From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
March 21st =E2=80=93 St. Benedict, Father of Western Monasticism
Saint Benedict, blessed by grace as his prophetic name seemed to
foretell, was born of a noble Italian family in Umbria, in the year
480. As a boy he showed great inclination for virtue, and maturity in
his actions. He was sent to Rome at the age of 7, to be placed in the
public schools. At the age of 14, alarmed by the licentiousness of the
Roman youth, he fled to the desert mountains of Subiaco, 40 miles from
Rome, and was directed by the Holy Spirit into a deep, craggy, and
almost inaccessible cave, since known as the Holy Grotto. He lived
there for 3 years, unknown to anyone save a holy monk named Romanus,
who clothed him with the monastic habit and brought him food.
He was eventually discovered, when, one Easter day, God advised a
priest who lived about four miles from there, to take food to His
servant, who was starving. The priest searched in the hills and
finally found the solitary, and they took their meal together. Some
shepherds also knew of his retreat, and soon the fame of this hermit=E2=80= =99s
sanctity began to spread. The demon persecuted him, but to no avail;
when a temptation of the flesh assailed him, he rolled in a clump of
thorns and nettles, and came out of it covered with blood but sound in
spirit.
Disciples came to him, and under his direction, numerous monasteries
were founded. The rigor of the rule he drew up, however, brought upon
him the hatred of some of the monks, and one of them mixed poison with
the Abbot's drink. When the Saint made the sign of the cross on the
poisoned bowl, it broke and fell in pieces to the ground.
Saint Benedict resurrected a boy whose father pleaded for that
miracle, saying =E2=80=9CGive me back my son!=E2=80=9D He replied, =E2=80= =9CSuch miracles are
not for us to work, but for the blessed apostles! Why will you lay
upon me a burden which my weakness cannot bear?=E2=80=9D But finally, moved=
by
compassion, he prostrated himself upon the body of the child, and
prayed: =E2=80=9CBehold not, O Lord, my sins, but the faith of this man, an=
d
restore the soul which Thou hast taken away!=E2=80=9D And the child rose up=
,
and walked to the waiting arms of his father. When a monk lost the
iron head of his axe in a river, the Abbot told him to throw the
handle in after it, and it rose from the river bed to resume its
former place.
Six days before his death, Saint Benedict ordered his grave to be
prepared, then fell ill of a fever. On the sixth day he asked to be
carried to the chapel, and, having received the sacred Body and Blood
of Christ, with hands uplifted and leaning on one of his disciples, he
calmly expired in prayer, on the 21st of March, 543.
Reflection. The Saints never feared to undertake any work for God,
however arduous, because distrusting self they relied for assistance
and support wholly upon prayer.
Sources: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on
Butler's Lives of the Saints and other sources by John Gilmary Shea
Saint Quote:
If you want God to hear your prayers, hear the voice of the poor. If
you wish God to anticipate your wants, provide those of the needy
without waiting for them to ask you. Especially anticipate the needs
of those who are ashamed to beg. To make them ask for alms is to make
them buy it.
--St. Thomas of Villanova
Bible Quote
And it came to pass afterwards, that he went into a city that is
called Naim; and there went with him his disciples, and a great
multitude. 12 And when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold a
dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a
widow: and a great multitude of the city was with her. 13 Whom when
the Lord had seen, being moved with mercy towards her, he said to her:
Weep not. 14 And he came near and touched the bier. And they that
carried it, stood still. And he said: Young man, I say to thee, arise.
15 And he that was dead, sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him
to his mother. 16 And there came a fear on them all: and they
glorified God, saying: A great prophet is risen up among us: and, God
hath visited his people.=C2 (Luke 7:11-16)
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O Jesus King Most Wonderful:
From The Raccolta
O Jesus, King most wonderful,
Thou Conqueror renowned!
Thou Sweetness most ineffable,
In Whom all joys are found!
When once Thou visitest the heart,
Then truth begins to shine;
The earthly vanities depart;
Then kindles love Divine.
O Jesus, Light of all below!
Thou Fount of life and fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
And all we can desire!
May every heart confess Thy Name,
And ever Thee adore;
And seeking Thee, itself inflame
To seek Thee more and more.
Thee may our tongues forever bless;
Thee may we love alone;
And ever in our lives express
The image of Thine Own. Amen.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)