I must tell you a passage concerning the venerable Father Benedict, that there was something he desired and was not able to accomplish. His sister Scholastica, who was consecrated to God from her very childhood, used to come once a year to see him; unto whom the man of God was wont to go to a house not far from the gate, within the possession of the monastery. Thither she came one day according to her custom, and her venerable brother likewise with his disciples; where, after they had spent the whole day in the praise of God and pious discourses, the night drawing on, they took their refection together. As they were yet sitting at table and protracting the time with holy conference, the religious woman, his sister, entreated him, saying, “I beseech you, leave me not this night, that we may talk until morning of the joys of the heavenly life.” To whom he answered, “What is this you say, sister? By no means can I stay out of my monastery.”
At this time the sky was serene, and not a cloud was to be seen in the air. The holy woman, therefore, hearing her brother’s refusal, clasped her hands together upon the table, and bowing her head upon them, she prayed to Almighty God. As she raised up her head from the table, there began such vehement lightning and thunder, with such abundance of rain, that neither venerable Benedict nor his brethren were able to put foot out of doors. For the holy woman, when she leaned her head upon her hands, poured forth a flood of tears upon the table, by which she changed the fair weather into foul and rainy.
Then the man of God, perceiving that by reason of thunder and lightning, with continual showers of rain, he could not possibly return to his monastery, was sad and began to complain, saying, “God Almighty forgive you, sister, what is this you have done?” To whom she made answer, “I prayed you to stay and you would not hear me: I prayed to Almighty God and He heard me. Now, therefore, if you can, go forth to the monastery and leave me.” But he, not able to go forth, was forced to stay against his will. Thus it happened that they spent the night in watching, and received full content in spiritual discourse of heavenly matters.
In What Manner St. Benedict Saw St. Scholastica’s Soul
The next day the venerable woman returned to her cloister and the man of God to his monastery. When behold, three days after, while standing in his cell, he saw the soul of his sister depart out of her body and, in the form of a dove, ascend and enter into the celestial mansions. Who rejoicing much to see her great glory, gave thanks to God Almighty in hymns and praises, and announced her death to the brethren, whom he forthwith sent to bring her body to the monastery, and caused it to be buried in the same tomb that he had prepared for himself. By means of this it happened that, as their minds were always one in God, so also their bodies were not separated in their burial.
This article is taken from a chapter in The Life of St. Benedict by Pope St. Gregory the Great, which is available from TAN Books.
