The life and times of St. Benedict ; patriarch of the monks of the west

Front matter

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Preface

St. Paun teaches us in his First Epistle to the Corinthians that “the foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that He may confound the wise: and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that He may confound the strong: And the base things of the world, and the things that are contemptible hath God chosen, and things that are not, that He might bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in His sight”.' "The blessed Benedict was yet a child when, moved and enlightened by the Holy Spirit, his pure young heart grasped the full meaning of this teaching of the Apostle. Realising its truth, at the first sound of the Divine Voice calling him he left wealth and honour, even home and family, in order to find salvation and everlasting life in Him for Whose sake he renounced all earthly joys. He retired into solitude, and for three years lived in unbroken communion with his Creator, thus satisfying the one object of his desire. After this preparation God called him to be a guide and -a teacher to many, though his own attraction and longing was to live hidden and unknown; and the humble youth, who vi PREFACE.

considered himself the last and the least of all mankind, was chosen to be the legislator whose precepts have been, and ever will be, the foundation of monastic life in the West. Weak and powerless of himself, God endowed him with the gift of miracles to such an eminent degree that the lapse of centuries has but made their fame more widespread ; and Benedict, the humble disciple of Christ, has been universally recognised as a great power in the Church, a renowned character in history, an object of admiration to all, and the Patriarch of Western monks. What wonder then that St. Gregory the Great, both Pope and Doctor, considered it a privilege and a pleasure to immortalise in his Dialogues the life and miracles of this saint ?

Possessing as we do this unparalleled biography, written by one famous alike for his sanctity and his learning, it would seem not only bold, but almost unnecessary, to attempt to bring forward a second. What could be added to the. praise already bestowed by St. Gregory? Who could write with greater unction, and at the same time with greater moderation, or pretend to possess his inimitable talent of relating facts in the most comprehensive and yet concise way? Indeed, his work was regarded with such reverence that for a thousand years no one dreamt of compiling a fresh life of the saint; the only thing considered allowable and tending to Benedict’s glorification was either to write commentaries on St. Gregory’s life or to paraphrase and clothe it with a poetic form.

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In modern times, when printing gave a fresh impetus to every branch of literature, the idea of bringing out the life of St. Benedict in a new and original form commended itself to many minds, and several biographies were published; yet, notwithstanding the talent and diligence which they evinced, they soon fell into oblivion, while St. Gregory’s life not only survived, but became even more appreciated, for all felt that his work was endowed with a higher value than that bestowed by human gift or human industry. It may then be asked, with reason, why the present volume has been written, and why the author has attempted what others have tried with little success. The question is difficult to answer satisfactorily, acknowledging as I do that St. Gregory’s life cannot be improved upon. The task is a hazardous one, for it seems to demand abilities which I cannot boast of; and not without alarm do I read those words of Kerz that ‘‘it would be very desirable for a man like Görres to use the remarkable gifts with which God has endowed hım to undertake the portrayal of such a great and holy man as St. Benedict”.

My apology then for the present volume must be that I was urged to undertake the task, not only by the entreaties of fellow-monks and the invitation of superiors, but also by men the value of whose judgment in the matter encouraged me to attempt a work of the kind; added to which, my exceeding great love for our blessed Founder made me the more anxious to place one little flower side by side

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with the magnificent wreath woven by St. Gregory some thirteen centuries ago. After mature deliberation, several thoughts presented themselves which seemed to justify the undertaking, and served as guides in its execution. First, that a subject good and holy in itself cannot be too carefully considered, and that by looking at it from different points of view we are better enabled to appreciate and understand it. Take, for example, the Holy Scriptures : it would be impossible to guess the number of works written to elucidate and explain every portion of them. The same passages ever form the subjects of sermons, commentaries, books, etc., and yet they always seem fresh, they never grow old or out of date, but bring forth untold mines of riches as they are considered in some new light. Of course I am not for a moment comparing St. Gregory's Dialogues to the Sacred Scriptures; at the same time, it is a work in which we cannot fail to see the influence of the Holy Spirit, and to be edified by the sublime examples of the Gospel precepts. Surely then no blame is to be attached to one who endeavours to present the same truths under a new aspect; not to | obscure the light already thrown by a more masterly hand, but to enhance it by looking at it from another point of view.

