Happy Saint Benedicts Day , I say
As my friend and I meet at a little cafe.
First, we talk of children and chores,
little summer trips to other shores.
Then ,we moan of the bores and whores
And all the tales of unjust wars.
At last , we trade each others prayers
that likeminded we share
Words battered bravely on heavens doors.
How shall we finish these days ,my friend ?
Old , with our days petitely numbered?
Health and wealth dwindle . Do we simply fight our own slumber?
It is Saint Benedict’s day, I again say
How random you are in what you say?
Does it matter at all ?
He made some rules 1500 years ago or so
do we need more rules ?
We hardly keep our two?
Yes we hardly love our neighbor and self ,
less our God, the author
Who writes stories we twist to regret.
And lose children He ordained to beget.
An author who awes us with stars and atoms
but disappoints as we shrink below what we try to fathom
I must break for bathrooom and a refill ,
we will get back to this fella Benedict
So what are these rules? Do they matter if we have commands?
Rules keep us in the command so we can journey to the place where there are no rules.
I explain “ I heard this from another old man , “
Silence whispers “ sit with humility” I stop talking what I do not know. .
Where’s that place of no rules , she swats a fly.
Heaven , I guess, I swat the fly as well.
Do you want another cup of coffee? I think you need one. You are awfully silent.
Yes , I suppose.
She walks inside the coffee shop. I look at the sparrow picking up the crumb of my Corssaint .
The sparrow seems to say “prefer nothing to the Love of Christ “ And then …
I remember … to remember ,
it only takes a crumb to remember.
That children and chores, all trips to other shores
the bores and whores and disrupting wars.
These prayers knocking feebly on heavens doors.
While every day numbered by dwindling strength and time,
These all will be put to flight like little birds and flies
when I prefer Thine who calls me Mine.
_____________________________
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 10:29-33 ESV
https://malcolmguite.wordpress.com/2025/07/11/a-sonnet-for-st-benedict-13/
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