A Guardian Angel

[Weedy]

A Guardian Angel

A Guardian Angel
Flew down from above,
To teach me a lesson
About the powers of love.

She whispers to me,
Takes a hold of my hand,
There are so many things
I wish you to understand.

About the powers of love,
And all it can do,
To someone who needs
To share it with you.

A pat on the back,
A kind smile on your face,
Can make someone's life,
A much brighter place.

It doesn't take much,
To show someone you care,
To give them the love,
God gave you to share.

So please keep in mind,
All the powers you possess,
To grace someone's life,
When they're in distress.

You've been put on this earth
To bestow the powers of love,
And with those final words,
She disappeared up above.

Prayer: Father, thank you for surrounding me with your angels. In the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

<<>><<>><<>>
September 7th - Saint Alcmund, Bishop of Hexham

Our holy Father Alcmund was bishop of Hexham from 767 to 781, reposed
on September 7, 781, and was buried next to St. Acca. In 1032, he
appeared by night to a certain very pious man by the name of Dregmo
who lived near the church at Hexham. Wearing pontifical vestments and
holding a pastoral staff in his hand, he nudged Dregmo with it and
said

"Rise, go to Alfred, son of Westow, a priest of the Church of Durham,
and tell him to transfer my body from this place to a more honorable
one within the church. For it is fitting that those whom the King of
kings has vested with a stole of glory and immortality in the heavens
should be venerated by those on earth."

Dregmo asked: "Lord, who are you?"
He replied: "I am Alcmund, bishop of the Church of Hexham, who was, by
the grace of God, the fourth after blessed Wilfrid to be in charge of
this place. My body is next to that of my predecessor, the holy bishop
Acca of venerable memory. You also be present at its translation with
the priest." After saying this, he disappeared.

The next morning, Dregmo went to the priest Alfred and related
everything in order. He joyfully assembled the people, told them what
had happened, and fixed a day for the translation. On the appointed
day they lifted the bones from the tomb, wrapped them in linen and
placed them on a bier; but since the hour for celebrating the Divine
Liturgy had passed, they placed the holy relics in the porch of St.
Peter at the western end of the church, intending to transfer them the
following day with psalms and hymns and the celebration of the Divine
Liturgy.

But that night, the priest Alfred, who was keeping vigil with his
clerics around the holy body, rose when the others were sleeping and
took a part of the finger of the saint, intending to give it to the
Church of Durham. The next morning a great multitude came to the
translation. But when the priest and those with him came to lift the
body, it was immovable. Thinking themselves unworthy, they retired,
and others came up. But they, too, were unable to lift it. When no one
was found who could lift it, the people looked at each other in
consternation, while the priest, still ignorant that he was the cause,
exhorted them to pray to God to reveal who was to blame for this. That
night, St. Alcmund appeared a second time to Dregmo, who had suddenly
been overwhelmed with sleep, and with a stern face said to him;
"What is this that you have wanted to do? Did you think to bring me
back into the church mutilated, when I served God and St. Andrew here
in wholeness of body and spirit? Go, therefore, and witness in the
presence of all the people that what has unwisely been taken away from
my body should be restored, or else you will never be able to remove
me from this place in which I now am."

And when he had said this, he showed him his hand with part of the
finger missing. The next day, Dregmo stood in the middle of the people
and told them all that had been revealed to him in the night,
vehemently urging that the person who had presumed to do this should
be punished. Then the priest, perceiving that he was at fault,
prostrated himself in the midst of the people and revealed to them the
motives for which he had committed the crime. Begging for forgiveness,
he restored that which he had taken away. Then the clerics who were
present came up and without any effort lifted the holy body and
transferred it into the church on August 6.

Later, Alfred translated a portion of the relics of Saints Acca and
Alcmund, together with portions of the relics of the other
Northumbrian saints: the hermits Baldred and Bilfrid, the Martyr-King
Oswin, St. Boisil of Melrose, St. Ebba of Coldingham and the Venerable
Bede, to his church of Durham.

Holy Fathers Acca and Alcmund, pray to God for us!
by Vladimir Moss. Posted with permission.

(Sources: The Venerable Bede, Ecclesiastical History; Eddius
Stephanus, Life of St. Wilfrid; Simeon of Durham Opera Omnia, ed. T.
Arnold, Rolls Series, 1882-85, vol. II, pp. 36-37, 51-52; History of
the Church of Durham, ch. 42; David Farmer, The Oxford Dictionary of
Saints, Oxford: Clarendon, 1978)


Saint Quote:
“Sons of Vincent de Paul, let us learn of Him to forget ourselves, to
devote ourselves to the service of God and the good of men. Let us
learn of Him that holy preference which shows most love to those who
suffer most.”
--Blessed Frederic Ozanam

Bible Quote:
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he who
commendeth himself, is approved, but he, whom God commendeth. (2 Cor.
10:17-18)