Feast of St. Benedict

StBenedictI have a drafting table in my studio. It’s for painting. I’m an amateur watercolor painter. Attached to the table is an adjustable light that I can position “just so” when I’m painting. There are some old holy cards, Mass cards from funerals, some pieces of broken rosaries, a fishing fly or two and a few various and sundry other things attached to light. They’ve accumulated there over the years. At the top right-hand corner of the drafting table, mounted with a magnet, is a small figurine of Saint Benedict. He watches over me while I paint. If he were there to make sure I don’t make mistakes, I’d have to fire him. I mess up a lot of paintings. However, to his credit, I believe he continues to do what he’s known best for and that is preserving and passing along Christianity and specifically the Catholic faith.

I paint a lot of “Catholic stuff”; images of priest, monks, nuns and such, in their daily routine. I think sometimes we forget that clergy and religious are people too. Nuns sewing or reading, monks singing, priests studying or strolling, are simple images. I like the humility of such vignettes. Painting these images has become a sort of evangelization for me over the years. The paintings are generally sent to charity auctions for parishes and schools; some local, some a little less than local. The paintings don’t generate a lot of money, but that’s not what they are for. Primarily, they are a way for me to thank God for the gift(s) I’ve been given. It’s logical to think that if you give someone a gift that they never use, then either they don’t appreciate the gift, or it wasn’t a gift that was right for them. Since this gift of painting comes from God, it can’t be that it wasn’t the right gift for me. Clearly Father knows best. Further, for me not to use the gift would be ungrateful. If someone gave you a large, delicious cake, not only would you enjoy it, but then you could share it and use the opportunity to tell people about the wonderful baker who made it for you. What we’re given is much better than cake. I like to paint for lots of reasons, but a principal reason is so that God knows I appreciate what I’ve been given. Next to humility, gratitude, if not a virtue, is at least an important trait.

Saint Benedict was known for his “Rule”, which was (to put it mildly) a written set of guidelines for humble Christian existence. The Rule became the foundation for monastic life over the centuries and most of monastic life as we know it today, owes its formation to the Rule of Saint Benedict. During the latter part of the fifth and early part of the sixth century, Saint Benedict began something that lives on to this day and will continue to do so. Monasteries like the ones founded by Saint Benedict, became the basis for the systems of hospitals, higher education and banking that we know today. All of these institutions had their start in the monastic tradition. During the “dark ages”, it was these Monastic communities that kept the Christianity alive. They copied scripture, manuscripts, and classic literature….by hand with just quill and ink. Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, you name it, the monks preserved it and we have Saint Benedict (and his cooperation with the Holy Spirit) to thank for all this.

For me, I chose Saint Benedict as my patron about twenty-five years ago. I suspect he’s wondered about my choice over the years since I fail at humility regularly but that’s not his fault. The little figurine does his part to remind me to be humble as do the broken pieces of rosaries and funeral Mass cards that hang from my drafting table light. My failed paintings may be nudges from him, helping me to remember that “those to whom much is given, much will be required.” Humility is much. Saturday July 11th is Saint Benedict’s feast day. Perhaps I’ll celebrate by sharing a little cake and a story or two about the baker.

May God continue to guide your head, hands and heart.