On the Desire for Eternal Life and the Wonder of God's Promises [III]

[Rich]

On the Desire for Eternal Life and the Wonder of God's Promises [III]

CHRIST:
Do not ask for what is pleasant and profitable to yourself, but what
is acceptable to Me and tends to My glory; for if you view things in
their proper light, you will prefer and follow My direction rather
than your own desires, whatever they may be. I know your desire, and
have often heard your cry. You long for the glorious liberty of the
sons of God, (Rom. 8:21) while your eternal home and the joys of the
heavenly country already draw your heart. But the time for this has
not yet come; there remains warfare, work, and trial. You desire to be
filled with the supreme Good, but you cannot attain this blessing now.
I am that Good; wait for Me, says the Lord, until the coming of the
Kingdom of God.
--Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3 Ch 49

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2 October – Saint Thomas de Cantilupe of Hereford
Also known as
Thomas de Cantilupe
Thomas de Cantelow
Thomas de Cantelou
Thomas de Canteloupe
Thomas de Cantelupo

Memorial
25 August (Roman Martyrology)
3 October (in England)
formerly 2 October

Bishop of Hereford, Confessor, learned Scholar, known for his care of
the poor and his protection of them against feudal landlords,
miracle-worker, Chancellor of Oxford University, Lord Chancellor of
England. Born in c 1218 at Hambleden, Buckinghamshire and died on 25
August 1282 at Ferento, Montefiascone, Italy. Thomas de Cantilupe was
the last Englishman Canonised before the Reformation. Also known as –
St Thomas of Cantelow, Cantelou, Canteloupe, Cantelupo. Patronages –
Hereford, Hambledon.

The Roman Martyrology states: “At Montefiascone in Tuscia, the passing
of Saint Thomas Cantelupe, Bishop of Hereford in England, who,
resplendent with learning, severe toward himself, to the poor however
showed himself a generous benefactor.“

He was of noble and politically prominent Anglo-Norman family, the son
of William, 2nd Baron Cantilupe and his wife Millicent de Gournay,
widow of Amaury de Montfort, Count of Evreux. His father’s brother,
Walter, was Bishop of Worcester and, by him, young Thomas was
educated. The future bishop and saint also studied in Oxford and Paris
and, before he had passed middle age, he was known everywhere as one
of the most remarkable of scholar-ecclesiastics who did so much to
redeem the name of the Church in the 13th century.

He was Ordained in c 1245 and made a career in Canon Law, lecturing at
the Universities of Paris and Oxford. His lawyer’s training and innate
Christian hatred of injustice, led to an involvement in politics. He
was the Barons’ spokesman in their rebellion against Henry III and was
named Chancellor of England by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester
and main opponent to Henry III. When de Montfort was killed at the
Battle of Evesham, Thomas was dismissed from the Chancellor’s post and
went into exile

In 1273, he returned to England and was appointed Doctor of Divinity
and, for the second time, elected Chancellor of Oxford University.

In 1275, Thomas was appointed Bishop of Hereford and set about
defending the rights of the Diocese against the encroachments of, both
fellow Bishops and lay lords. His combative approach made him many
enemies. He insisted on a high standard of discipline and pastoral
care from his Priests but was loved by the lay faithful for his large,
gentle and kindly heart and holy life and their affection was not
diminished by his hospitality and boundless charity. to those in any
kind of need.

Thomas also fell foul of John Peckham, Archbishop of Canterbury, for
his defence of the rights of individual Bishops against their
Archbishop and Peckham excommunicated him. Thomas set off for Rome in
1282 to put his case before Pope Martin IV and it is believed that he
obtained absolution;. Thomas, however, died near Orvieto (in Umbria,
just north of Rome).

