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Meditation for troubled times
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Rich
Sep 12, 2023, 4:15:31 AM9/12/23
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Meditation for troubled times
In improving our personal lives, we have Unseen help. We were not
made so that we could see God. That would be too easy for us and there
would be no merit in obeying Him. It takes an act of faith, a venture
of belief, to realize the Unseen Power. Yet we have much evidence of
God's existence in the strength that many people have received from
the act of faith, the venture of belief. We are in a box of space and
time and we can see neither our souls nor God. God and the human
spirit are both outside the limitations of space and time. Yet our
Unseen help is effective here and now. That has been proved in
thousands of changed lives.
I pray that I may make the great venture of belief. I pray that my
vision may not be blocked by intellectual pride.
--From 24 Hours a Day
<<>><<>><<>>
September 12th - St. Guidon of Anderlecht
(Also known as Guy)
Born near Brabant; died at Brussels, Belgium; c. 950-1012; feast day
formerly on September 2. Saint Guy, commonly called The Poor Man of
Anderlecht, was the son of poor, but pious, parents who were richly
blessed by their faith. They were not able to give their son a formal
education, but were diligent in instructing him in the faith. They
taught him the counsels of Saint Augustine that Christians should be
detached from earthly possessions. Guy prayed throughout his life to
be preserved from greed, to love poverty, and to bear all its
hardships with joy. This detachment from the need to own, endowed the
saint with love for his neighbor; he gladly fed the poor while he
himself fasted and divided the little he had among them.
Legend says that when Guy grew to manhood, he was a farm laborer, who
prayed as he plowed the fields, sometimes replaced at the plow by his
guardian angel. He then wandered for a time until he arrived at the
church of Our Lady at Laeken, near Brussels, whose priest was struck
with his piety and hired Guy as sacristan. Guy gladly accepted the
offer; and the cleanliness and good order that appeared in everything
under his direction struck all who entered the church.
Like many other simple folk of every age, Guy was enticed by a
merchant of Brussels to invest his small savings in a commercial
venture, with the unusual motive of having more at his disposal to
relieve the poor and leisure for contemplation. Unfortunately, the
ship carrying their goods was lost leaving the harbor, and Guy, who
had resigned his position as sacristan and been replaced, was left
destitute. He recognized his mistake in following his own ideas and in
forsaking secure and humble employment to embark, though with good
intention, on the affairs of the world, and he blamed himself for the
loss.
In reparation, Guy made a pilgrimage on foot to Rome and Jerusalem,
wandering from shrine to shrine for seven years. Finally, he made his
way back to Belgium and Anderlecht, where he was received almost
immediately into the public hospital of Anderlecht and he died from
exhaustion and illness.
His cultus did not arise immediately. In fact, his grave was forgotten
until a horse uncovered it. The horse's owner hired two local boys to
enclose the site in a high, solid hedge to ensure that others would
not unwittingly trample on Guy's grave. The boys ridiculed the
benefactor's act of reverence for the dead and were seized by strange
stomach aches. Writhing in agony, they died. For some reason, this
moved the local people to make pilgrimages to his grave and to build
an oratory over it.
In 1076, a church was constructed and Guy's relics translated therein.
Guy's sanctity was confirmed almost immediately thereafter by miracles
wrought at his intercession. On June 24, 1112, a bishop acknowledged
the relics with a grand ceremony and Guy's vita was composed. In 1595,
the relics were enshrined in a new reliquary. During the 17th century,
they were moved from place to place to escape pillage during wars. It
seems that they were captured by the Protestants in the 18th century,
although there is a "last acknowledgement of the venerable treasure"
that occurred on September 11, 1851.
Over time his cultus increased locally, until now much folklore has
accrued around his name and shrine, particularly associated with
horses. Cabdrivers of Brabant lead an annual pilgrimage to Anderlecht
until the beginning of World War I in 1914. They and their horses
headed the procession followed by farmers, grooms, and stable boys
leading their animals to be blessed. The description of the village
fair that ended the religious procession sounds like fun. There would
be various games, music, and feasting, followed by a competition to
ride the carthorses bareback. The winner entered the church on
bareback to receive a hat made of roses from the parish pastor
(Attwater, Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Walsh).
In art, Saint Guy is depicted as a pilgrim with hat, staff, rosary,
and ox at his feet. He might also be shown as a peasant or a pilgrim
with a book (Roeder). Guy is venerated at Anderlecht, where he is
considered the patron of laborers and sacristans, and protector of
sheds and stables. He is invoked to calm infantile convulsions
(Encyclopedia).
Saint Quote:
Would we wish that our own hidden sins should be divulged? We ought,
then, to be silent regarding those of others.
--St. John Baptist de la Salle
Bible Quote
"Yahweh spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' adjutant. He said [...]
every pace you tread with the soles of your feet I shall give you, as
I declared to Moses that I would. From the desert and the Lebanon, to
the Great River, the Euphrates (the entire country of the Hittites),
and as far as the Great Sea to westward, is to be your territory. As
long as you live, no one will be able to resist you; I shall be with
you as I was with Moses; I shall not fail you or desert you."
[Joshua 1:1b-5]
<><><><>
The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary always points us to God, reminding us of God's infinite
goodness. She helps us to open our hearts to God's ways, wherever
those may lead us. Honored under the title “Queen of Peace,” Mary
encourages us to cooperate with Jesus in building a peace based on
justice, a peace that respects the fundamental human rights (including
religious rights) of all peoples.
“Lord our God, when your Son was dying on the altar of the cross,
he gave us as our mother the one he had chosen to be his own mother,
the Blessed Virgin Mary; grant that we who call upon the holy name of
Mary, our mother, with confidence in her protection may receive
strength and comfort in all our needs” (Marian Sacramentary, Mass for
the Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary).
