Customer Reviews

Man of Blessing: A Life of St. Benedict

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In twenty-eight riveting chapters, medieval scholar Carmen Butcher makes this sixth-century Christian come alive. Her sinewy writing and animated dialogue take us back in time to the beautiful Umbrian landscape and the violent wars of Benedict's day. We relive the moment when the proud Ostrogothic King Totila comes face-to-face with this humble saint, and we see how the king's life is changed forever. We also encounter lessons of trust and spiritual growth as Abbot Benedict turns to God in times of drought and conflict. Butcher makes this old story twenty-first-century relevant in her dynamic re-telling. Bonus features include a map of Benedict's Italy, a chapter-by-chapter summary of Benedict's "Rule," and a list of former popes with the name "Benedict." Butcher also tells us the meaning of the name "Benedict" and why the current pope chose this name. This hardback is beautiful and definitely worth reading. A sampling from the last chapter is below:

One summer, many years later, a deeply troubled woman found
herself wandering day and night, up and down and through the
mountains and valleys and forests and fields near Benedict's
cave in Subiaco. Like a strayed lamb, she was completely
confused. Nothing was familiar. All of her life's usual
emotional and physical signposts had vanished and, because
of this, her mind had totally lost its bearings. She could
no longer think logically. Once her best friend, analysis
had become her greatest weakness and biggest foe. . . . .She
had been wandering randomly, but she had not missed the
right way, for this unremarkable-looking cave was Benedict's
old home at Subiaco. Here the young hermit had spent three
long years praying alone with God and cultivating the garden
of his soul. This was where Benedict had learned about the
mysterious, unending nature of God's kind, agape love. But
this soul-sick woman did not know this. She did, however,
understand she could lie in this inviting space and escape
the summer heat and rains. She was also somehow drawn to its
emotional warmth. She entered its blessed walls and slept
there that night.

What happens next is proof of the wonderful healing of God!

This lovely, charming book gives us the life of St. Benedict in the format used by ancient biographers to tell the life of a saint. Each chapter is a small story, an episode in his life, that has a lesson for us embedded into it. And like all ancient saint biographies, there is an air of "magical realism" in that whether or not the miracle actually happened as recorded doesn't really matter. A lesson is imparted to us that holds a higher truth. It is strange that this man, Benedict, who lived 1500 years ago can seem so contemporary in ways. His rule of life has certainly remained meaningful and is lived by many people today, both monastics and lay people. The author well describes Benedict's sense of spiritual and psychological balance, his kindness, and gifts as a spiritual father. I recommend this fine book to anyone who practices lectio, or just wants to learn more about Benedict.

"Benedict's life was a series of risings in the dark." This
is the opening sentence of the Introduction, and it sets the
stage for all the risings we will read about regarding this
amazing saint.

Carmen Acevedo Butcher has written a book that vividly portrays
a man born about 480 AD. whose life was about rising above many
different kinds of challenges in his world and whose RULE
was to become the foundation of Western monasticism as well
as a spiritual guide for believers.

About half-way through the book is the best lesson of
Benedict's rule: "There is always more to learn. We are all
always beginners. Kindness is never complete." (A summary
of Benedict's RULE is in Appendix A.)

MAN OF BLESSING is full of information told in an engaging way. At the end of the book I felt I had spent time in the
presence of this saint--and that the time was well-spent.

Dr. Butcher's writing style is inviting and her expertise in the
Middle Ages makes MAN OF BLESSING an interesting and
informative read.

MAN OF BLESSING is a delightful account of the inspiring life of St. Benedict. Carmen Butcher's gift for language and love for etymology shine through this book and make it both enjoyable and informative. The dramatic story of the transformation of Benedict from the humble hermit of Subiaco to the gentle abbot of Monte Cassino offers a unique glimpse into the often secluded world of Benedictine monastic orders. This book also details the context in which Benedict develops his continuously refined "Rule", which becomes the definitive guidebook for future monastic societies. The value of charity, humility, and poverty personified in this saint of old, still has relevance today. Once again one is reminded that less is always more in the Kingdom of God, and that there is no limit to what God can do with a life that is totally yielded to Him. The impact of such a man of blessing truly is incalculable. Butcher makes this quiet figure of history sing praises once more!!

Butcher describes Benedict's Rule, writing, "Its honest voice and kind simplicity draw the reader in completely." However, this does not only describe Benedict's Rule, but also characterizes Carmen Butcher's book, Man of Blessing. I thoroughly enjoyed every word, right down to the appendix where Butcher summarizes the 73 chapters of the Rule. She makes this ancient text accessible to anyone lucky enough to pick up her book. Butcher's investigation into who Benedict was and how he got that way is intriguing and enlightening. The constant delving into word history brings us closer to the heart of Benedict and the words he would have used to communicate with those he loved: his followers and his Leader. By defining Benedict's rule as "...a spiritual guide designed- not for mystics or superhumans- but for the average person wanting to commune with God and enjoy a more meaningful life," Butcher gives a picture of Benedict's Rule, while at the same time defining her own book as well.

As a Catholic law student currently taking a course on Western Legal Tradition, I found this book to provide a wonderful supplement to my course. St. Benedict's compilation of the Rule is an admirable life endeavor and an incredible process of perfecting "laws" applicable to living a faith-filled life. His life story written with an eye to the academic reader, as well as those readers seeking knowledge of his life given our current Pope's namesake, is an easy, informative, and inspirational read.

In deceptively simple prose, the author paints a picture of St. Benedict and the Middle Ages that stands as a mirror for our time. Each chapter is short and often organized around a theme (eg. my favorite, a chapter on prideful careerism leading to demonic possession) and makes for a good meditation before going to sleep. In spite of the book's simplicity--or because of it--Benedict stands out as a truly important figure in European history.

This book was very inspirational. After reading this book I purchased a St. Benedict Medal. If only more people had faith to take up their crosses and use it as a weapon against evil. To talk to God as if you have been friends forever, to find serenity and love in his arms, to feel completley at home.