Saints Maurus and Placid, the first Benedictine Oblates

Disciples
Jesus calls Levi

Saturday of the First week in Ordinary Time

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 2:13-17.

15 January 2011

Saints Maurus and Placid, the first Benedict Oblates. Memorial  

History and Hagiography are fertile imagination.

The deep roots are in St. Benedict and St. Gregory the Great.

More specific is the 59^th Chapter of the Rule of Saint Benedict.

Quote …

The Bible and Liturgy roots of the first Benedictine Oblates of the young boys of Maurus and Placid were offered as the oblata on the altar.

The Biblical and Eucharistic context is in the Gospel about Levi, named in Mark and Luke, called Matthew in his Gospel.
Mk. 2:14. ‘Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him,
"Follow me."
And he got up and followed him.  . . .’

The disciples Maur and Placid heard that call and followed.

At this Mass, may our response, our oblata on the altar, “get up and follow the Lord”.

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The Call of Levi (Matthew)

Mat 9:9-13

Mar 2:13-17

Luk 5:27-32

RULE OF ST. BENEDICT CHAPTER LIX Of the Sons of Nobles or of Poor Men that are offered IF any nobleman shall perchance offer his son to God in the Monastery, let the parents, should the boy be still in infancy, make for him the written promise as aforesaid; and together with the oblation let them wrap that promise and the hand of the child in the altar-cloth and so offer him up.