Homily Fourteenth Saturday in Ordinary Time (Feast of St. Benedict)
Homily Fourteenth Saturday in Ordinary Time (Feast of St. Benedict)
I had a very wonderful experience as a young man in that I went to school at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana from the time I was 21 until I was 27. The Benedictines owned and operated the seminary and the seminarians lived right next to the monastery.
The Benedictines followed the rule of St. Benedict, a man who lived in the 5th century in Italy. Benedict longed to live a contemplative life, so he went into the woods to be alone. Many men went out to see him in his hermitage. He began to see that he was called to live in community with other men and become a spiritual guide.
He wrote a rule of life that governed how his monastery would be run. The monks would live and work and recreate together. In a very uncertain time in the history of the world, monasteries became save havens where prayer and scientific discovery happened. Benedictine monasteries dotted the land and they kept much intellectual knowledge from disappearing.
The rule of St. Benedict is many pages long. The motto of the Benedictine is Ora et Labora (to work and to pray). Another maxim they tried to follow was that they treated each visitor to the monastery as if they were Christ. The theory was that Christ often comes to us in disguise, we know not when, so we must treat each person with reverence.
Probably the thing I learned from the Benedictines that was most challenging is that the healthiest way to live is to live a balanced life. We are to not only to balance work and prayer, but also leisure and play. If we can do that, we are probably going to be satisfied. If our life gets out of balance, we will struggle.
I would have to say that I do not always do a good job balancing my life, but I know what I need to strive for. Benedict’s rule is as relevant as ever.
Reflection Questions:
1. Do I view strangers who come to my door with suspicion? What if I assumed, they were Christ in the flesh?
2. How is my life being led right now? Do I have some sense of balance between work and prayer and play and leisure?
Dear Parishioners,
When you come back to church it should seem a little brighter. We have installed LED lights in all the chandeliers. This is a major expense, but it will save us a lot on electricity and light bulbs. Hopefully, this will help us all to pray better.
I congratulate the eight graders who are graduating this weekend and the children who will be receiving First Communion on Sunday. Let’s all pray that we will have joyous, safe celebrations. Hopefully, the sacramental grace our students receive will sustain them in times of trial.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints protect you all.
Fr. Mark