In this lies the heart of the rule: to love Christ, to shun wealth, to remain close to the heavenly King, and to be gentle towards all people.
- The Rule of Comghall, Irish, 6th century[1]
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
- 2 Timothy 2.3-7
Christianity in Ireland during the 6th-9th centuries was organized primarily around a monastic model. Each monastery was like a small community, with the clergy living within the compound and a community of lay people of various trades living in the outlying areas.
The monks served the people—teaching, shepherding, helping with a wide range of tasks—and the people helped with the support of the monks, just as Paul outlined in our text for today, as well as in 1 Corinthians 9 and Galatians 6.
This symbiosis of monastic community life was a significant factor in sustaining a movement of revival that lasted for nearly four centuries and brought renewal and awakening throughout Ireland, Scotland, and much of Europe.
Monasticism was a demanding way of life, particularly for the clergy, who were often subjected to persecution, deprivation, hard manual labor, and intense spiritual warfare. Monks, pastors, missionaries, and other religious leaders found strength and consistency in living according to rules that outlined the life of faith they pursued.
A rule of disciplines was rather like a constitution or covenant that defined the terms whereby leaders would live and work together in a monastic community. The great benefit of having such a rule was that it ensured that all who chose to live under it—and lay people sometimes took up modified versions of the rule of their community—would have a basis to encourage and assist one another in the work of the Kingdom.
Monastic rules, such as that outlined by Comghall of Bangor, provided focus, consistency, and standards to guide the lives and work of all those who accepted the challenge of living under them. They included disciplines to guide believers in their spiritual lives, relationships, community responsibilities, and work. These rules helped monks organize their time, assess their daily lives, and encourage one another in their common mission.
A rule of disciplines can play an important role in promoting growth in the Lord and greater effectiveness in serving Him. Just as soldiers and athletes must abide by certain rules, and farmers must practice all the disciplines necessary for ensuring a good crop, so those who serve Christ can strengthen themselves in love for Him and for their neighbors by entering a covenant with the Lord and a few soul friends to pursue a common path of discipline.
We all live by rules anyway; each of us has our own disciplines, routines, and ways of doing things that define the way we use our time each day. Most of these “rules” are unwritten, and that means they may be neither as complete nor as helpful as we need. It can be difficult to make needed adjustments when we can’t identify the specific area or practice that needs adjusting.
The better we understand and practice the disciplines that help us to make the most of the time God gives us, the more we can expect to know full and abundant life in the Lord. This is what Paul means by instructing us to live by proper rules and make the most of the time (Eph. 5.15-17).
Is your life, disciplined as it is, disciplined as properly and as beneficially as it might be? Why not make some more specific commitments and take up a more clearly-focused and carefully-organized path for following the Lord and serving Him? Then find a soul friend to help you stay the course in your rule of discipline, so that you can know more of the full and abundant life Christ has in store for you.
Solomon reminds us, “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls” (Prov. 25.28). If we rule our souls well, our souls will rule our lives for the glory of Him Who rules all things.
For Reflection
1. What disciplines fill up the time of your life? Are these disciplines helping you to bear fruit for the Lord?
2. Would you benefit from improving your practice of disciplines? Do you have a soul friend to encourage you in this?
Psalm 26.8-12 (Aberystwyth: Jesus, Lover of My Soul)
Lord, I love Your dwelling place, there where all Your glories shine.
Keep my soul before Your face, lest for sinful ways it pine.
As for me, in righteousness, I shall walk on level ground.
Save me, Lord, renew and bless! Let me with Your Church be found!
Give thanks
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Two resources
You can learn more about the monastic rules of ancient Ireland by downloading a free PDF of our book, Living to Rule (click here). For a more detailed study of what it means to live a disciplined life, write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I’ll send you a free copy of our ReVision study, “The Disciplined Life”.
Thank you.
Many of you are faithful and generous in praying for and supporting Crosfigell and The Fellowship of Ailbe. Thank you. May I encourage all our readers to seek the Lord about becoming a supporter of The Fellowship of Ailbe? It’s easy to give to The Fellowship of Ailbe, and all gifts are, of course, tax-deductible. You can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal or Anedot, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
T. M. Moore, Principal
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[1] Ó Maidín, p. 31.