A Legacy of Trust

Fear is an ancient companion of humans. As we just read in my class on the Pentateuch, when God brought the Israelites to the shores of the Promised Land after their ordeal of slavery in Egypt, they were too scared to enter the land, even though Moses assured them that God would be with them. Thus, fear is directly related to humility; when we believe we have only ourselves to rely on, we act out of fear, whereas when we recognize that our lives are in the hands of God, we act out of trust.

I have been preparing a presentation on Mount St. Scholastica for an upcoming novice conference, and this characteristic of confidence in God’s care is a thread throughout the community’s 155-year history. In 1863, seven Benedictine sisters traveled to Atchison, Kansas, from St. Cloud, Minnesota, not knowing what provisions had been made for them, only to discover a newly built convent awaiting their arrival. When they outgrew this building and Price Villa became available for purchase across town in 1877, they took on the risk of a $25,000 debt to provide space for their growing community and school. In 1923, the community built a huge four-story building (plus basement) for a new college, even though they had only seven students at the time.

How did these women develop such a high level of trust that God would provide for their needs? As Mother Evangelista Kremmeter, the Mount’s first prioress, noted in a journal entry, “The love of Jesus keeps me from fearfulness.” Love casts out all fear, as the early Christian community demonstrated with their joyful witness to the resurrected Jesus. This same love has seen Mount St. Scholastica through many challenges and will continue to be our anchor as we maintain our own witness of prayer and hospitality in the midst of a rapidly changing world.