In improving our personal lives, we have Unseen help. We were not
made so that we could see God. That would be too easy for us and there
would be no merit in obeying Him. It takes an act of faith, a venture
of belief, to realize the Unseen Power. Yet we have much evidence of
God's existence in the strength that many people have received from
the act of faith, the venture of belief. We are in a box of space and
time and we can see neither our souls nor God. God and the human
spirit are both outside the limitations of space and time. Yet our
Unseen help is effective here and now. That has been proved in
thousands of changed lives.
I pray that I may make the great venture of belief. I pray that my
vision may not be blocked by intellectual pride.
--From 24 Hours a Day
<<>><<>><<>>
September 12th - St. Guidon of Anderlecht
(Also known as Guy)
Born near Brabant; died at Brussels, Belgium; c. 950-1012; feast day
formerly on September 2. Saint Guy, commonly called The Poor Man of
Anderlecht, was the son of poor, but pious, parents who were richly
blessed by their faith. They were not able to give their son a formal
education, but were diligent in instructing him in the faith. They
taught him the counsels of Saint Augustine that Christians should be
detached from earthly possessions. Guy prayed throughout his life to
be preserved from greed, to love poverty, and to bear all its
hardships with joy. This detachment from the need to own, endowed the
saint with love for his neighbor; he gladly fed the poor while he
himself fasted and divided the little he had among them.
Legend says that when Guy grew to manhood, he was a farm laborer, who
prayed as he plowed the fields, sometimes replaced at the plow by his
guardian angel. He then wandered for a time until he arrived at the
church of Our Lady at Laeken, near Brussels, whose priest was struck
with his piety and hired Guy as sacristan. Guy gladly accepted the
offer; and the cleanliness and good order that appeared in everything
under his direction struck all who entered the church.
Like many other simple folk of every age, Guy was enticed by a
merchant of Brussels to invest his small savings in a commercial
venture, with the unusual motive of having more at his disposal to
relieve the poor and leisure for contemplation. Unfortunately, the
ship carrying their goods was lost leaving the harbor, and Guy, who
had resigned his position as sacristan and been replaced, was left
destitute. He recognized his mistake in following his own ideas and in
forsaking secure and humble employment to embark, though with good
intention, on the affairs of the world, and he blamed himself for the
loss.
In reparation, Guy made a pilgrimage on foot to Rome and Jerusalem,
wandering from shrine to shrine for seven years. Finally, he made his
way back to Belgium and Anderlecht, where he was received almost
immediately into the public hospital of Anderlecht and he died from
exhaustion and illness.
His cultus did not arise immediately. In fact, his grave was forgotten
until a horse uncovered it. The horse's owner hired two local boys to
enclose the site in a high, solid hedge to ensure that others would
not unwittingly trample on Guy's grave. The boys ridiculed the
benefactor's act of reverence for the dead and were seized by strange
stomach aches. Writhing in agony, they died. For some reason, this
moved the local people to make pilgrimages to his grave and to build
an oratory over it.
In 1076, a church was constructed and Guy's relics translated therein.
Guy's sanctity was confirmed almost immediately thereafter by miracles
wrought at his intercession. On June 24, 1112, a bishop acknowledged
the relics with a grand ceremony and Guy's vita was composed. In 1595,
the relics were enshrined in a new reliquary. During the 17th century,
they were moved from place to place to escape pillage during wars. It
seems that they were captured by the Protestants in the 18th century,
although there is a "last acknowledgement of the venerable treasure"
that occurred on September 11, 1851.
Over time his cultus increased locally, until now much folklore has
accrued around his name and shrine, particularly associated with
horses. Cabdrivers of Brabant lead an annual pilgrimage to Anderlecht
until the beginning of World War I in 1914. They and their horses
headed the procession followed by farmers, grooms, and stable boys
leading their animals to be blessed. The description of the village
fair that ended the religious procession sounds like fun. There would
be various games, music, and feasting, followed by a competition to
ride the carthorses bareback. The winner entered the church on
bareback to receive a hat made of roses from the parish pastor
(Attwater, Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Walsh).
In art, Saint Guy is depicted as a pilgrim with hat, staff, rosary,
and ox at his feet. He might also be shown as a peasant or a pilgrim
with a book (Roeder). Guy is venerated at Anderlecht, where he is
considered the patron of laborers and sacristans, and protector of
sheds and stables. He is invoked to calm infantile convulsions
(Encyclopedia).
Saint Quote:
Would we wish that our own hidden sins should be divulged? We ought,
then, to be silent regarding those of others.
--St. John Baptist de la Salle
Bible Quote
"Yahweh spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' adjutant. He said [...]
every pace you tread with the soles of your feet I shall give you, as
I declared to Moses that I would. From the desert and the Lebanon, to
the Great River, the Euphrates (the entire country of the Hittites),
and as far as the Great Sea to westward, is to be your territory. As
long as you live, no one will be able to resist you; I shall be with
you as I was with Moses; I shall not fail you or desert you."
[Joshua 1:1b-5]
<><><><>
The Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary always points us to God, reminding us of God's infinite
goodness. She helps us to open our hearts to God's ways, wherever
those may lead us. Honored under the title “Queen of Peace,” Mary
encourages us to cooperate with Jesus in building a peace based on
justice, a peace that respects the fundamental human rights (including
religious rights) of all peoples.
“Lord our God, when your Son was dying on the altar of the cross,
he gave us as our mother the one he had chosen to be his own mother,
the Blessed Virgin Mary; grant that we who call upon the holy name of
Mary, our mother, with confidence in her protection may receive
strength and comfort in all our needs” (Marian Sacramentary, Mass for
the Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary).
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