On Measuring What We Drink

Last time we saw what St. Benedict had to say about food to be served to his monks. Naturally, he's got something to say about drink as well:

"Every man hath his proper gift from god, 'one after this manner, and another after that.' (1 Cor. vii. 7.). It is therefore with some misgiving that we determine how much others should eat or drink. Nevertheless, keeping in view the needs of weaker brethren, we believe that a hemina of wine a day is sufficient for each. But if the circumstances of the place, or their work, or the heat of the summer require more, let the superior be free to grant it. Yet let him always take care that neither surfeit nor drunkenness supervene..." 

Note that St. Benedict doesn't talk about any other beverages in the Rule. So we might conclude he considered wine the "normal" accompaniment to a meal. 

Some monasteries produced and even sold wine to get some money. They do that today. Others do the same with beer, champagne (which is a sparkling wine), even liqueurs. (Liqueurs are imbibed before or after dinner.)

I think these other items were developed in monasteries after St. Benedict's day. And it's quite interesting to research how items like Dom Perignon (champagne) and Chartreuse (liqueur), two of the more famous items, were first developed in a monastery and spread in popularity throughout the world.

But for now, let's stick with wine. In his usual fashion, St. Benedict is reluctant to decide what and how much any individual should drink. Nevertheless, he does provide general guidelines for his monks: a hemina of wine. (If curious,  you can use this online converter into U.S. fluid ounces. It's close to a couple of glasses of wine.) 

Now, St. Benedict, again in his usual fashion, introduces some flexibility here, depending on individual circumstances. But note that even in that case where more wine is prescribed by the abbot, "take care that neither surfeit nor drunkenness supervene."

Let's see what us Catholic men at work can learn here. We're talking about drinks with meals. 

First of all, portions need to be appropriate. I've had experience with business lunches where portioning would have served the participants well. In one instance, I recall sitting across from three bankers guzzling cocktails, wine, and after-dinner liqueurs - at lunch. I don't think St. Benedict would have approved - to say the least. But, frankly, the participants really should have known better - as should we.

So, no surprise, we Catholic men need to watch what and how much we drink - at meals or, really, any time.

Now let's relate this to our ongoing theme of promoting stability in the workplace.

Getting back to that business lunch, you have to wonder how did these these three bankers impacted their workplace when they returned to the office after lunch. I remember wondering how in heck they could possibly perform their jobs effectively (never mind how they managed to safely drive back to the office). Even if they were quiet and discreet in their behavior (and avoided getting too close to colleagues who would surely smell the alcohol), at the very least there was likely diminished work product.

Incredibly, such lunches were once more common. Now they're more or less unacceptable. So, ideally, none of us has or will have any issues with the liquid lunch these days.

Still, just as we noted with food, there's good and bad drink. 

For alcoholic drinks, portions are as important for us Catholic men at work as they are for St. Benedict's monks. This applies at work of course (where you may have a glass of wine with lunch when dining out), at work-related functions (company parties, sales meetings, industry gatherings, etc.) But our vigilance can be applied to non-alcoholic beverages as well.

For example, sugary drinks. If you're addicted to these, wake up. In the extreme, they'll cause diabetes, and, thus, can ultimately be life-threatening. But even if you're not killing yourself, that sugar high can make some of us crazy. And enough crazies hyped up on sugary drinks may not be the best way to assure the calm and peace that a stable workplace should exhibit. Right?

So even when he's opining on something so specific as measuring our food and drink intake, St. Benedict provides lessons that can benefit us in our workplace.

If you didn't think what and how much we drink plays a role in promoting stability in the workplace, it's time to thank St. Benedict for his always perspicacious Rule.