Did you know that a flock of Ravens is called a “Conspiracy” or “unkindness?” For St. Benedict the conspiracy was often amongst his brethren. His raven friend however, exemplified St. Benedict’s vision of humility, expressing it through obedience, moderation, and service.
The Story
St. Benedict regularly fed a raven from his own portion of bread, forming a gentle and trusting relationship. When a jealous priest poisoned his bread, the saint calmly told the raven to carry the loaf away and dispose of it where it could harm no one. The raven was unsure at first and needed some encouragement, but as a remarkable act of obedience; the raven flew off with the bread, trusted in St. Benedict’s directive, and returned later, unharmed.
Relationships
Obedience is an action that builds trusting relationships. St. Benedict’s own obedience toward the feeding and care of his friend meant that the raven was easily able to exhibit trust and follow-through when it was really needed. It is easy to see why this is an important component within St. Benedict’s teachings. When living in community, we must be able to build up and support one another through this type of mutual respect, especially when difficult circumstances arise.
This story also illustrates the profound truth: When we show kindness and moderation in our care of creation, we open ourselves up to receiving blessings in return. In our own lives, the bonds we form with pets offer a similar kind of spiritual nourishment. They teach us patience, unconditional love, and open us to joy. Pets are a living example for us of what it is like to slow down and appreciate the little things: The satisfaction of a good nap in the sun or absorbing oneself in the moment while at play, for example.
You are not alone
The Rule calls leaders to humility, transparency, contentment, and obedience (Chapter 5–12), as part of fostering mutual care among companions and Creation itself. Leaders do not have to feel alone in that work. We have Holy Spirit to send us wisdom in how to treat the beings we support. Isn’t that a wonderful feeling to know that when times get difficult, we have someone who shares this with us. This is why we invite you to our annual Blessing of the Animals on Saturday October 4 from 10:30-11:30am. It is a time to honor our relationship with the Lord and with our beloved animal companions.
