Send Me!

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?  Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!” Isaiah 6:8

Today is the Feast Day of St. Benedict. My husband studied in a Catholic School, the El Colegio de San Beda, which was established in 1901 by the Order of St. Benedict. The Benedictine monks became the pioneers of Christian civilization, preaching the gospel, preserving Scripture as well as other sacred writings of the Church. Their influence from the 6th to the 13th centuries was so great, that the historians called these the "Benedictine centuries".

The most fascinating story about St. Benedict I've come across happened when a poor man asked for some oil and the cellar master in the monastery refused to give any because he claimed the monks would have none left. St. Benedict was so dismayed and angry at "the distrust of God's providence", that he knelt down and prayed. The monks were soon to see oil bubbling and flowing out of the little pot of oil! 

In St. Benedict's Rule for Monks, there is this important dictate: "Listen, O my child, to the precepts of the Master and incline the ear of thy heart." 

There was a beautiful, very successful actress in the 50s and early 60s named Dolores Hart. She made movies with Elvis Presley, Montgomery Clift, Robert Wagner, Anthony Quinn, and other famous leading men. Just when she was going to sign a contract which would have made her even more successful, she stunned Hollywood to become a Benedictine nun in the Abbey of Regina Laudis.  She was the prioress in the Abbey from 2001 to 2015. Sister Dolores listened to the ear of her heart, which is also the title of her autobiography. A documentary was made of her life, and it was entitled, “God is the Bigger Elvis”. 

Faith is a journey, an adventure. We need to be courageous, listen to God so He can lead us, and open up possibilities we would never even dream of! “Here I am,” we can cry, “Send me!”