Christ's Cross Abides Forever

[Rich]

Christ's Cross Abides Forever

"The saving serpent in Moses' time was fashioned from bronze as a
symbol of faith in the enduring effects of the Lord's Passion. Faith
in Christ's cross abides forever; it is as enduring as bronze.

Despite the constant cycle of birth and death, the cross continues to
be held high above the earth for the healing of all who gaze upon it."
--St. Augustine--Commentary on Galatians 22

Prayer: How great was your love for us, kind Father! You did not spare
your only-begotten Son but surrendered him for the sake of us sinners!
--St. Augustine--Confessions 10, 43

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18 March – Saint Anselm of Lucca the Younger

(1036-1086)
Bishop, Confessor – born in 1036 at Mantua, Italy and died on 18 March
1086 at Mantua, Italy of natural causes. Patronage – Mantua, the city
of his birth and death, honours him as its patron.

Anselm was a medieval Bishop of Lucca in Italy and a prominent figure
in the Investiture Controversy amid the fighting in central Italy
between Matilda, countess of Tuscany and Emperor Henry IV. His uncle,
Anselm preceded him as Bishop of Lucca before being elected to the
papacy as Pope Alexander II, owing to this, he is sometimes
distinguished as Anselm the Younger or Anselm II.

He was nephew of Anselm of Lucca, the Elder, who ascended the Papal
throne as Alexander II in 1061.In the year 1071 Alexander II
designated Anselm as Bishop of Lucca and sent him to Germany to take
investiture from Henry IV. Anselm went to Germany but was loath to
receive the insignia of spiritual power from a temporal ruler and
returned without investiture.

In 1073 Gregory VII, successor of Alexander II, also appointed Anselm
Bishop of Lucca but advised him not to accept his ring and crosier
from Henry IV. For some reason, Anselm accepted investiture from
Henry but soon felt such remorse that he resigned his Bishopric and
entered the Order of St Benedict at Padilirone, a monastery of the
Cluniac Reform, situated near Mantua.

Gregory VII ordered him to return to his episcopal see at Lucca.
Anselm returned reluctantly but continued to lead the life of a monk
until his death.

St Anselm was Inspired, like Gregory VII, with a holy zeal to reform
the clergy, he wished to impose stricter discipline upon the Canons of
his Cathedral. Most of the Canons refused to submit to Anselm’s
regulations and in 1081 he was expelled from Lucca with the help of
the Emperor and his antipope, Guibert.

Anselm then retired to the castle of the Countess Matilda of Tuscany,
whose spiritual adviser he was. Some time later he was made Papal
Legate of Lombardy with instructions to rule over all the Dioceses
which, during the conflict between pope and emperor, had been left
without Bishops.

St Anselm was well versed in the Scriptures and wrote some exegetical
and ascetical works. In his work “Contra Guibertum et sequaces ejus”
he shows the unlawfulness of lay-investiture and defends Gregory
against the Antipope Guibert. He also made a collection of canons
which afterwards were incorporated into the well-known “Decretum” of
Gratian.

Two biographies were written about the Bishop-saint shortly after his
death on 18 March 1086, aged 50. He was Canonised by Pope Victor III
in 1087. His relics reside in the cathedral of Mantua.

https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/18/


Saint Quote:
As soon as we are stripped of the sordid garb of avarice, we shall be
clothed with the royal and imperial vest of the opposite virtue,
liberality.
--St. Philip Neri

Bible Quote:
"Therefore You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, nor
is there any God besides You." (2 Samuel 7:22)


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You are Waiting for Me
By Fr Henri Nouwen (1932-1996)

Dear Lord…
there is no certainty that my life
will be any easier in the years ahead
or that my heart will be any calmer
but, there is certainty
that You are waiting for me
and will welcome me home
when I have persevered
in my long journey to Your house.
Amen