His Pen Was Mightier Than A Sword

This morning they lay to rest my friend of 15 years, Fr. Eric Lies, OSB.

A monk at St. Meinrad Archabbey, one hour west of Louisville, I sought out Fr. Eric to see if he had any prints of his wonderful calligraphy, particularly a quote from Thomas Merton about Louisville (his famous “shining like the sun” quote). I was emboldened by his kindness to ask if he’d consider doing an original calligraphy of that quote for our church. “I can do that!” he said excitedly, completely undeterred by my non-Catholic status. “And I have some wonderful handmade paper that I can do it on. Would you like that?” 

Fr. Eric’s original hangs today in a place of honor outside our sanctuary.

Fr. Eric’s calligraphy also hangs in thousands of homes and offices and churches around the world. His knack for design, font, color, and text were beautiful beyond their words. I knew of his work probably 20 years before I knew his name.

The rare treat of Fr. Eric, though, went beyond his art. His heart was the real treasure.  Nurtured by many decades of devotion to God and to the work of Love, Fr. Eric’s soft hands and fleshy grin conveyed the mystery of sacred Love as poignantly as his pen did. My visits with him were a highlight of my regular trips to St. Meinrad. We’d talk of family, art, ministry, loving in an angry world, stability, patience, theology, and mostly about joy.

When Fr. Eric laughed, his head tilted back, his eyes closed, his smile widened across his face from ear to ear.  “Oh yes!” he’d chuckle.

He got older and, though it seemed impossible, sweeter. He spoke freely of his body’s limitations.  He was so proud of his motorized scooter. He felt so blessed to be where he was with the care he received. One day he told a group of an accident in his quarters. He raised his hand to cover his giggle as he admitted, “I pooped my pants!” and behind the wrinkled hand one could see the young teen who had come to the monastery almost 70 years earlier.

He was a frequent correspondent. His letters, once a piece of art in their on right, became shaky and short. “It is about time for me to put down the pen,” he wrote a few years ago.

His pen is down now, but of this I am certain: Fr. Eric Lies’ name is written, in calligraphy, in the Lamb’s book of Life. With a little flair at the end.