The Gospel verses for the Memorial of St. Benedict follow Jesus’ interaction with the Rich Young Man in Matthew’s Gospel. We can look upon today’s verses as ‘part two’ of that story. The young man asked Jesus what he needed to do to attain eternal life and brags that he has kept the commandments. Jesus then responds, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mt. 19:21) The young man goes away sad for, Matthew tells us, “he had many possessions”. (Mt. 19:22c)
What Jesus is teaching is the need for spiritual detachment. St. Benedict, whose memorial we celebrate today, teaches us a lot about this detachment.
St. Benedict is the founder of the Benedictine Order, a monsastic order still in existence today. His Rule of St. Benedict not only is followed in the Benedictine Order, but other monastic orders as well. In addition, many lay people have looked to apply the Rule within their own lives as well and many Benedictine monasteries have “oblate” programs that assist lay people in adapting the Rule to their vocations.
In the rule, Benedict writes that monks should “put Christ before all else”. This is also the case for all Christians. This is where detachment is critical in our lives as Christians. Our focus in life cannot be the worldly concerns that we face. This goes beyond the material. How often we clutter our hearts with our concerns for comfort, praise, trying to fulfill our own will and getting others to do our will. All this leads to is greater anxiety, frustration and eventually anger.
We detach ourselves from the worldly concerns and from our egos so we may attach ourselves to the Lord, in whose image and likeness we have been made and who desires that we live in joy.
Living in Love with God 
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