April 4th - Saint Isidore of Seville
Hildi
Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church, c.560-636
SAINT ISIDORE, bishop of Seville and Doctor of the Church, had the
phenomenal versatility of a Leonardo da Vinci. Like that famous Renaissance
genius, he had an amazing store of information, including, among other
things, a knowledge of history, science, natural history, literature, and
philosophy.
Isidore's parents gave four children to the Church: Leander, Fulgentius, and
Isidore became bishops, Florentina became an abbess; all four were
eventually canonized saints. Born about 560 at Cartagena, Spain, Isidore
was educated by his elder brother, Archbishop Leander, in the cathedral
school of Seville. He had always been a poor student until one day, when he
was skipping school, he sat down near the edge of a spring and noticed some
grooves worn into the rock. Discovering that the grooves were caused by the
constant flow of water, he decided that, similarly, the continual repetition
of lessons might make a permanent impression on his memory. After that,
Isidore disciplined himself to long hours of study, and in a short time he
mastered Latin, Hebrew, and Greek.
On March 13, 599, after Leander's death, Isidore succeeded to the see of
Seville. The Visigoths (Germanic invaders) had controlled Spain for several
centuries, and at that time their barbarous influence was threatening to
destroy Spanish civilization. By using every educational and religious
means at his disposal, Isidore converted the Visigoths from Arianism to
Catholicism, thus unifying the faith of the nation. He also helped to
eradicate the acephalite(1) heresy (it professed that the human and divine
natures in Christ are identical), encouraged monasticism, and strengthened
religious discipline everywhere. Isidore guided the course of three synods
and presided over the Fourth Council of Toledo, held in 633. There it was
decided, under Isidore's influence, to establish a school in each diocese
where the clergy could be trained in the liberal arts, and in Hebrew, Greek,
medicine, and law.
Isidore was the first Christian writer to attempt compiling a summation of
universal knowledge, an encyclopedia. His work, called Etymologies or
Origins contained in compact form all the knowledge of his age. It
preserved many fragments of classical learning in a way that was
intelligible to the Germanic peoples of his time. This contribution to the
field of education gained for Isidore the title "Schoolmaster of the Middle
Ages," and until the middle of the sixteenth century his Origins remained a
favorite textbook. He also rendered a great service to the Church in Spain
by completing the Mozarabic missal and breviary begun by Saint Leander.
Isidore was as outstanding in the practice of charity and mortification as
he was in the cultivation of knowledge. His house was continually crowded
with the poor of the countryside. Shortly before he died, he went to church
and, covering himself with sackcloth, had ashes placed on his head. Thus
dressed as a penitent, he prayed earnestly for the forgiveness of his sins
and gave all his possessions to the poor. He died a short time later, on
April 4, 636.
This Version taken from:
http://www.geocities.com/barats2000/Feasts.html
(1) Acephali
A term applied to the Eutychians who withdrew from Peter Mongus, the
Monophysite Patriarch of Alexandria, in 482. With the apparent purpose of
bringing the orthodox and heretics into unity, Peter Mongus and Acacius of
Constantinople had elaborated a new creed in which they condemned expressly
Nestorius and Eutyches, but at the same time affected to pass over the
decisions of the Council of Chalcedon and rejected them hypocritically. This
ambiguous formula, though approved by the Emperor Zeno and imposed by him in
his edict of union, or Henoticon, could only satisfy the indifferent. The
condemnation of Eutyches irritated the rigid Monophysites; the equivocal
attitude taken towards the Council of Chalcedon appeared to them
insufficient, and many of them, especially the monks, deserted Peter Mongus,
preferring to be without a head (akephaloi), rather than remain in communion
with him. Later, they joined the partisans of the Monophysite Patriarch of
Antioch, Severus. The Deacon Liberatus (Breviarium, P.L., LVIII, 988)
supposes the name Acephali (Headless) to have been given to those at the
Council of Ephesus who followed neither Cyril of Alexandria nor John of
Antioch.
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Whoever taketh not up his cross and followeth Me, is not worthy of
Me. -Matt. 10:38
"If you see that you have not yet suffered tribulations, consider it certain
that you have not begun to be a true servant of God; for the Apostle says
plainly that all who choose to live piously in Christ, shall suffer
persecutions.
-St. Augustine
St. Athanasius, St. Basil, St. John Chrysostom, St. Jerome, and St. Cyril
were all charged with a thousand crimes, and in that way were greatly
afflicted.
(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". April - Patience)
Bible Quote"
12 And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.
(2 Timothy 3:12)
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A prayer to offer before undertaking a journey:
In the way of peace direct us, O Lord. We praise and
venerate All the heavenly princes, But especially Raphael,
Faithful physician And companion true, Who with Heaven's
power Bindeth fast the demon.
V. God hath given His Angels charge over thee.
R. To keep thee in all thy ways.
Let us pray:
O God, who didst give the blessed Archangel Raphael unto
Thy servant Tobias to be his fellow-traveler; grant unto us,
Thy servants, that the same may ever keep us and shield us,
help us and defend us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us go forward in peace, In the name of the Lord. Amen.
Traditional indulgence of 500 days.
Imprimatur: Francis Cardinal Spellmen, Archbishop of New York, May 30,
1951.