Thus says the LORD: When Israel was a child I loved him, out of Egypt I called my son. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, who took them in my arms; I drew them with human cords, with bands of love; I fostered them like one who raises an infant to his cheeks; Yet, though I stooped to feed my child, they did not know that I was their healer. (Hos 11:1-4, 8a-9)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071124.cfm
Today we celebrate the father of Western monasticism. Although there were monks before Saint Benedict, his rule for monasteries, known for its moderation and common sense, became the template for the rules of many religious orders. The first words of the Rule of Saint Benedict are: “Listen carefully, my son, to the master’s instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. This is advice from a father who loves you; welcome it, and faithfully put it into practice.”
