Memorial of St. Scholastica, virgin
The Benedictine world today celebrates the feast of St. Benedict’s twin sister, Scholastica.
The Gospel given for the feast is the Martha-Mary story in serving Jesus in their home. The first optional reading is taken from the Song of Songs, also called, The Song of Solomon. It is an Old Testament love song and verse 6 of Chapter 8 reflects this: “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave.”
Mother Church has given this text a mystical interpretation so as to apply it to our lives. It is about such an application that I offer a reflection. The term “mystical,” Fr. Bouyer tells us, originally referred to “the objective but ‘hidden’ (mystikos) reality of Christ in Scripture, in the sacraments, and in all of history.”
He says that “‘the main thing is to be fully convinced that Christ is living in us, and especially to act accordingly, not to experience more or less directly the feeling that this is indeed so.”
In the light of Solomon’s words, love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave, we can hear Fr. Bouyer’s words, ‘the main thing is to be fully convinced that Christ is living in us, and especially to act accordingly.”
We do not usually speak of St. Scholastica as a “mystic.” Yet she certainly fits how we are speaking of mysticism here. Her spirituality was most likely much closer to that of the common man or woman. It makes mysticism much more reachable for each of us. It means we allow the Holy Spirit to cultivate our inner life. It is a life that will not be cultivated without our wanting it, without our cooperating in what is a marvelous work of grace!
O loving God, we thank You for the many graces you gave St. Scholastica! And we thank you for the many graces you offer us daily!
Reflection by Fr. Xavier Nacke, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections