What about Saint Benedict?

12 JULY 2009. What is that? What happened to a post on Saint Benedict's feast day, which was yesterday? Well, I apologize for the delay, but our family has had a difficult weekend. Suffice it to say, the economic downturn became very personal on Friday.

So, I did not neglect to think about a post on Saint Benedict, but the ability to write one escaped me. In lieu of a tardy, and what are always my feeble attempts, a well done summary of Saint Benedict, thanks to EWTN, can be found here.

Prayer

Glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of virtue,
pure vessel of God's grace!
Behold me humbly kneeling at your feet.
I implore you in your loving kindness
to pray for me before the throne of God.
To you I have recourse
in the dangers that daily surround me.
Shield me against my selfishness
and my indifference to God and to my neighbor.
Inspire me to imitate you in all things.
May your blessing be with me always,
so that I may see and serve Christ in others
and work for His kingdom.

Graciously obtain for me from God
those favors and graces which I need
so much in the trials, miseries, and afflictions of life.
Your heart was always full of love,
compassion, and mercy toward those who were afflicted
or troubled in any way.
You never dismissed without consolation and assistance
anyone who had recourse to you.
I therefore invoke your powerful intercession,
confident in the hope that you will hear my prayers
and obtain for me the special grace
and favor I earnestly implore (mention your favor).

Help me, great St. Benedict,
to live and die as a faithful child of God,
to run in the sweetness of His loving will,
and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven.

Amen.

IMAGE: Saints.SQPN.com