The Ecumenical Community of the Holy Theotokos

The Little Rule

Behold the servant of the Lord.

Be it done according to Thy Word

As children of the Holy Theotokos we hold these things in Common:

We hear the Angelic invitation to bring birth, the life of Christ in us, and to live in the shadow of His Holiness, the beloved Paraclete.

We live in the kinship with St John who took unto himself the Theotokos as his own mother. The beloved disciple of Christ, who lay on His breast, who felt His breathe and who heard His heartbeat, that by his example we may embrace the Theotokos, the birth giver of Christ, as our heavenly mother and to live and to pray for the presence of Christ in our lives and in all things.

We endeavour to live the life of silence and prayer: "to dwell on all these things in our hearts each day":

A form of daily office

A time of silence and meditation

A time of study

A time of communion with each other (spiritual and/or material)

We live the life of mercy and service for all those in need throughout the world for God so loved the world, that He sent His only beloved son, that we may have life in Him.

We pray that like Christ we may Listen to the needs of those around us in our neighbourhoods and serve those who are sick, the poor and those despised by society

We aim to withdraw to that desert place three times a day to pray the Angelus, as in the ancient Church, or the Regina Coeli during Easter,  That each day we may meditate on the  Mother of God and ask for her intercession in our monastic calling. To this end, we pray the Our Father, daily for each other and hearing Christ praying this prayer with us, to the glory of God the Father.

Note: While each of us has our own Rule of life, these things, it seems to me are inherent in any rule of life: That we should love God with all our heart, mind, strength and will, and our neighbours as ourselves. It is our daily task to bring this rule into our  everyday lives, routines and necessities, using such tools as the Chokta and the Rosary.  - Mother Alys

The prayer of our community

Behold the servants of the Lord:

Be it done unto us according to Thy Word.

Behold the creation of the Lord:

Let Thy will be done here on earth as it is in heaven

Let thy servant live in humility and always faithful to our brothers and sisters in Christ, who have dedicated their whole life to the service of others through the intercessions of the Holy Theotokos.

Regina Coeli

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, Alleluia:

For he whom you merited to bear. alleluia,

Has risen as he said, Alleluia.

Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia,

Because the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

O God, who by the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,

granted joy to the whole world: grant we beseech you,

that through the intercession of the Holy Theotokos,

we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.

And she was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary ..

Behold the Handmaid of the Lord,

Be it done unto me according to your word.

Hail Mary ..

And the Word was made flesh,

And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary..

Pray for us O holy Mother of God,

That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace, into our hearts, that we to whom  the incarnation of Christ your Sone was made known by the message of an angel, may by his passion and cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection.

The Little Rule was prepared by Mother Alys, spiritual director of the Fellowship of the Holy Theotokos and Abbess of the Community of St Ita and St Fillan. It is for our guidance only and should not be confused with the Monastic Typicons in use by each community. It is open to change and suggestions are welcome. It is helpful for individuals who wish to have their daily prayers on the Little Rule or build a part of the structure into their daily Horarium or be incorporated into the daily life of  the communities involved in the Fellowship or can be shared with all those who come into our lives. It can be used as a learning tool for those involved in pastoral ministry and home ministries. It can also form the base from which to reach out to others who may have a  need for daily prayer in their homes, churches. etc.

The Little Rule is also helpful in planning out a structured prayer life and fits in with most of the Christian denominational Divine Offices. With a little thought in preparing our daily horarium (prayer plan) we can bring into focus our devotion.

Some treasured thoughts of the Little Rule as we travel through our journey of life and being called to the mysteries of the monastic vocation

You are His Beloved Disciple, You are the Child of Man.

Your true place is encircled by the arm of Jesus, who feeds you most lovingly with His own self. Are you not bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh?

This is your cell. Your heart. This is the sanctuary in the monastery of your life. This is the temple in the heart of the secular city. You are the hidden yeast, the love who looks out in love, seeking love's return in the life of the poor. Lean on your Lord, and seek him, redeeming his life from the imprisonment of the addictions, the poverties, the neglects and the disabilities in the souls of those who need him most. Find him even in the poverty and dirt which piles about the path of your journey.

In all humility consider that you may be wrong sometimes, for He never said 'unless ye be right ye cannot..' but rather 'Unless ye be perfect'. As a child is perfect, and as our Father is perfect, pour out your Spirit upon love and hate, wealth and poverty alike. Rely on your Spiritual Guide, and if you guide another beware. Never lay burdens on another that you could not lift yourself.

In all gentleness and humour, pray but three times a day. Let that be Morning, Noon and Night: let your recollection be continuous, even when your love is interrupted. Take from each office some morsel to dwell on in your heart. Do not move until you have found that treasure, some fragment of a canticle, a little word from a psalm, a scripture or a prayer to be threaded through the details of your day.

If possible, over time, build up a treasury, so that, whether in darkness or in light, in company or alone, far from books and far from bible, or perched in among the memorial and confusion of books, still you may pray the office. Who cannot remember one 'Lord open our lips', or one 'our father', the creed, the gloria, and the ave maria? Most of us know at least a scrap of the Beatitudes, or some verses of the Genesis, or of Isaiah, perhaps even in a song or a chorus. That is enough to feed a life or to fill an office. That is enough to begin your meditation.  

Work with your hands as often as may be. At such times the Spirit can work within your mind and in your thoughts. Feed Him with your memory. This inner work is so hard when one is reading, writing or meeting others. It is far more difficult to be charitable or to listen, when one is not held in silence. So run back to the silence as often as you can, and even then, pour out love. Even if it be mingled with contrition or shame, let it be filled with as much love as you are able. Let each bead's prayer offer some thanksgiving, or some intercession, let it offer both. Because we cannot know what words to pray, offer Him the words of love, and leave the rest to Him.

Go quietly then about your tasks, knowing that even the streets beneath us are paved with that love of His upon which we draw. Here we sing the Lord's song in an alien land, and hear his antiphon in the engines and in the wheels that travel without touching and move without feeling. In the souls that die, and in the souls which are given, as our Lord gives himself, they die that we might live.

Do justice and walk humbly. Know that Angels guard you, that Saints pray for you and defend you and that the Almighty and Merciful Lord guards you and gives you his blessing.

Of Saint Benedict learn to live with others and to grow in grace. Of Saint Bernard learn how the desert may blossom like the rose. Of Saint Romauld, learn that the Kingdom of Heaven is now. Of Saint Ita, learn how to be children, to live your life's pilgrimage searching for the place of your own resurrection, of Saint Fillan learn how to offer the healing of stone and river, of water and earth, of sunshine and air: may your arm receive light that you may walk on in darkness. Never fear to give your life's work into the hands of another, should it be needed, but be ready to leave all abandoned in the freedom of the child of light. Live to be a blessing to all you meet, for if your gift is spurned it will return to you again many fold.

Come home often to the nakedness of the heart which is your soul's true cloister. There, as you remember that his arm enfolds you and his love embraces you, hear and respond to his invitation. Behold your Mother, child of God. Turn to her and ask for her help, for He gives her to you. Take always the second place, try always to look less holy than the others, turn the other cheek: Forgive, pray, bless. His will and His law are incarnate in us. They are love and mercy always. Abide in that love.

For He is our Lord, He is holy. Let his will be done, here in your daily path, for it is already heaven. His joy is fulfilled and we are enfolded in his abundant life. He has said it and we believe it. That we may be one as He is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit now and forever, Amen.