"Memory Work"

The expression "memory work" is not part of today's educational jargon. We don't expect students to spend time on rote memorization. We want them to learn to think.

Memory work was probably falling into disrepute back when I was a child. I only remember memorizing the times tables, a few historic dates (1066, 1789, 1905) and a few poems. One of my high school English teachers assigned us a poem a week to memorize for bonus marks. (And I have fond memories of walking home from school, trying to memorize to the rhythm of my steps.)

"Memory work" was a serious part of education in ancient times, when not everyone could read. It was normal for early Christians to know the book of psalms off by heart. (All 150 of them!) St. Benedict (1500 years ago) expected his monastic group to sing the whole book of psalms by heart every week - lamenting that the ancients sang all 150 of them daily. It filled their minds.

What do we memorize? The lyrics to a few songs, perhaps, though I suspect that most of us don't know all the words to 150. A few dates (like family birthdays) and phone numbers (perhaps) - though they are now usually programmed into our phones. A few lines from our family's favorite TV programs, like the Simpsons: "I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was..." Or our family's favorite mealtime compliment: "You steam a good ham." (Even if we have just eaten barbecued burgers or stew.)

As I read that St. Gregory (who also lived about 1500 years ago) would not ordain a bishop who could not recite the whole book of psalms and that St. Patrick (from approximately the same era) recited the psalms daily, I wonder: Have we lost an important element in learning by no longer trying to memorize - and hold in our minds - more of the great thoughts, songs and poems of our religion and our civilization?