Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Rule of Saint Benedict

Saint Scholastic Day

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Saint Scholastica’s Feast Day

The feast day of Saint Scholastica (480-543), twin sister of Saint Benedict, is today February 10th.  Considered the patron saint of Benedictine women and education, her life, like her brother’s, was centered on love and peace.  At a very young age, she devoted herself to God and established a convent about five miles from Benedict’s monastery.  They enjoyed a close relationship, meeting yearly to discuss spiritual matters.

As you may recall, the Benedictine Sisters of Florida refer often to Saint Benedict’s The Rule.  His vision of how to live in community begins with the words “Listen with the ear of the heart.”  The story of what would be Benedict’s last visit with his sister Scholastica illustrates how strong the communication link or dialogue can be between God and His people.  Scholastica, feeling somewhat unsettled, wanted her dear brother to stay the night on this particular visit.  Though she implored him, Benedict insisted on the necessity of returning to his monastery.  Saint Scholastica prayed to God who listened and within minutes, a roar of thunder and heavy rain made it impossible for her brother to leave.  It would be the last time the siblings would share precious time together.  Saint Scholastica died three days later.

The Benedictine Sisters of Chicago remind us that January 24th is the memorial of Francis de Sales who is known as the great saintly communicator.  In that vein, Pope Francis writes on the 56th Annual World Day of Communications about “Listening with the ear of the heart.”  The Pope’s message reads “From the pages of Scripture we learn that listening means not only the perception of sound, but is essentially linked to the dialogical relationship between God and humanity.”

We pray fervently that our patron Saint Scholastica, cradles our hearts so that we truly listen with heartfelt compassion always.

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Lent 2021 – Part 4

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Jesus’ Peace

 

This is the last post from Abbot Gregory J. Polan’s Circular Letter.  You can read the three prior parts on our website under “Articles of Interest”:  www.benedictinesistersoffl.org.  The Abbot’s brief bio is at the beginning of the first post.

The following is from Abbot Polan’s recent Circular:

The conclusion to Chapter 4 of the Rule of Saint Benedict on the “Tools of Good Works,” reminds us that we must never despair of God’s mercy (R 4:74). This speaks to the passage of the Gospel according to John. Jesus’ teaching about peace (and we note that this is the first time the word appears in the Fourth Gospel) is not sugar-coated. It calls us to faithful endurance, to hope in what God will accomplish through difficult times and how it will end in God’s unique expression of peace – a kind of well-being that touches every part of our existence. And because the unfolding of this peace is part of a divine plan, its unfolding will be unique, accomplished in God’s time and offering us a teaching that is for the good of our eternal soul. Patient waiting is not an easy task. We live in an age of immediate results and instantaneous gratification of our needs and wants. That is not how the spiritual life unfolds. Rather, in God’s time, divine grace unfolds in a perfect way that leaves us in wonder at the wisdom of God’s plan – touched by heavenly perfection.

The challenge of this pandemic cannot be lived in vain. What have we learned from this time? What is the good that we have found hidden in the sadness of these times? What are some of the paths forward that we have considered as we look to the future? I invite all to consider these three questions and to share your thoughts. We can inspire one another with our reflections. May God guide us forward with deep faith, genuine hope and generous charity as witnesses to God’s presence in our midst “bringing us all together to everlasting life” (RB 72:12).

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