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Loving
through the ideals of Saint Benedict
Eileen M. Rafferty ‘06
On Oct.1, the Rev. Columba Stewart O.S.A. from St. John’s
University and Abbey discussed “Benedictine Spirituality: Life Together
for God, Self and Neighbor,” the first of a series of lectures about
the “Contemporary Perspectives on Catholic Spirituality.”
At St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., Father Stewart
is currently the curator of Research Collections, senior research fellow
in Eastern Christianity and director of the Eastern Mediterranean Manuscript
Initiative.
Beginning with a brief background on St. Benedict followed by an introduction
of customary Benedictine phrases and themes, Father Stewart then concentrated
on three fundamental concepts: learning to love, loving and loving when
it costs.
“Love is never theoretical, never particular and always challenging,”
stated Father Stewart. He explained how the forces of desire and anger
prevent humanity from attaining love and how awareness can aid in redirecting
these negative energies.
With the interweaving of quotations and examples, Father Stewart stressed
the recognition of Christ in others through the Benedictine ideals of
hospitality and mutual obedience. “How do you treat the ones you
love?” he asked. “How do you treat those who have made life
more difficult for you?” According to Father Stewart, everyone--
even those who provide us with a constant challenge-- is Christ.
“Whatever form of life we are in,” Father Stewart asserted,
“It comes down to the same thing-- simple availability to each other.”
He continued to emphasize the importance of serving each other in love,
not in obligation. “Today, we may be carrying someone’s cross;
tomorrow, we may need someone to carry our cross. Let’s hope those
we count on have learned to love just as we have.”
At St. John’s Abbey, Father Stewart is also a member of the abbot’s
staff, the director of formation, the chair of the Formation Committee
and the Abbey Liturgy Committee. He has published articles in a variety
of journals and has authored several books. His most recent book is Prayer
and Community: The Benedictine Tradition.
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