A Life of Receptivity and Gratitude

In today’s reading from the Rule of St. Benedict at morning prayer, the proper amount of drink is discussed; Benedict believes that half a bottle of wine a day for each monk is sufficient, but “where local circumstances dictate an amount much less than what is stipulated above, or even none at all, those who live there should bless God and not grumble.” In reflecting on this passage, Terrence Kardong, OSB, notes, “…there is a deeper asceticism that consists of accepting cheerfully whatever life presents.”

Sr. Alice Brentano, who died last week on Holy Saturday, was a skilled practitioner of this receptivity to what life presents. Because of her abiding trust in God, she accepted whatever happened with equanimity, and that translated into a calmness, cheerfulness, and nonjudgmental approach to life that was a great gift to her students, colleagues, and community. Despite the diminishment she experienced in her final years as a result of chronic health problems, she was grateful for the simple gifts of each new day of life—talking with family members, playing a game of cards with her beloved classmates, or enjoying pizza or ice cream.

Abraham Joshua Heschel once said, “When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.” Throughout her life, Sr. Alice showed us the face of God through her gentleness and kindness. She helped ease the challenges of living together in community by following Paul’s advice in Colossians 3:12, 15: “Put on, then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience…. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.”

Sr. Alice chose to put the following Scripture quote on her holy card: “I will never stop thanking God” (Ps. 34:1). We in turn will never stop thanking God for her life and faithfulness to her monastic call.