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Vigils Reading – St Benedict
July 11
A SOUL THAT SEES ITS CREATOR
From the Dialogues of St Gregory the Great5
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Long before the night office began, Benedict was standing at his window,
where he watched and prayed while the rest were still asleep. In the dead of night
he suddenly beheld a flood of light shining down from above more brilliant than
the sun, and with it every trace of darkness cleared away. Another remarkable
sight followed. According to his own description, the whole world was gathered
up before his eyes in what appeared to be a single ray of light. As he gazed at all
this dazzling display, he saw the soul of Germanus, the Bishop of Capua, being
carried by angels up to heaven in a ball of fire.
Wishing to have someone else witness this great marvel, he called out for
Servandus, repeating his name two or three times in a loud voice. As soon as he
heard the Saint’s call, Servandus rushed to the upper room and was just in time
to catch a final glimpse of the miraculous light. He remained speechless with
wonder as Benedict described everything that had taken place. Then without any
delay the man of God instructed the devout Theoprobus to go to Cassino and have
a messenger sent to Capua that same night to find out what had happened to
Germanus. In carrying out these instructions the messenger discovered that the
revered bishop was already dead. When he asked for further details, he learned
that his death had occurred at the very time blessed Benedict saw him carried
into heaven.
To understand this miracle, let us keep in mind that all creation is bound
to appear small to a soul that sees the Creator. Once it beholds a little of His light,
it finds all creatures small indeed. The light of holy contemplation enlarges and
expands the mind in God until it stands above the world. In fact, the soul that
sees Him rises even above itself, and as it is drawn upward in His light all its inner
powers unfold. Then, when it looks down from above, it sees how small
everything is that was beyond its grasp before.
How else was it possible for this man to behold the ball of fire and watch
the angels on their return to heaven except with light from God? Why should it
surprise us, then, that he could see the whole world gathered up before him after
this inner light had lifted him so far above the world? Of course, in saying that
the world was gathered up before his eyes I do not mean that heaven and earth
grew small, but that his spirit was enlarged. Absorbed as he was in God, it was
now easy for him to see all that lay beneath God. In the light outside that was
shining before his eyes, there was a brightness which reached into his mind and
lifted his spirit heavenward, showing him the insignificance of all that lies below.
5 Dialogues, Bk II, ch 35.10