Saints Luke and Paul, and their relevance today

By Kaelanne Jordan

mediarelations.camsel@catholictt.org

Fr Benoît Standaert, a Belgian-born monk, and visiting priest at Mt St Benedict is taking faithful on a deep journey through the writings of two pivotal figures in Christian history: St Luke the Evangelist and St Paul the Apostle, in a series of engaging 20-minute videos, produced by Curtis Marcellin for the Mount Television Network.

In Series 1: St Luke, Fr Standaert brings his rich background in cross-cultural dialogue and religious understanding to illuminate the nuances of Luke’s message. The series explores how this Gospel is as relevant today as it was in the early Christian communities, offering fresh insights for modern-day believers.

When it comes to the Bible, Fr Standaert has always been drawn to the works of St Luke and St Paul. He finds that Luke, in particular, offers a rich narrative full of encounters and meaningful relationships, a theme he seeks to convey through his lectures.

He describes the structure of Luke’s Gospel as an architectural masterpiece, with carefully placed chapters that unfold a larger narrative about the Kingdom of God.

“Luke is capable of building a construction, a cathedral of seven chapters,” he explained, emphasising how Luke’s storytelling skilfully brings together important events in the life of Jesus.

“What I like to do is to expose the qualities that are typical for Luke in his way of telling stories, of valorising encounters. He is the great narrator of encounters. I give several examples of this,” Fr Standaert said.

One of the first talks that he gave is on Luke 4, the chapter of the Resurrection, with Jesus’ talk with the disciple of Emmaus and with the other disciple in Jerusalem.

“There you have the synthesis of Luke’s understanding about suffering, about cross, and Resurrection, glory. And the articulation of both, founded in the scriptures. The whole Acts of the Apostles that we will read during the Easter time is given the references to the Old Testament, where they prove that Jesus had to die….”

It is an invitation Fr Standaert said, to read Luke again in the light of this synthetic chapter 24, the last chapter “that is in fact the first chapter of the act.”

Paul’s letters

As a theologian, Fr Standaert is deeply appreciative of Paul’s letters, especially his thoughts on love, charity, and reciprocity. For him, Paul’s letters hold a special significance, particularly in how they reflect the complex relationship between human suffering and divine grace.

Fr Standaert’s reflections on Paul also extend to his teachings about community, a theme that has resonated deeply today, where individualism often prevails.

He notes Paul’s wisdom on reciprocal relationships, particularly in how we relate to those with whom we differ. He connects this to St Benedict’s Rule, where monks are called to live in harmony, respecting both authority and difference.

“In the rule of St Benedict, three times we have reciprocity on a basis of difference. The monk is obeying to the Abbot, and the Abbot is the Christ. But St Benedict insists the monk should obey the obedience of Christ to his Father, so that when both are there, it could happen, it should happen, that Christ meets Christ,” Fr Standaert explained.

In his personal life, he remains guided by the values of humility, compassion, and a constant search for deeper meaning. He often reflects on the phrase from St Paul: “When I am weak, then I am strong,” recognising “I know that is the way I should stand in life.”

In Series 2: St Paul, Fr Standaert will delve into the powerful letters of the Apostle Paul, exploring themes of grace, unity in Christ, and the mission of the Church across cultures.

Fr Standaert, whose first name is Benoît (the French version of Benedict), shared how his heritage is shaped by two cultures—Flemish and French—coming from Belgium’s diverse linguistic regions.

“I’m born in Belgium in the Flemish part of the country, but in a French-speaking family, with roots in the other part, so that I have two cultures in me from the very beginning,” he explained. This blend of influences ignited a deep interest in learning about other cultures, which led him to Africa, India, Japan, and various other parts of the world.

His global experience, particularly in interfaith dialogue, has been a key part of his monastic journey. Fr Standaert recounted his exposure to Latin American and African priests and catechists through a special institute where they came together for spiritual recycling.

“I got in contact with the whole world at that moment,” he recalled. His immersion in different traditions has helped him appreciate both the similarities and differences between religions.

One of the most memorable cross-cultural exchanges for Fr Standaert was his time in Japan, where he engaged in dialogue with Buddhist monks. “At the end, I could use 15 expressions at maximum, not much more. But the rituals of monks and the meditation and the teachings we got brought us closer and closer together,” he said. This experience taught him the importance of respect and understanding, even when there are profound philosophical differences.

Fr Standaert highlighted the mutual enrichment that comes from different cultural practices. For example, he noted the aesthetic sensibility of the Japanese, who place great importance on the act of putting a flower in a vase.

“They have immediately a sense of the flower. And through that, they say something about life, about meaning,” he explained. This appreciation for beauty has inspired him to rediscover aspects of his own Christian tradition that were “neglected.”

He drew parallels with the “sense of feast” seen in African and local liturgical music, particularly the powerful presence of African rhythms in Catholic Masses. “I like that,” he said.

Fr Standaert’s reflections on liturgy are equally profound. He expressed a deep love for the Kyrie [Eleison (‘Lord have mercy’] noting: “It is so deep-going and simple. We don’t have anything like that. As soon as you start with the choir to sing, my whole life is touched. And I will miss that.”

To view the series visit curtismarcellin.com and click the link ‘THE WORD’. Or scan the QR codes on this page.