March 6th - Saint Eleutherius, Abbot
(d. ca. 585)
A wonderful simplicity and spirit of compunction were the distingui****ng
virtues
of this holy sixth century abbot. He was elected to preside Saint Mark's
monastery near Spoleto, and favored by God with the gift of miracles.
A child who was confided to the monastery, to be educated there after
having
been delivered by the Abbot from a diabolical possession, appeared to
everyone
to be entirely exempt from further molestations. And Saint Eleutherius
chanced
to say one day: "Since the child is among the servants of God, the devil
dares
not approach him." These words seemed to savor of vanity, and thereupon
the
devil again entered into and tormented the child. The Abbot humbly
confessed his
fault and undertook a fast, in which the entire community joined, until
the
child was again freed from the tyranny of the fiend.
Saint Gregory the Great, finding himself unable to fast on Holy Saturday
on
account of extreme weakness, called for this Saint, who was in Rome at the
time,
to offer up prayers to God for him that he might join the faithful in the
solemn
practice of that day's penances. Saint Eleutherius prayed with many tears,
and
the Pope, when they came out of the church, felt suddenly strengthened and
able
to accomplish the fast as he desired. The same Pope, remarking that the
Abbot
was said to have raised a dead man to life, added: "He was so simple a
man, one
of such great penance, that we must not doubt that Almighty God granted
much to
his tears and his humility!" After resigning his abbacy, Saint Eleutherius
died
in Rome in Saint Andrew's monastery, about the year 585.
Reflection: "Be not seen by men as fasting, but by thy Father who is in
heaven;
and thy Father, who sees in secret, will reward thee." (Cf. Matt. 6:16-18)
Sources: Vie des Saints pour tous les jours de l'année, by Abbé L. Jaud
(Mame:
Tours, 1950); Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on
Butler's Lives of the Saints and other sources by John Gilmary Shea
(Benziger
Brothers: New York, 1894).
Saint Quote:
"It is a common doctrine of the Saints that one of the principal means of
leading a good and exemplary life is modesty and custody of the eyes. For,
as
there is nothing so adapted to preserve devotion in a soul, and to cause
compunction and edification in others, as this modesty, so there is
nothing
which so much exposes a person to relaxation and scandals as its opposite"
-St. Alphonsus Rodriguez
In his life of St. Bernard, Surius relates that when Pope Innocent III
went with
his Cardinals to visit Clairvaux, the Saint, with all his monks, came out
to
meet him, but with such a modest and. composed exterior as moved to
compunction
the Cardinals and the Pope himself; for they were astonished that on such
a
festival, and such an unusual and solemn occasion of rejoicing, they all
kept
their eyes cast down and fastened upon the ground without turning them in
any
direction, and that while all were gazing at them, they looked at no one.
He
also tells, of St. Bernard, that he practiced custody of the eyes to such
a
degree that after a year's novitiate he did not know how the ceiling of
his cell
was made, whether it was arched or flat; that he always believed there was
one
window in the church, while there were three; that he walked, one day,
with his
companions on the shore of a lake, without knowing it was there, so that
when
they were speaking of the lake in the evening, he asked where they had
seen it.
(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". February - Humility)
Bible Quote:
28. Jesus therefore said to them: When you shall have lifted up the Son of
man,
then shall you know, that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as
the
Father hath taught me, these things I speak: 29. And he that sent me, is
with
me, and he hath not left me alone: for I do always the things that please
him.
30. When he spoke these things, many believed in him. (John 8:28-30)
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Christ King of Glory (Christus Vincit)
Christ Lord of glory, Christ Prince of nations, Christ our King of kings!
Christ Jesus, hear us.
Perpetual safety and welfare to the Church of God.
Redeemer, Savior; Assist and strengthen her.
O Mary blessed Mother; Assist and strengthen her.
Joseph holy guardian; Assist and strengthen her.
Blessed Michael patron; Assist and strengthen her.
Blessed Saint Patrick; Assist and strengthen her.
All repeat: Christ Lord of glory, Christ Prince of nations, Christ our
King
of kings!
Christ Jesus hear us. Life and health and blessings to Pope John Paul II
our
Holy Father. Redeemer Savior, assist and strengthen him.
Blessed Peter, assist and strengthen him. King of kings.
Blessed Paul, assist and strengthen him. Christ our King, Christ our hope.
All repeat: Christ Lord of glory, Christ Prince of nations, Christ our
King
of kings!
Jesus our glory, Fountain of grace and all mercy. Source of all our
blessing. Defender in battle, Strong arm of our God invincible. Our
stronghold and our exaltation. Our captain leader who has won our
salvation.
Christ Jesus, our life and light eternal. To Him only is victory all
praise
and jubilation. Through all the endless ages of eternity. - Amen.
Abundance of good things be ours. The peace of Christ be ours. Redeemed by
the blood of Jesus. Proclaim our joy. May His holy kingdom come. Praise be
to our God - Amen.
Ejaculations
In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the
Father, whose Son, Jesus Christ conceived of the Holy Ghost, thou didst
bring forth. - Amen.
From the Lamb of God Prayer Book
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