Again, a biographer, like a painter, may depict the same subject in varlous ways: one will devote the whole of his canvas to the subject of his portrait, another will make him prominent in a group, while a third prefers to place him among scenes which are

PREFACE, 1X in keeping with his character or profession. St. Gregory chose to treat St. Benedict as a solitary figure, and makes scarcely any mention of his contemporaries ; so much so that, if 1t were not for one or two names which belong to history, and which occur in connection with the saint’s life, we should not even know at what period he lived. There are, however, many who would gladly hear something of his contemporaries, of the history of his time, and of those events which either directly or indirectly influenced him. It is the aim of the present volume to portray our saint as the chief figure of a group, showing the part he played in the Church and in the world, and how he was affected by the vicissitudes of the history of his day. While peace prevailed he was employed in planting and sowing the good seed, and reaping the plentiful harvest which was the result of his labours; while in times of war, famine and distress his hands were uplifted in supplication, his mortifications were redoubled in expiation, and the exceeding charity of his heart ever found means to relieve the sufferers. And now that he rejoices in Heaven surrounded by a family which no man can number—now that his visible presence is no longer with us to teach and encourage us, the bright light of his example still remains to spur us on; a light which time can never dim, and which, while the world lasts, must ever continue to increase God's glory and win souls to Him.

And lastly, it cannot be without interest to study the country to which the subject of our biography x PREFACE.

belonged, its inhabitants, the places where he dwelt, and all those surroundings and circumstances which affected him, in order that by so doing we may learn to know and appreciate him more.

Alas, that such a task should be entrusted to one with such meagre talents! With such materials, what a marvellous picture might have been produced of a saint who, trampling under foot ‘‘the asp and the basilisk,” possessed that power with which man in his primitive innocence was endowed. The author can only hope that God will mercifully accept the praise which, through this biography, he has endeavoured to render Him: that Our Lord Jesus Christ will not despise the offering, however small ; and that the Holy Ghost may graciously bless both the writer and the reader, so that the day may come at last when, with St. Benedict, we may ever sing

P. PETER LECHNER, Prior of Scheyern.

January, 1857.

Introduction

if.

NATURE AND MEANING OF RELIGIOUS LIFE.

Our first parents, having been expelled from the paradise of delights through their own fault, were constrained to live a life of toil, hardship and pain. Nevertheless God in His infinite mercy did not exact from them the full penalty of their guilt, but by the promise of a future Redeemer He gave them a hope of one day regaining that state of unspeakable bliss for which they had been created. Moreover, desiring that all should be saved, He sent His only-begotten Son to live and die for their redemption ; and implanted in the heart of fallen man an instinctive craving after that innocence and happiness which he had lost, giving him also the means to make that longing a reality. Hence it is that we all live in the hope of something better; each soul in some degree feels that it is created for a nobler and greater end than the present life on earth. But the knowledge of what that end really is—namely, union with God—has been dimmed, nay, in too many cases totally obscured, by the prevalence of unbelief, pride and concupiscence. (x1)

Xi INTRODUCTION.

There are, however, and always have been, a chosen few who recognise for what they have been created, and who, faithful to the inspiration of Divine grace, draw nearer day by day to that union with their Creator which will be perfected only in Heaven.

Love alone can attain to this end; but there are two roads by which those who love may reach the goal.

The first of these roads is trod by the majority of good Christians, and consists in an exact observance of the precepts, in good works and in self-denial. Hence, when the young man in the Gospel asked our Lord: “ What good shall I do that I may have life everlasting ?”’ our Lord answered, “Keep the commandments ’.!

The second road is that of perfection: this consists in the observance not only of precepts, but also of counsels; not only of self-denial, but of self-renunciation. Those who would tread this path must ever aspire and strive after a higher state of sanctity; not content till they reach the very summit of their mountain, which can never be in this mortal life. This road of perfection forms the groundwork of religious life, because religious life is simply a means to an end; the end, as we have already pointed out, being union with God; and this union is attained most surely in a life where every rule and occupation tends to bring a

INTRODUCTION. Xll man nearer and nearer to his Maker. A religious renounces everything: family, possessions, pleasures, even self, that by so doing he may the more effectually obtain that which alone can satisfy the cravings of his heart, and that he may be able to say with the Apostle in very truth, ‘“ our conversation is in heaven ”’.!

