Today February 10

Today is the feast of St. Scholastica (480 - 543), virgin, of whom we know only through her (twin) brother Benedict. She matured early and vowed her life to God. When Benedict left home and (finally) settled in Monte Cassino, she followed him, but lived about 5 miles south in a little place known as Plombariola. There she was what would be pretty much the equivalent of abbess over her community, she herself being under the spiritual direction of her brother.

Once a year she'd travel almost to Monte Cassino, not going in, as women were not allowed. Instead, she'd meet her brother in a house just off the grounds of the monastery. In one of these visits, they settled in to talk after supper and Scholastica entreated her brother to spend the night, that they might have more time for discussion. He was reluctant to spend the night with a woman, even if it were just his sister, and he refused. She sighed heavily and put her head in her hands. A few minutes later there came great thunder and lightning. Benedict, amused, said, "God forgive you, sister; what have you done?" She answered, "I asked a favor of you and you refused it. I asked it of God, and He has granted it." Whereupon he was obliged to, in fact, stay the night.

A short time later, after they had parted, Benedict was graced with the vision to see what appeared to be a dove ascending into heaven at the exact moment his sister died. Moved, he sent two of his monks to fetch her body and bury it in his own tomb so that the two who had been so close in life might remain so in death. And in the 7th century both bodies were removed to LeMans in France. St. Scholastica, pray for us.