Today’s Holy Saint: Benedict

Basic info:
Benedict was born at Nursia (Norcia) in Umbria, Italy, around 480 A.D.[1]. He was sent to Rome for his studies, but was repelled by the dissolute life of most of the populace, and withdrew to a solitary life at Subiaco. His chief founding was Monte Cassino, an abbey which stands to this day as the mother house of the world-wide Benedictine order. Benedict drew up a rule of life for monastics, a rule which he calls "a school of the Lord's service, in which we hope to order nothing harsh or rigorous." The Rule gives instructions for how the monastic community is to be organized, and how the monks are to spend their time. An average day includes about four hours to be spent in liturgical prayer (called the Divinum Officium -- the Divine Office), five hours in spiritual reading and study, six hours of labor, one hour for eating, and about eight hours for sleep. The Book of Psalms is to be recited in its entirety every week as a part of the Office.

A Benedictine monk takes vows of "obedience, stability, and conversion of life." That is, he vows to live in accordance with the Benedictine Rule, not to leave his community without grave cause, and to seek to follow the teaching and example of Christ in all things. We owe the preservation of the Holy Scriptures and other ancient writings in large measure to the patience and diligence of monastic scribes. In purely secular terms, their contribution was considerable. Monks were both scholars and workers. A monk, after spending a few hours doing some laborious task by hand, was likely to think, "There must be a better way of doing this." The result was the systematic development of windmills and water wheels for grinding grain, sawing wood, pumping water, and so on. The rotation of crops (including legumes) and other agricultural advances were also originated or promoted by monastic farms. The monks, by their example, taught the dignity of labor and the importance of order and planning. (James Kiefer)

Gospel connection:
Luke 14:33:
Fancypants version - So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Everyday version- So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions

Some may note that there’s a theory Jesus was introduced to, or was for a time a member of, the Asceitic monistary. “The adjective ‘ascetic’ derives from the ancient Greek term askēsis (practice, training or exercise). Originally associated with any form of disciplined practice, the term ascetic has come to mean anyone who practices a renunciation of worldly pursuits to achieve higher intellectual and spiritual goals.” (Tragically taken from Wikipedia, a highly disreputable source.)

What do you think some of the biggest challenges are to this passage in Luke? If you really want a piece to debate, check out Luke 14:25-33 and see how much Jesus is challenging the people.


Patron Saint details:
His mortal remains, and those of his sister Scolastica, rest beneath the High Alter at Abbey of Montecassino. St. Benedict, Patron Saint of engineers, speleologists and of "Opera della Bonifica" (land reclaiming) was proclaimed main Patron of Europe by Pope Paul VI on the occasion of his visit to Montecassino on October 24, 1964 with the following motivation: "Messenger of Peace, Unifier, Master of Civilization and in particular Herald of Faith and Iniziator of monastic life in Western Europe". (Papal Brief - Pacis Nuntius).

Lessons and prayers: http://www.io.com/~kellywp/LesserFF/Jul/Benedict.html
More info: http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/198.html

[1] Other exciting events of the 480s! – Emperor Julius Nepos is murdered by his own soldiers leading to the “fall" of the Western Roman Empire. Euric, a Visigoth King, invades Spain. The Gupta (India) Empire’s era of peace ends when the Huns invade from the North. Mookini Heiau, a human sacrificial temple, is built in Kohala, Hawaii. Clovis establishes the Frankish Empire (currently known as France). King Arthur theoretically fighting, searching for the Grail, and doing whatnot in Britain.