LE TRACES OF RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

Henoch and Abel are the first examples we meet with ın the Old Testament of those chosen souls who by their fidelity to grace tread this path of perfection, leading eremetical or quasi-religious lives. Then we have ‘the Father of the Faithful,’ Abraham, whose vocation has been an incentive to countless souls who like him have been inspired to leave home and country for Christ’s sake. Moses too, in one sense, may be said to have led a religious life, first for forty years as a shepherd and a hermit, and again for another forty years as leader to his people, who formed, as it were, a religious community living under a rule, or the law which God gave to them through him. In this law we find a decisive regulation for those who wished to lead more perfect lives: ‘“‘ When a man, or woman, shall make a vow to be sanctified, and will consecrate themselves to the Lord: They shall abstain from wine, and from every thing that may make a man

1 Phil. iii. 20.

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drunk. They shall not drink vinegar of wine, or of any other drink, nor any thing that is pressed out of the grape: nor shall they eat grapes either fresh or dried. . . . All the time of his separation no razor _ shall pass over his head until the day be fulfilled of his consecration to the Lord. He shall be holy, and shall let the hair of his head grow.” !

Later on we have the pious Anna vowing her child to the service of the Temple even before his birth; a vow which Samuel himself afterwards fully ratified by his life of heroic devotion in the service of God. Again, we find examples of religious communities in the Nazarites and Rechabites. The latter were a whole tribe descended from Hobab, the brother-in-law of Moses. By their rule they never touched wine nor owned fields or vineyards, but they dwelt in tents and lived by rearing cattle. God set them up as an example of conscientious fidelity to all the children of Israel, and addressed to them these words by the mouth of Jeremias the prophet: ‘‘ Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and have kept all his precepts, and have done all that he commanded you: Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: There shall not be wanting a man of the race of Jonadab the son of Rechab, standing before Me for ever.’ ”

The school of the prophets founded by Samuel was the most perfect model of religious life, where

INTRODUCTION. XV contemplation, prayer, psalmody, Divine science and sacred music were nurtured by instruction and promoted by self-sacrifice and renunciation. Among the many shining lights of sanctity and wisdom reared in this school Elias stands pre-eminent. For many years he lived the life of a hermit beside the brook of Carith, fed miraculously by a raven: a life which has been emulated by so many thousands of his followers.

That the holy prophets adhered strictly to poverty is proved by innumerable instances: suffice it to quote that of Eliseus, who refused the ten talents and costly presents offered to him by Naaman, and would not take so much as a single piece of money. Mention might also be made of the Assideans, who by their existence testified to the universal recognition of religious life; unfortunately, however, these formed a sect which later lapsed into error.

But of all the saints of the Old Law, patriarchs and prophets, priests and kings, none surpassed or even equalled the great Precursor of our Divine Lord. Sanctified in his mother’s womb, he dedicated his whole life to unbroken intercourse with God. Clothed in camel’s hair, feeding on locusts, he led an existence wholly supernatural, and in all things showed himself worthy of our Lord’s words concerning him: ‘‘ There hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist ”.!

These recluses and holy men of the Old Testament were the types and forerunners of those who were to

1 Matt. xi. 11.

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lead a life even more perfect than their own under the new dispensation.

II. Religious Life In The New Testament

When He who calls Himself the “ Light of the

World,” Jesus Christ our Lord, came upon this earth He dispersed the darkness which prevailed. The dim light of prophecy and type, figure and parable, gave way to the splendour of Divine truth taught and expounded by the Author of all truth. That which God had implanted in the hearts of men, that which He had announced through the instrumentality of others, He now revealed in all its fulness by means of His only begotten Son. . What then was it that this Divine teacher taught concerning religious life? He taught that there is a life raised above the common level, a life led by those who strive after the heights of perfection: hence His words to the rich young man: “If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow Me’”.! Again He said to His Apostles: “Do not possess gold, nor silver, nor money in your purses: Nor scrip for your journey, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor a staff ’” Thus poor and des-. titute of all they were to go forth and spiritually conquer the world.

So also, with regard to chastity, Christ says: ‘‘There are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for

INTRODUCTION. xvil the kingdom of heaven”’.! In the same spirit the Apostle writes: ‘‘ Concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give counsel, as having obtained mercy of the Lord, to be faithful. I think therefore that this is good for the present necessity, that it 1s good for a man so to be,” and “ He that giveth his virgin in marriage doth well: and he that giveth her not, doth better.” ”

And, lastly, Christ taught that virtue which surpasses in value even voluntary poverty or chastity, namely, obedience or the giving up of our own will. “He that loveth his life shall lose it: and he that hateth his life in this world, keepeth it unto life eternal. If any man minister to Me, let him follow Me: and where I am, there also shall My minister be.’?® By these words Christ not only commands us to put to death our will and inclinations, but He also counsels us to renounce even the right of freewill; so that those who bind themselves by obedience in religious life can truly say: “I seek not my own will, but the will of Him that sent me;’’‘ that is, I seek the will of those to whom for Christ’s sake I have subjected myself. How pregnant are St. Gregory's words on this point: “It is not very hard for aman to leave what he has; but it is exceedingly laborious for him to give up what he is’’.’

