22 September – Saint Gunthildis of Suffersheim

[Weedy]

22 September – Saint Gunthildis of Suffersheim
(Died c 1057)
Laywoman, apostle of the poor. Patronages – cattle, lepers, servants.
Also known as Gunthild.

Historical certainty of her life has not been passed down. The name
comes from Old High German and means “the combative fighter.” She is
said to have been a pious maid who was distinguished by special
charity. She died around 1057 in Suffersheim in Bavaria. According to
another tradition, Gunthildis is said to have been a disciple of St
Willibald who came to Germany from southern England in the 8th
century.

Gunthildis from Suffersheim served as a cattle maid and led a very
pious and devout life in the midst of her rural work. She remains a
constant model for all the maidservants in the country. Devoted to all
virtues, she was especially distinguished by compassion and merciful
love. Her greatest joy was giving alms to the poor. Through her prayer
God caused two crystal-clear springs to appear, one from a rock.
Through the latter, a leper obtained perfect healing. Gunthildis drove
the cattle to these sources of clear and refreshing water. After
drinking from these springs, the cows gave an extraordinary amount of
milk. Gunthildis shared this abundant blessing with the poor of the
neighbourhood.

When she once wanted to carry the milk she had saved from her own
mouth to poor people, she met her employer. Very angry, he asked her
what she was carrying. She replied that it was only lye. And the
employer only saw lye when he opened the vessel. In this service, the
pious maid endured until the end of her life. She died a blessed
death, rich in graces and virtues.

The body of the maid, generally venerated as a Saint, was loaded onto
a cart and two untamed oxen hitched to it. They calmly carried her
body to Suffersheim. Here they stopped. Thus it was understood that
Gunthildis should be buried there. Soon afterwards, many miracles
occurred at her grave. As a result, a Chapel was built over this
grave, although it no longer exists. Today, next to the foundations of
this Chapel uncovered in 1957, there is a new Gunthildis Chapel built
from 1993 to 1995.

https://anastpaul.com/2021/09/22/


And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases and he sent them out to preach
the kingdom of God and to heal. … Luke 9:1-2

REFLECTION
For this Name took root and was propagated all the more, whereas its
enemies were destroyed and consumed and, living men fighting a dead
One, gained not a stroke. … For publicans and fishermen set up those
very things, by the goodness of God, which philosophers and orators
and despots and the whole world, vainly striving with all its might,
could not even devise.… This was in Paul’s mind when he said: “the
weakness of God is stronger than all men put together.”
How, otherwise, was it that twelve unlettered men attempted things of
this importance?!
– St John Chrysostom 345-407) Bishop of Constantinople, Father &
Doctor of the Church (4th Homily on 1 Corinthians)

Saint Quote:
A great help to you always be a great love for, and unlimited confidence in, Our
Blessed Lady, Help of Christians, Mother of God, and your Mother also. She says
to you: "Whoever is little, let him come to me." If you will love her, she will
shower on you many graces in this life, and be an assurance to you of Heaven
--St. John Bosco

Bible Quote:
And stretch out thy hand to the poor, that thy expiation and thy
blessing may be perfected. A gift hath grace in the sight of all the
living, and restrain not grace from the dead. Be not wanting in
comforting them that weep, and walk with them that mourn. Be not slow
to visit the sick: for by these things thou shalt be confirmed in
love. In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never
sin. [Sirach 7: 36 40] DRB

Bible Quote:
God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the strong.
(I Cor. 1:27)

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Domine Sancte, Pater Omnipotens (O Holy Lord, Father Almighty):

A prayer by St. Bonaventure (1218-1274) who was the greatest exponent of
Mystical Theology in the Middle Ages.

O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God, for the sake of Thy
bounty and that of Thy Son, Who for me endured suffering and death;
for the sake of the most excellent holiness of His Mother and the
merits of all the Saints, grant unto me a sinner, unworthy of all Thy
blessings, that I may love Thee only, may ever thirst for Thy love,
may have continually in my heart the benefits of Thy passion, may
acknowledge my own wretchedness and may desire to be trampled upon and
be despised by all men; let nothing grieve me save guilt. Amen.