In southern Italy in 1070, a family of nobles welcomed a new son to their family, and they named the baby John. In his early teens, he left his family to pursue a life of penance. He moved from town to town, found work as a shepherd, then eventually founded a small monastic community. He led his community and preached, then decided he needed to go to the Holy Land. He didn’t make it far, however, and soon realized that his place was in Italy. He started another community in Pulsano with six disciples and followed the Rule of St. Benedict. After it grew in size to 60 monks in only half a year, he started another community… then another. He died in 1139 of natural causes.
CHALLENGE
When he first left home, St. John of Pulsano lived and worked in a Benedictine community, but left because the monks looked down on his life of extreme austerity, thinking he was trying to get attention or make them look bad. Do you look down on other people who, when it comes to their faith life, “do it better than you”? Today, change your attitude. Try to emulate them, not look down on them.
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