Richard Swinfield, his Successor in the See of Hereford, who had
accompanied Bishop Cantilupe to Italy as his Chaplain, arranged that
part of his relics were interred in the Church of Santo Severo, near
Orvieto; the heart was conveyed to the Monastic Church of Ashridge in
Buckinghamshire and the bones were brought to his own Cathedral at
Hereford. As they were being conveyed into the Church, says the
compiler of the Bishop’s ‘Life and Miracles,’ Gilbert Earl of
Gloucester approached and touched the casket which contained them,
whereupon they ‘bled-a-fresh’. The Earl was struck with compunction
and made full restitution to the Church of all the lands which Bishop
Cantilupe had rightly claimed from him.

Bishop Swinfield, who had been the constant companion of Thomas and
many of the contemporary chroniclers, bear witness to the purity and
excellence of the Bishop’s life and his tomb soon became distinguished
by miracles. The first of these, occurred in April 1287. At the time,
of the removal of his remains from the tomb in the Lady Chapel to the
Shrine which had been provided for them in the north transept. The
number of marvels increased daily and, in 1289, Bishop Swinfield,
wrote to the Pope requesting his Canonisation. Many difficulties,
however, were interposed and in spite of numerous letters from King
Edward I and his son, Edward II, it was not until May 1320 that Rome
eventually found in his favour and the Bull of Canonisation was issued
by Pope John XXII. Our Saint holds the dubious honour of being the
only Canonised Saint to have been excommunicated at the time of his
death.

At the Reformation all the Shrines in Hereford Cathedral were swept
away. St Thomas’ Shrine was wholly demolished but the faithful managed
to rescue some of his relics, including his head. These bones were
preserved until the 17th century by local Catholics but were dispersed
thereafter, some of St Thomas’ relics are still honoured in England at
Belmont Abbey in Herefordshire, Stonyhurst College in Lancashire and
since 1881, St Thomas’ skull has been preserved at Downside Abbey.

St Thomas was an exemplary Bishop in both spiritual and secular
affairs. His charities were large and his private life blameless. He
was constantly visiting his Diocese, correcting offenders and
discharging other episcopal duties and he compelled neighbouring
landholders to restore estates which rightly belonged to the See of
Hereford. St Thomas has been lauded as the “Father of Modern Charity”
and is cited as an inspiration by Mother Teresa of Calcutta and other
charitable people, apostolates and organisations.

A book entitled ‘The Life and Miracles of Saint Thomas Cantelupe,‘
said to be compiled from evidences at Rome, collected before his
Canonisation, was published at Ghent in 1674. “No fewer than 425
miracles are registered, reported to be wrought at his tomb. . . .
Yea, it is recorded in his legend, that by his prayers were raised
from death to life, three-score several persons, one-and-twenty lepers
healed and three-and-twenty blind and dumb men to have received their
sight and speech.”

https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/02


Saint Quote:
Is it not true that You promise those who keep Your commandments a
reward more desirable than great wealth and sweeter than honey? You
promise a most abundant reward, for as Your apostle James says: "The
Lord has prepared a crown of life for those who love Him." What is
this crown of life? It is surely a greater good than we can conceive
of or desire, as Saint Paul says, quoting Isaiah: "Eye has not seen,
ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on man what God has
prepared for those who love Him.
-- Saint Robert Bellarmine

Bible Quote:
O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me: let my
enemies be confounded and ashamed that seek my soul. [Psalm lxix.
2,3]


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Meditation for troubled times:

Pray-- and keep praying until it brings peace and serenity and a
feeling of communion with One who is near and ready to help. The
thought of God is balm for our hates and fears. In praying to God, we
find healing for hurt feelings and resentments. In thinking of God,
doubts and fears leave us. Instead of those doubts, and fears, there
will flow into our hearts such faith and love as is beyond the power
of material things to give, and such peace as the world can neither
give nor take away. And with God, we can have the tolerance to live
and let live.
I pray that I may have true tolerance and understanding. I pray
that I may keep striving for these difficult things.
--From Twenty-Four Hours a Day

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Prayer to St Thomas
Hail Thomas, good shepherd,
patron of the flock of Christ
and teacher of the Church,
lend your help to the sick, I beg you,
and confer on devout minds
by your intercession,
the light of grace,
through Christ our Lord.
Amen