Monday, February 10, 2014

Homily: February 10 - St. Scholastica - Pure love of God



St. Gregory the Great said, “Since God is love, then surely he can do more who loves more.” 

The Opening Prayer for this Mass in honor of Saint Scholastica refers twice to love.  “We pray, O Lord, that, following her example, we may serve you with pure love and happily receive what comes from loving you.”

When our love for God is pure, it produces abundant and joyous fruits that can transform our family, and community, and world.  On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus proclaimed, “blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”

Scholastica loved and served God with a purity of heart, and purity of heart leads to the experience of the joy of God’s friendship. 

Scholastica was a consecrated virgin who dedicated her life to deepening her faith and love for God.
When Vatican II stressed the Universal Call to Holiness, we were being reminded that all Catholics are called to strive for greater love of God and neighbor.

Saint Scholastica was of course the twin sister of St. Benedict, and she helped St. Benedict develop the rule for the Benedictine Order.  The primary tenet of the rule of St. Benedict, which Scholastica helped author is “To prefer nothing to the love of Christ.” 

We must honestly examine our lives, and with God’s help identify those behaviors and attitudes which keep us from witnessing to the love of Christ.  For in the end, it is the love of Christ which is our deepest yearning.
Scholastica had a tender love for her brother Benedict.  They would often meet on occasion to discuss the Christian life.  One day, Benedict was visiting his sister at the convent, and it was nearing the time for him to return to his own monastery for prayers.  As he departed, she prayed for a God to prolong their meeting, and God sent a terrible storm, that kept Benedict from returning home.  So, he waited out the storm by continuing his holy conversation with his sister.

Scholastica can be invoked particularly for siblings who do not love each other as they should.  She is the patron saint of nuns, epileptic children, and storms.


Through Saint Scholastica’s prayerful intercessions, May all we do today be directed to Him, for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.

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