O Brother, How Art Thou?
The story of St Scholastica
10th Feb is the Feast Day of much overlooked and ignored St Scholastica. This might be surprising since the name ‘Scholastica’ is quite distinctive. Perhaps the problem is that it evokes images of dusty libraries and medieval scholastics arguing over the number of angels who can dance on the head of a pin.
Scholastica is, in fact, the twin sister of St Benedict, founder of the Benedictine Order. They were born into a noble Christian family in Nursia, Italy. From a young age, both siblings were deeply spiritual. In time, Benedict set out for Rome to pursue his studies, leaving Scholastica behind.
But as siblings, they remained very close. Scholastica established a hermitage a few miles away from Benedict’s own monastery at Monte Cassino. Here she attracted a following of some kind from other women who wanted to devote themselves to God. She is, therefore, credited as the founder of the Benedictine Nuns.
The most famous episode in her life, however, took place at one of her annual meetings with her brother where they would discuss matters of faith. They would meet at a farmhouse since Benedict would not be able to receive his sister at his monastery, and it would be unseemly for Scholastica to have any man back to her hermitage or convent.
One particular meeting saw their conversation last deep into the night. Benedict realised he must stick to his own rules and not spend a night away from his monastery. In response to her brother's refusal to stay, Scholastica turned to prayer. A torrential storm blew up, making it impossible for Benedict to leave. It would seem God honoured the affection Scholastica had for her brother.
Three days later, Benedict saw a dove ascend to heaven and knew Scholastica had passed away. Her body was brought to his monastery and placed in the tomb he had prepared for himself.
The story is recounted by Aldhelm, Anglo-Saxon bishop of Sherborne (639-709) in the De Laude Virginitatis, written for the nuns at Barking. His feast day is 25th May, so maybe we’ll think more about him then, not least because Sherborne Abbey is about ten minutes by car from my house. I might even make a short video.
It’s What She Would Have Wanted
How can we commemorate St Scholastica, should we be so inclined? I have found very little in the way of traditional celebrations, but how about this?
Call your brother. Skype your sister. Get in touch.
We live in a mobile society. Many leave home to go to university, only returning decades later, principally to visit parents, or care for them. Sibling relationships are rarely a primary consideration. David Goodhart writes about this brilliantly in his book Road to Somewhere, which explains an awful lot about the divisions in our society revealed by Brexit. Some of your siblings may live on the other side of the world. I have two sisters in the Southern Hemisphere. Relationships with siblings can often become threadbare.
But we don’t need to pray for storms. We have astonishingly miraculous technology at our fingertips and in our pockets. Decades ago, a phonecall to Australia would have been eye-wateringly expensive. Now, it’s one tap on Facebook Messenger and suddenly it’s a video call with six households. What would Scholastica have given for that?
In my own case, it was technology and Covid that brought us closer together. As a family, we made an effort to speak to each other on a ‘family chat’ every Sunday morning at 9am. It’s not always possible for me to attend because of church commitments. But it has been wonderful over the last few years. As a result, we also swap more news and photos during the week. We are now closer.
Siblings and Christian Living
Siblings are often left out of the conversation when it comes to Christian living and discipleship. Christians who become heavily involved in churches may consider their fellow congregants to be their ‘true’ brothers and sisters. And they are, in a spiritual sense. But there is a special intimacy between siblings who grow up together – and remember what you were like when you were six and what you were like during your Goth phase. You can’t hide from your siblings. And that’s a good thing.
You have a special secret language full of catchphrases and call backs. One from my own family is a line for a TV comedy that even I can’t remember the name of. But the line is ‘I don’t wanna go round the world. It’s boring.’ We still say that to each other, which is comic since two of my sisters actually live on the other side of the world. Another line is from Secret Squirrel: “Quick, Morocco! Swallow this pill. I’ll explain later.” I guess you had to be there.
Siblings are often left out in the conversation about married life vs single life. I don’t propose to kick that hornet’s nest here, but every family has a couple of sisters who never married but lived together for their whole lives. We look at that with a hint of vicarious regret. Would it have been better if they’d lived alone? I don’t think so.
Call to Action
Given that you probably don’t live with a sibling, for St Scholastica’s sake, call your sister. Skype your brother. And tell them I sent you. Only half-joking. But if you could mention this blog, that’d be nice. In fact, share it using this button:
The TRUTH About the Good Samaritan
Meanwhile, over at The Gospel According to a Sitcom Writer Podcast, you can listen to a sequel to the parable of the Good Samaritan, who has more in the way of tough love for the Prodigal Son…