St. Gregory's chief reason for writing the DIALOGUES was to give encouragement to Christians at that time in history. Italy had suffered repeated invasions from Goths and Lombards sweeping down from northern Europe. Famine and plagues followed in the paths of these pillaging armies leaving the people confused and discouraged. St. Gregory wanted to remind the people that Italy was a land of great saints and that miracles did happen in their midst.

Of the four books of DIALOGUES, Book Two contains the story of the life of St. Benedict. St. Gregory used a writing style called hagiography to tell his stories. Hagiography is a stylized way of presenting the holy person as having the qualities and gifts comparable to those of Old Testament prophets, the Apostles, and Jesus.  In the DIALOGUES, the discussion takes place between the author and his deacon, Peter. The leading speaker dominates the conversation. The part Peter plays is that of asking questions so that St. Gregory has the opportunity to explain or draw out more insights for the reader. Peter's words also help the author in the flow of the presentation and explanation of miracles.

Because of the style of writing and the motivation for putting forth these lives of the great saints in Italy, it is helpful to hear the stories in a symbolic mode rather than being caught up in whether they are truly historical accounts. These stories continue to be part of our deep Benedictine tradition and provide a source of inspiration and encouragement.

The DIALOGUES begin with "Some years ago there lived a man who was revered for the holiness of his life. Blessed Benedict was his name, and he was blessed also with God's grace." St. Gregory goes on to relate that Benedict was born of noble parents at Norcia, a small town seventy miles northeast of Rome. He was sent by his parents to Rome to study. However, upon seeing the lifestyle of both teachers and students. Benedict turned his back on further study and sought the solitude of the countryside of Subiaco, south of Rome, where he lived as a hermit. The monk Romanus brought him food and books. Before long neighboring shepherds recognized his holiness and came for guidance.

Monks from a nearby monastery approached him and requested of him to become their Abbot. He left his solitude to join them but before long it was very clear that his strict leadership style and desire to establish order in the monastery was too much for these monks. They plotted to kill him by offering him poisoned wine. When Benedict made the Sign of the Cross over the wine, the pitcher was shattered! With that Benedict called the community together and told them it was impossible for him to stay there and he returned to his solitude at Subiaco.

Benedict's influence and holiness spread over the countryside. Before long great numbers of men gathered around him until he had established twelve monasteries of twelve monks and an abbot in each. Among those who came were the young boys, Maurus and Placid.

Several stories point out Benedict's compassion and understanding of his monks. Three of the monasteries stood on rocky heights which required the monks to carry water from the lake below. In answer to the monks' plea to move to another place, Benedict simply went to the rocky heights with the boy Placid. He prayed there for a long time, marked the spot with three stones, and then commanded the monks to dig in the marked place. As soon as the monks began to dig, water filled the hollow and welled up in a full stream of water.

At another time a Goth, who joined the monastery, was using a sickle to cut brush around the lake. He was working so hard that the blade slipped off the handle and flew into a deep place in the lake. St. Benedict was called and as soon as he took the handle of the tool and held it in the water, the blade rose from the bottom of the lake and slipped back on the handle. St. Benedict handed the sickle back to the Goth and told him, "Continue with your work now. There is no need to be upset."

In another story the boy Placid was getting water from a stream. As he was filling the bucket, he lost his balance and was pulled into the current of the stream. Inside the monastery Benedict was aware of what happened. He called out to Maurus, "Hurry, Brother Maurus! Brother Placid who just went down for water, has fallen into the stream, and the current is carrying him away." Maurus rushed to the stream in obedience to his Abbot and kept on running even over the water until he reached Placid. Only after getting back to dry land with Placid, did Maurus realize he had run on the surface of the water. Placid related, "I saw the Abbot's cloak over my head; he is the one I thought was bringing me to shore."  Because of the jealousy of a neighboring priest, Benedict left Subiaco and began anew at Monte Cassino, the site of a pagan temple. He established a monastery there and lived there until his death.

Another delightful story in the DIALOGUES relates the final visit between Benedict and his twin sister, Scholastica. They had a practice of meeting once a year to speak about the spiritual life. As evening approached and while they were at their meal Scholastica said, "Please do not leave me tonight, brother. Let us keep on talking about the joys of heaven until morning." Benedict protested and said he could not be out of his monastery overnight. With that Scholastica bowed her head and prayed. Immediately a severe storm arose so that Benedict could not leave. Realizing that he would not be able to return to the abbey, Benedict complained, "God forgive you, Sister! What have you done?" Scholastica simply answered, "When I appealed to you, you would not listen to me. So I turned to my God and he heard my prayer. Leave now if you can. Leave me and go back to your monastery." The next day both returned to their own monasteries. Three days later, as Benedict stood at the window in his room, looking into the sky, he saw his sister's soul entering heaven in the form of a dove.

The account of Benedict's death is symbolic of his whole life. He foretold the day of his death to some of the monks and on the day he was to die he asked to be carried to the chapel where he received the Eucharist. "Then, supporting his weakened body on the arms of his brethren, he stood with his hands raised to heaven and as he prayed, breathed his last." Several monks saw lights leading from the monastery east up into the heavens. An angel told them, "This is the road taken by Blessed Benedict, the Lord's beloved, when he went to heaven."

St. Gregory sums up the life of Benedict in this way: "If anyone wishes to grasp his character and life better, that person will find in the Rule, a complete statement of the Abbot's way of life, for the holy man cannot have taught otherwise than as he lived."