Daily Reflections

Memorial of Saint Scholastica
Genesis 3:9-24
Psalm 90:2, 3-4abc, 5-6, 12-13
Mark 8:1-10

Today is the memorial for Saint Scholastica, twin sister of St. Benedict and the first abbess of the Benedictine nuns. Like her brother, she dedicated her life to the service and praise of the Lord. In fact, she started her journey very early in her life before her brother embarked on a similar one. There is one story that I have heard a number of times about St. Scholastica and St. Benedict – it clearly gives witness to the power of prayer. Although the abbeys where they each resided were not far from each other, they would usually only see one another once a year. During one of these yearly visits, they had their usual deeply spiritual talks and when evening fell, St. Benedict stated he must depart. St. Scholastica entreated him to stay, but he insisted he had to leave. She quietly folded her hands in prayer (requesting that he would stay). Within minutes, a huge storm blew inand he was unable to leave. They continued their spirited conversation throughout the night. St. Benedict was said to be in awe of his sister’s prayers and their results. The readings for today also leave us in awe of the compassion and power of Jesus to love us.

The readings for today reflect the different “faces” of God – a stark contrast between Old Testament and New. In the beginning we are reminded of the consequences of not obeying God – His wrath was evident and without change. Our responsorial psalm reminds us that God is always our refuge -- a different perspective from that first reading. The gospel demonstrates the love of God and Jesus poured forth upon the people in compassion and caring action.

The first reading from Genesis is one we all remember from childhood, not one that is easy to forget! Adam and Eve are called to task because they have disobeyed. The temptation by Satan in the form of the serpent is a clear image – deceit and treachery. Having grown up knowing the New Testament through our various readings and gospels, I remember thinking that this was a disconnect from the kindness and compassion represented in those stories and actions. The consequences of those actions were severe and unforgiving. There were no “do-overs.” As a child, I viewed this as a very stern parent who did not allow for many mistakes. Of course, throughout the Old Testament, we see hundreds of mistakes made by humans and only a few times when dire consequences were evident. Still, this really got my attention as a child and the possibilities of bad things happening from disobedience.

As I reflect on this as an adult, I still feel the severity of the actions but knowing now some of the future actions, see it in a different light. My image of the angry parent has not changed, the disappointment that parent (God) must have felt after giving so much to these children. They had it all, yet still took that step toward disobedience – testing how far they could go. As a parent, I know it is essential to be consistent and to follow-up with consequences for certain actions. It seems that after the severity of these consequences, God was still willing to give them a chance to redeem themselves. The Old Testament is filled with stories (Noah, Jonah, Sodom and Gomorrah to name a few) of new chances and new beginnings in the midst of punishments. This parent was stern and had high standards but clearly held much love for His children.

That brings us to our second reading focusing on God as our refuge – an image and concept that so many of us hold dear. How, indeed, would we negotiate this life without that belief? There is a beautiful song from John Foley one of the St. Louis Jesuits, “Only in God.” I used it frequently one year to remind me of God as my refuge and to get me through the ordeals of that time. I remember I had to travel to meet with a certain group of people two to three times a week. I was sure to have the CD in my car with that song, I would listen as I traveled and be comforted and fortified for whatever the interactions would hold. There were times that the song was not completed when I arrived in the parking lot, I would just sit and listen until it finished and then I knew I was ready for whatever. It truly fortified my very being and made it possible to get through some very tough moments. The refrain is below – you cannot listen to that song and sing the words without feeling as our responsorial psalm exclaims: “In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.”