The counsels of our Divine Lord and of His holy Apostles with regard to the more perfect life sank

1 Matt. xix. 12. ?1 Cor. vii, 25-26, 38. *John xii. 25, 26. 4 John v. 30. 5 Homil. 32 in Evang.

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deep into the hearts of the first Christians, who endeavoured to carry them out as far as the state of the Church then permitted. That little band of believers at Jerusalem, so sweetly depicted in the Acts as having “but one heart and one soul,” and possessing all things in common,! forms a most perfect picture of what a community should be. And doubtless the same mode of life was practised by Christians in other places, for in the early ages of persecution thousands of men and women followed strictly the evangelical counsels, and were only prevented from forming themselves into communities by the stringent laws enforced against them.

The elements of religious life always existed on a small scale; thus every bishop’s household was, in a sense, a religious community ; so, too, virgins were everywhere to be found who, having taken the veil and vowed their virginity to God, led retired lives either in their own homes or in houses set apart. St. Cyprian says: “ Virgins are the more excellent portion of Christ’s flock; the renowned fruitfulness of the Church, their Mother, flourishes abundantly in them.” Again Tertullian writes: “ These virgins, so pleasing and acceptable to God, hold nothing more dear to them than holy chastity ; and love to be bound to God rather than to men. With Him they live; with Him they speak; on Him they meditate day and night, offering Him their prayers and gifts.”’® They received the consecration proper

1 Acts iv. 32. 2 De habitu Virg. 3 Ad uxor., lib. i.

INTRODUCTION. X1X to virgins, wore a special dress, had a place set apart for them in the assemblies of the faithful, and were maintained by the Church.

Among men there were many who, having made a vow of chastity, led holy and retired lives in the practice of penance, manual labour and good works. They are mentioned by Athenagoras, who in the reign of Marcus Aurelius published a book in defence of the Christians. In his apology he says that the ascetics drew their motive of total renunciation _ from the hope of a more intimate union with God. Origen and Clement of Alexandria likewise speak in highest praise of these pious men, extolling their mortification, poverty, chastity, watchings, prayers and- fasts.

Many retired into the desert in order to sever themselves completely from all intercourse with their fellow-creatures ; these were styled Anchorets or Hermits. It is generally supposed that St. Paul of Thebes in the third century gave the first example of this total seclusion. At the beginning of the fourth century, when the persecutions had at length ceased, the ascetic life developed in a wonderful manner; it grew and flourished in the deserts till it became a mighty tree, productive of those countless blossoms of which the world was not worthy.

St. Anthony, the Egyptian, born A.D. 251 of noble parents, who had embraced a life of solitude from his earliest youth, was chosen by God to be the great promoter of monastic life. After having spent

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thirty-six years alone in the desert occupied in mortifying his passions and sanctifying his soul, urged by a Divine inspiration and by the entreaties of his friends, he once more appeared among men, and, like a second John, became a preacher in the wilderness.

“His meekness,’’ says Count Stolberg (in his history of religion), “his wisdom, example, and all the wonders which through him God worked upon the sick, the possessed, and the diseased, and more than all the visible blessing and protection of God, drew great multitudes to him; many became his disciples and under his guidance led lives of prayer, labour and penance.” The more the blessed saint strove to evade the task of leading and teaching others, so much the more eagerly did those who aspired after perfection attach themselves to him. Conscious of his own weakness and incapacity he often fled away, but always unsuccessfully, for each time his retreat was discovered and he was compelled to return to the leadership he would fain have shunned. Ina few years his disciples were numbered by hundreds; they lived together divided into larger or smaller communities, and endeavoured by prayer, abstinence, labour, poverty and obedience to walk the narrow way which leads to everlasting life. Some dwelt on the banks of the Red Sea, others near the Isthmus of Suez. |

Contemporary with St. Anthony were other great masters of the ascetic life: notably St. Ammon, St. Pachomius and St. Macarius.

St. Ammon lived in the desert of Nitria in Lower

INTRODUCTION. xxl

Egypt. After observing virginal chastity in the marriage state, he separated from his wife; and settling in the desert he gathered round him a number of disciples who dwelt in separate cells. Later, by the advice of St. Anthony, he built a monastery ; and at the end of the fourth century his disciples numbered over 5,000.

