Benedict: the Pope and the Saint

Today I was reading some remarks Pope Benedict made about St. Benedict on July 10, 2005.  The Pope pointed out that the Saint Benedict taught his monks that the search for God is the fundamental - the one and only - aim of life.  As the Saint said, "Prefer nothing to Christ".

Pope Benedict then proceeded in one sentence make a statement about this, that the sentence itself was worthy of an entire homily and hours of meditation.  In one sentence, the Holy Father summarized what should be the contents of an entire book - and I really want to read that book, so I wish somebody would sit down and write it.

The Pope's sentence started out:  "Holiness consists of this" referring to the Saint's teaching to prefer nothing to Christ.  Pope Benedict describes St. Benedict's teaching as a "sound proposal for every Christian"  He goes on to suggest that making that proposal is "a real and urgent pastoral  need in our time." 

I interpret this as meaning that here and now, "in our time" (which the Pope describes as being "when we feel the need to anchor life and history to sound spiritual references") there is a "real and urgent" need for our priests to propose to every Catholic that we strive for holiness in our lives and to inform us that holiness consists in preferring nothing to Christ.

How many times have we been reminded that we are ALL called to holiness?  That we are to be holy as our Father in Heaven is holy?  But no one has ever explained to us how we sinners could ever possibly attain that holiness?  Here the Pope reminds us that the Saint has already explained it:  Prefer nothing to Christ.

In his remarks, Pope Benedict  went on to remind us that, "Mary Most Holy is a sublime and perfect model of holiness who lived in constant and profound communion with Christ."

Of course, I feel the need to state the obvious and  to connect the dots.  In all her life from birth to the present day, Mary never preferred anything to Christ.  He was her son, her Lord and her Savior.  She preferred Him to life itself, and as the Pope said, "Holiness consists of this." 

Recently I have spent a lot of time considering the grace of humility.  Thinking about the Pope's remarks, I have come to the conclusion that humility also consists of preferring nothing to Christ.  Mary, perfect model of holiness" is also a model of humility precisely because she preferred nothing to Christ.  Preferring Christ above all else, she happily embraced the role of "handmaid of the Lord."  Likewise, if I prefer Christ above all else, particularly above myself, I cannot be proud or haughty. 

Here is the Pope's sentence just as he spoke it.  Ignore my thoughts and pray and meditate over it.

Holiness consists of this, a sound proposal for every Christian that has become a real and urgent pastoral need in our time, when we feel the need to anchor life and history to sound spiritual references.

Here is the link where you can read his remarks in their entirety.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/angelus/2005/documents/hf_ben-xvi_ang_20050710_en.html