The Feast of St. Scholastica

February 10th Readings Reflection: Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

Today is the feast of St. Scholastica, the twin sister of St. Benedict. The siblings were raised in a wealthy family, but both felt called to live vows of voluntary poverty in the context of religious life. St. Benedict established his famous Rule for religious orders, and St. Scholastica founded an order of religious women who followed her brother’s rule. Thus, St. Scholastica was the first abbess of the Benedictine Order, which still exists to this day.

There is a beautiful story pertaining to these holy siblings that was recorded by Pope St. Gregory the Great. In accordance with their strict Rule, the two religious siblings only saw each other once a year. Three days before St. Scholastica’s holy death, she and her brother spent the day together in prayer and holy conversation. When it was evening, St. Benedict noted that it was time for him to return to his monastery. St. Scholastica begged him to remain in order that they may continue their conversation about God. St. Benedict insisted that he must return to his cell as part of his Rule. St. Scholastica began to pray, and immediately, a severe lightning storm arose, preventing St. Benedict from returning to his monastery until the next day.¹ For this reason, St. Scholastica is the patron saint against storms.

This beautiful incident shows the depths of St. Scholastica’s love for her brother, as well as her great faith in God. Appropriately, today’s Gospel is the account of Our Lord’s feeding a crowd of four thousand people. Nature is subject to the will of God, Who has established its order and regularity. As the Creator of nature, God alone has the authority and power to perform miracles that contradict the laws of nature, as He did in multiplying the loaves and fish to feed crowds.

Jesus Himself told us, “[I]f you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove from hence hither, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you” (Mt 17:19 DRB). St. Scholastica demonstrated the truth of this promise when she prayed that she might remain talking with her brother one last time. May her example inspire us to pray with greater faith, trusting that God will always answer our prayers in accordance with His holy Will.

St. Scholastica, ora pro nobis!

“Death of St. Scholastica,” at the Basilica of Kleinmariazell. Source: Wikimedia Commons

1. “Saint Scholastica,” at My Catholic Life, www.mycatholic.life.