Pope Leo IV is doing amazing work in unifying Christian Catholics across the globe. I loved reading about a recent audience he had with some Benedictine Monks. As many of you know, St. Benedict has been one of my Saint buddies since I was introduced to him on pilgrimage many years ago. The Saint Benedict Medal walks with me daily through much of my jewelry to ground me in faith.
The St. Benedict Medal is a Christian sacramental medal with deep symbolism and meaning, particularly within the Benedictine tradition. It’s often referred to as the “devil-chasing medal” due to its association with Protection against evil and temptation. The medal’s power is believed to come from the faith of the wearer and the prayers associated with it, rather than from any inherent magical quality. But I digress.
I love this challenge for us to create our own “inner cell” and become modern-day monks:
It is not a matter of abandoning the challenges of our time,” the Pope said, but of “inhabiting them with the depth of those who know how to be silent and listen to the Word of God, so that it might be brought to light within a changing culture.
There’s something comforting in remembering that the early Church began not in grandeur, but in vulnerability. The fragility of those humble beginnings reminds us that our own limitations don’t negate the power of the Gospel. It continues to spread its beauty like a quiet fragrance, subtle and unmistakable.
Pope Leo IV calls us back to that original fire: to reform what has grown rigid, to renew what has grown weary, and to simplify what has become tangled. Not for nostalgia’s sake—but for the good of all. Because Christian life, lived authentically and courageously, still has the power to stretch our vision and expand our breath.
Even in our fragility, there’s strength. And in our returning, there’s renewal.
Smitten With Goodness 