How Sorrows are to be Borne Patiently: [III]

[Weedy]

How Sorrows are to be Borne Patiently: [III]

What boundless gratitude is Thy due, for revealing to me and to all
faithful people the true and holy way to Thine eternal Kingdom! Thy
life is our Way, and by holy patience we will journey onwards to Thee,
who are our crown and consummation. If Thou, Lord, had not gone before
us and showed the way, who could follow? How many would have stayed
behind and far distant had they not Thy glorious example for their
guide? Even now we are cold and careless, although we have heard Thy
teaching and mighty acts. What would happen to us had we not Thine
light as our guide? (John 8:12; 12:46)
--Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3 Ch 18

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April 7th - St Aybert

d. 1140
ST AYBERT or Aibert was born in 1060 at Espain, a village in the
diocese of Tournai. From infancy his heart was wholly given to God. At
night the little boy would rise from bed and slip away to pray without
attracting the notice of his parents when he got older he played
truant from caring for his father’s herds to go to church. One day a
wandering minstrel sang in his hearing a lay about the life of a
hermit—St Theobald of Provins—who had lately died. Forthwith there
sprang up in Aybert’s heart a desire to imitate the recluse. He
accordingly sought out a priest called John who belonged to the abbey
of Crespin, but who was permitted to live as a solitary. Father John
accepted the youth as a companion and together they lived a most
austere and penitential life.

The abbot of Crespin had to go to Rome some time later and as his
companions he chose the two hermits; and the party set off barefoot.
The hardships they endured caused John to fall ill on the road, but he
was nursed back to health by the kindly monks of Vallombrosa. Not long
after their return, Aybert was moved by a dream or vision to seek
admittance into the abbey itself, and for 25 years he was procurator
and cellarer, dispensing hospitality and good cheer to others although
never modifying his own austerities; he was always happy and very
cheerful. The time came, however, when he felt the call to return to
the solitary life which he had abandoned. With the abbot’s leave, he
built himself a hermitage in a barren district, and there he lived for
22 years more.

St Aybert’s holiness began to attract visitors, who found themselves
greatly helped by his spiritual advice and made him known to others.
Bishops and laymen, grand ladies and canonesses, scholars and humble
peasants flocked to him in such numbers that Bishop Burchard of
Cambrai promoted him to the priesthood, providing him with a chapel
beside his cell. Moreover Pope Innocent II granted him leave to
absolve reserved cases—a right which he only exercised in exceptional
circumstances. God crowned Aybert’s long penance with a happy death in
the 80th year of his age.

One phase of Aybert’s devotional practice is of great interest in its
bearing on the controversy concerning the origin of the rosary. It is
recorded that the saint used to repeat the Ave Maria fifty times in
succession, accompanying each Ave with a prostration. A mention in the
same context of his habit of dividing his recitation of the whole
psalter into fifties makes the allusion still more significant.

The Latin biography from which all our information is derived was
written by Robert, Archdeacon of Ostrevant, shortly after the saint’s
death. The text may be consulted most conveniently in the Acta
Sanctorum, April, vol. i. See also the Biographic nationale de
Belgique, vol. i.


Bible Quote:
"Do not imagine that I am going to accuse you before the Father: you
have placed your hopes on Moses, and Moses will be the one who accuses
you. If you really believed him you would believe me too, since it
was about me that he was writing.." Jesus addressing the Jews of
Jerusalem in John 5:45-46

Saint Quote:
To think ourselves imperfect, and others perfect--that is happiness.
That creatures recognize we are without virtue takes nothing from us,
makes us no poorer; it is they who by this lose interior joy; for
there is nothing sweeter than to think well of our neighbor.
--St. Therese of Lisieux


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Whoever taketh not up his cross and followeth Me, is not worthy of Me.
—Matt. 10:38

"If anyone, O Lord, does Thee a service, Thou repayest him by some
trial. Oh, what an inestimable reward is this for those who truly love
Thee, if it might be given them to know its value!"
--St. Teresa

When the venerable Marco di Palafox saw that after he had done a good
work, some tribulation, reproach, or calumny came upon him, he
considered this as a special favor from the Lord; "For" he said, "as I
receive no reward in this world, it is a sign that God means to reward
me fully in Heaven."

("A Year with the Saints". April - Patience)