Reflection: Feast of the Passing of St. Benedict

By Sr. Susan Hutchens, Prioress

In thinking about St. Benedict and how and why he decided to write a Rule, I became amazed at the very idea of it. He was doing fine as a hermit of a sort, until others found him, literally, and sought his wisdom. Of course, later they also sought to take his life!

I assume somewhere in between those two periods, he got to thinking that, with a Rule, perhaps he could bring people together: a group he didn’t know, with vastly different backgrounds, education, dislikes and likes, ideas about who God was, about prayer and life in general, its meaning and purpose, not to mention the Church and the world of the 5th C. And then, after bringing them together, thinking with that Rule he could create a community out of this disparate group: forming a living organism where everyone loved one another, worked with and for one another, and shared ALL things in common, while maintaining their own individuality.

Yes, they also maintained their own sinfulness as children of God, on the way to eternal life. And they sought forgiveness of God and one another every day.

The very thought of that is a wild idea, to put it mildly. Yet, he did think of it and did carry it out. He did write that Rule and look where it got us. For over 1500 years it has worked!

Oh, not for everyone of course, but for thousands of seekers – just like you and me, who found it to be what was truly a gift in our lives. It created a life to which each of us has been called, and for which each of us gives thanks daily! All I can say about it is – what a crazy idea you had Benedict, and I am ever so grateful!

As we join in prayer this evening on the Vigil of the Passing of Benedict into eternal life with God – we know that the same vision he had of life in communion with one another here, and in communion with God in eternity, is our vision too. Let us truly give thanks and rejoice for that!