In the Thebaid, or centre of the Egyptian desert, St. Pachomius was the great hght and example of religious life. Having consecrated himself to God, and after being trained in monastic discipline by St. Palemon, he received a Divine command to build at Tabenna a dwelling-place for those whom God would send him. This probably occurred in the year 325 ; a year immortalised by the famous Council of Nicea. The concourse of people who flocked to this holy man surpassed anything hitherto known. He founded eight monasteries, which he governed collectively as abbot ; and his monks numbered about 7,000.! St. Pachomius was the first to write a Rule and to prescribe an exact method of living for his disciples. We find it narrated in some manuscripts relating to him that the principal points of his Rule were dictated to him by an angel.”

In the desert of Scete St. Macarius was the superior of many monasteries ; while God made use of St. Hilarion, a disciple of St. Anthony, to found religious life in Syria. Meantime the fame of these holy solitaries spread into most distant lands; so

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that before the close of the fourth century monasteries flourished even in far off Britain. We may form some idea of the universal esteem felt for religious from these words of St. John Chrysostom : ‘Entering the Egyptian desert one finds a waste which deserves rather to be called a paradise, for it is studded with innumerable angels clothed with mortal bodies. A vast army of men and women peoples that waste, walking in the path of virtue, whose lives give forth a brilliant lustre; in number and in splendour they surpass even the stars of heaven.’ !

TVs THE FIRST RULE OR FORM OF RELIGIOUS LIFE.

From the very beginning there were various forms of religious life; but the first Rule written with any detail was that of St. Pachomius, and upon this all later ones were grounded. According to his Rule every monastery, or laura, was composed of twenty-four orders or choirs; each division had its own superior, and these superiors were all subject to the Abbot of Tabenna. Again, each order had its own particular office or occupation ; one was employed in cooking ; another in nursing the sick; a third had care of the guests; a fourth had charge of the gate; others were occupied in instructing novices and beginners, while others again had to work in the garden or bakehouse or at some trade. Hach order

¥Hom, 8 ın Matth,

INTRODUCTION. XX111 had a separate house, built with branches of trees or blocks of wood; these were divided into cells, and three brethren dwelt in each cell.

The abbot was in constant correspondence with the subordinate superiors; he frequently visited the monasteries, and twice a year—at Haster and in the middle of August—he held a general chapter at the principal monastery of Pabau. In these chapters all that could promote religious discipline and perfection was discussed; dissensions were pacified ; fresh fervour aroused; and the link of fraternal charity strengthened and renewed.

Any one desirous of being admitted into the monastery had to wait at least ten days ; during which time his petition was examined and his motive considered. If the result of the investigation proved satisfactory, the petitioner was at once clothed with a habit, his secular dress being laid aside in case he might afterwards return to the world. He was not allowed to offer any gift on entering. As a novice he was permitted to take part in the prayers and exercises of the community; but during the first year of his probation he remained under the supervision of the porter, and was employed in waiting on the guests. During the second and third years he was trained in all the duties and observances of his Rule, especially in exact and prompt obedience. All were obliged to know how to read; and each one had to learn the greater part of the Holy Scriptures by heart, particularly the Psalter and the New Testament. Those who were professed were allowed to fast or not in

XXIV INTRODUCTION.

' proportion to their strength, and their work was measured out accordingly. The daily refection was taken in common at midday, and there was a collation in the evening. ‘The clothing of the monks consisted of a short sleeveless tunic made of sackcloth, known as a ‘‘ Liebiton,’’ and girded at the waist with a belt; over this they wore a white sheepskin called a “ Melotus,” which reached from the neck to the feet ; and their heads were covered with a large capuce or hood, which they never removed. At three separate times, viz., in the morning, in the evening, and again at night, a trumpet sounded to call the brethren to prayer, whereupon each one laying aside his occupation hastened to the oratory. Twelve especially appointed prayers were then said, preceded by a psalm; on Saturdays and Sundays all received Holy Communion. As none of the monks were in Holy Orders, a priest from some neighbouring church usually came to offer the Holy Sacrifice. The customary food consisted of bread, cheese, olives and vegetables salted or prepared with oil and vinegar, fruit, figs and salt fish ; cooked vegetables were given to the sick and to old men and children, and the sick were also allowed meat and wine. On Wednesdays and Fridays only one meal was taken and that in the evening, but this fast was dispensed in Paschal time.

The greater part of the day was employed in manual labour: some prepared the necessary food and clothing; others occupied themselves in making baskets and plaiting mats; in the Hast these mats supply the place of tables, seats and beds. A pro-