Benedict Solemnity

Sermon & Homily

Fr. T. gave us the Sermon in Chapter for the Solemnity. It might be called exciting about the 'bandits', all the citations of the shortcoming of monks through the Rule of Saint Benedict. We leave the peroration of the grace-savings of the good monk. Fr. T. is shy of publication.

The Homily for Saint Benedict at the public Mass was given by Fr. Hugh. It is his favourite subject and began from the first word in the Rule of St. Benedict, "Listen" (Ausculta), linked on to Evagre and Revelation of Vatican II. He had encourageing words for Oblates and Associates of Benedictines and Cistercians. It was excellent. Unfortunately, Fr. Hugh does not writs his Homilies.

Sunday, 11 July 2010.

We have to make do with this Reading of Aelred on Benedict.

SAINT BENEDICT
Abbot
(c. 480-547)

Patron of Europe

A Sermon for the Feast of St Benedict from St Aelred

• I know that you are accustomed to welcome with joy the feast days of the saints whenever they come, and that you increase your fervour by recalling and meditating on their lives and perfections. But I think that this feast of our Holy Father Benedict means more to you than others and is in some way more wwelcome. This is not so because it is a greater feast than all others but because he, our Father, is closer to than all the other saints, for in Christ Jesus through the Gospel he has given s birth.
  
  
• Whatever purity you have achieved through chastity, all the spiritual joy you have found in love, all the glory that is yours through a good conscience in despising worldliness, in labours, vigils, fasts, and voluntary poverty, all this comes from his teaching. Whatever progress you have made in meditation, prayer, compunction, devotion and the rest of the spiritual life, has not all of this been brought about in you by God's grace through his ministry and example? Therefore he is closer to you than the rest of the saints, so that his feast ought rightly to be. for you a day of greater joy.
  
  
• Consider Israel of the flesh, the Jews. By origin prang from the great Fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Nevertheless, the Jews glory more in Moses because through his prayers they received manna from heaven and water from the rock; because by his prayers they overcame their enemies; because they received from his hand the Law, which, if observed, would allow them to receive and possess the Land of Promise. Certainly, my brothers, if we see clearly and understand the benefits which the Lord has given us through our holy Father Benedict, we will see very clearly that monks ought not to love him any less than the Jews loved Moses. They were the slaves of the Egyptians; we, of our vices. The servants of Pharaoh spurred them on with whips, demanding bricks from mud. Perhaps you have forgotten the whipping you suffered in the world. One man sought after worldly honours and riches. What stripes he suffered from these desires; how he was beaten about by fear, by envy; how he was torn when he did not acquire what he wanted, when someone else acquired what he so ardently desired! If, however, he did acquire it how he was plagued by fear lest he lose it, and by sorrow when he did lose it! Another was driven on, wholly intent on satisfying his own wants and desires. How such a man was beaten about by erotic love, envy suspicions! And what happened when these vices were discovered? How he suffered! How downcast he was in spirit! And, over and above all this, how his conscience beat him! And what happened when each one began to think on his life and his sins?
  
  
• Each one can recall the violence which he suffered from his own evil habits and see how, by the grace of God and the doctrine of St Benedict, he is now free. He sees that God has given us greater things through St Benedict than He gave to the Jews through Moses.

(First Sermon for the Feast of st Benedict. From Cist. Studies 1969: 1, pp 70-72).