From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
June 26th - Saint Maxentius of Poitou
Also known as Masenzio, Massenzio, Maixent
THE French town of Saint-Maixent, in the department of Deux S=C3=A8vres,
covers the place once occupied by the cell of St. Maxentius and the
adjacent monastery, which he ruled. The saint was born at Agde, on the
Gulf of Lyons, about the year 445, and received in baptism the name of
Adjutor. Under the watchful care of the abbot St. Severus, to whom his
parents entrusted him as a child, he grew up a model of Christian virtue--extolled by most of his fellow religious, but regarded with
jealousy by a few. Praise was even more distasteful to him than
detraction, and to escape the prominence into which he was being
thrust, he quietly slipped away from Agde and remained in hiding for
two years. But when at the end of that time he came back to his home
he found himself in a position of far greater publicity. For his
return happened to coincide with a break in the weather after a
prolonged drought, and he was acclaimed as a saviour and a
wonder-worker. Obviously, he must sever all ties with the past if he
was to lead a life of obscurity. A second time he disappeared and this
time he abandoned his native Narbonnaise for good. He made his way as
far as Poitou, where he entered a community in the valley of Vauclair
presided over by Abbot Agapitus. More completely to efface the past,
he changed his name to that of Maxentius.
If he could thus conceal his identity, he could not long conceal his
sanctity. His austerity was such that he took no food but barley bread
and water, he prayed so constantly that his back became bent.
Moreover, he was credited with the gift of miracles. By the unanimous
vote of his brethren he was elected superior about the year 500.
During the war that raged a few years later between Clovis, King of
the Franks, and Alaric the Visigoth, the inhabitants of Poitou
suffered much from the violence of soldiers and marauders. One day a
band of armed men advanced threateningly upon the monastery of
Vauclair and struck terror into the hearts of the monks, who implored
St. Maxentius to save them. He reassured them and calmly sallied out
to meet the hostile party. One of the soldiers upraised his arm to
strike the abbot down with his sword. He found himself unable to lower
his arm it remained as though paralysed until St. Maxentius restored
it through the application of blessed oil.
Following the example of his predecessor Agapitus, St. Maxentius laid
down his office at the approach of old age and shut himself up in a
cell at a little distance from the monastery and there he died at the
age of 70, about the year 518.
Two texts or recensions of a medieval life of St. Maxentius are
preserved. The shorter was printed by Mabillon, in his Acta Sanctorum
O.S.B. the longer by the Bollandists in vol. vii for June. Neither
seems very reliable as an historical document. Some time ago, the
story of St. Maxentius was the subject of animated discussion in the
Revue des Questions Historiques see the years 1883 and 1888. There
have been several lives in French.
Saint Quote:
Faith is a great virtue; but without charity it can be of no use to
us. Keep and preserve, with the utmost care, the precious gift of true
faith, pure faith, faith without reproach. Let this burning, fervent,
and invincible faith, which obtained an immortal crown for the Holy
Confessors, be the immortal ornament of your soul.
-- St. Bernard
Bible Quote:
1 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are round about him; righteousness and justice
are the foundation of his throne.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the e= arth.
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his gl= ory.
9 For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;
you art exalted far above all gods. [Psalm 97:1-2,5-6,9]
<><><><>
=E2=80=9CAt Christmas He was born a man;
today He is reborn sacramentally.
Then He was born from the Virgin;
today He is born in mystery.
When He was born a man,
His mother Mary held Him close to her heart;
when He is born in mystery,
God the Father embraces Him
with His voice when he says:
This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased: listen to Him.
The mother caresses the tender baby on her lap;
the Father serves His Son by His loving testimony.
The mother holds the child for the Magi to adore;
the Father reveals that His Son
is to be worshiped by all the nations.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CThe light of Christ
is an endless day
that knows no night.=E2=80=9D
--St Maximus of Turin (? =E2=80=93 c 420)
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)