there are sufficient members to meet in person in a given area or remotely if not. These groups, led by a convener and associate convener and typically including no more than twelve members, will meet at least monthly to provide spiritual support for members of the Society, offering opportunities for members to honestly discuss their spiritual lives. Members will monthly discuss the state of their life in Christ, confess sins which trouble their conscience and receive the declaration of forgiveness, celebrate occasions of the Spirit’s work in their lives, and offer others consolation, advice, and encouragement. Once a year, every member of the local collegium will make a public self-examination and profess their desire to continue within the Society and abide by their Rule of Life. Nonattendance at three consecutive meetings, except in extenuating circumstances, is grounds for automatic dismissal from the Society, although one is invited to reapply for membership in the future; members may also be expelled by the Society for grave, unrepentant sin (see Bylaws). Members who themselves become conscious of a grave sin are invited to make a personal, confidential confession to a member of the clergy or trusted layperson; all members are encouraged to do so at least once a year.
Believing that associations of Christians praying for each other and exercising mutual accountability is a trustworthy means of spiritual growth, members seek to encourage and promote small group spirituality in one’s local church community, whether or not other small group members join the Society.
Evangelism
“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
– Romans 10:14
Members of the Society seek to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those who are not members of Christ’s Body. By their life and works, members strive to (imperfectly, and by God’s grace) serve as an icon of Christ’s reconciliation for a needy world. But evangelism is not only a matter of the attractiveness of good deeds; members will also work to be ready to give “an accounting for the hope that is in [them],” sharing what Christ has done for them and in their lives. Members are encouraged to take advantage of the educational opportunities provided by the Society to develop their skills and confidence in evangelism, and to provide similar training for their own local churches when possible.
Love of Neighbor: Engaging in Works
of Mercy
Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
– Mark 12:28-30
Recognizing that the freedom of a Christian is precisely the freedom to live out God’s gracious command to do good works for one’s neighbor, Society members dedicate themselves to works of mercy, especially those laid out in Matthew 25: visiting prisoners and the sick, giving food and water to the hungry and thirsty, clothing the naked, and welcoming the stranger. This work may be carried out through one’s local church or individually. Members will join in the ministries of one’s local church where they already exist, and when possible will work to connect their local church with opportunities to serve where these ministries do not. Members engage in works of mercy both by advocating for structural change but also always in direct service to those in need, because in serving others we encounter Christ
Generosity
“If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be.”
– Deuteronomy 15:7-8
In accordance with the Biblical injunction and traditional practice of the church, members of the Society will work toward a full tithe of 10% given to either the church or other charitable causes, including the Society of St Mary Magdalene, as a baseline for their giving. Once the tithe is attained, members will prayerfully determine what is “enough” based not on the standards of consumer society but those of the Gospel. Members are not called to totally renounce worldly possessions or moderate comfort, but will strive towards a simplicity of life and give the excess over what is sufficient to meet the needs of the church and the poor.
Members will strive for a spirit of generosity that expresses itself in the joyful life made possible through the freedom of a Christian, avoiding bitterness and rejecting despair, engaging in recreation and relaxation, and thanking God for God’s innumerable benefits given to us.
Temperance
“Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.”
– 1 Timothy 6:6-8
Recognizing that the Gospel calls all Christians to a distinct pattern of life marked by the renunciation of selfish acquisitiveness, consumption, and ambition and the embrace of a moderate enjoyment of God’s gifts, the Society calls its members to a holy temperance. For the majority of members, temperance will express itself as simplicity. All members reflect on and seek to curb those examples of vicious prodigality in their lives, whether they be excessive spending, or drinking, or eating, or so forth. Some members may need hard rules around limiting spending, avoiding credit (particularly for consumer goods), simplicity in dress, and avoiding unprofitable speech. There will be some given to undue and destructive asceticism for whom temperance will mean more leniency and a lessening of severity in their religious practice and lifestyle. A spirit of discernment will be necessary to determine how temperance should play out in individuals’ Rules of Life.
