- Psalm 16:7-9 -
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure...
_________________________________________________________________________
God is real and present in this world. He wants to share Himself with us
so
we can draw contentment, courage and joy from His presence. We must be
willing to slow down and listen to what He's saying. So many people pursue
substitutes for His presence. Friends, hobbies and busy schedules provide
momentary pleasure while gobbling up time that should be spent in
quietness
before God.
<<>><<>><<>>
April 1st - St. Valéry of Leucone, Abbot (RM)
(Also known as, Walaricus, Walericus)
Born in Auvergne, France; died in Leucone, Picardy, France, on December
12,
c. 622; feast of his translation is December 12.
Valéry discovered Benedictine life at Issoire, developed it at Auxerre,
fructified it at Luxeuil under Saint Columbanus, and multiplied it with
missionary work at Leuconnais (Leuconay), in the Somme region of northern
France.
Born into a peasant family in the Auvergne, Valéry tended his father's
sheep
in his childhood, which gave him plenty of time to develop his prayer
life.
Out of an ardent desire to grow in spiritual knowledge, he learned to read
at an early age and memorized the Psalter. Dissatisfied with his life as a
shepherd, he took the monastic habit in the neighboring monastery of St.
Antony's at Autumo.
His fervor from the first day of monastic life led him to live the rule
perfectly. Sincere humility permitted him to meekly and cheerfully subject
himself to everyone. Seeking a stricter rule, he migrated to the more
austere monastery of St. Germanus, where he was received by Bishop Saint
Anacharius of Auxerre. He was drawn to Luxeuil by the reputation of the
penitential lives of its monks and the spiritual wisdom of Saint
Columbanus.
There he spent many years, always esteeming himself an unprofitable
servant
and a slothful monk, who stood in need of the severest and harshest rules
and superiors. Next to sin, he dreaded nothing so much as the applause of
men or a reputation of sanctity. At Luxeuil he also distinguished himself
as
a horticulturalist-the preservation of his fruit and vegetables against
the
ravages of insects that destroyed most other crops was considered
miraculous.
When Saint Columbanus was banished from Luxeuil by King Theodoric, the
monastery was placed in Valéry's hands until he was sent by Saint
Eustasius
with his fellow-monk Waldolanus to preach the Gospel in Neustria. There
King
Clotaire II gave them the territory of Leucone in Picardy, near the mouth
of
the river Somme. In 611, with the permission of Bishop Bertard of Amiens,
they built a chapel and two cells. Saint Valéry by his preaching and the
example of his virtue, converted many and attracted fervent disciples with
whom he laid the foundation of a monastery.
His fasts he sometimes prolonged for six days, eating only on Sunday; and
he
used no other bed than twigs laid on the floor. His time was entirely
occupied with preaching, prayer, reading, and manual labor. By this he
earned something for the relief of the poor, and he often repeated to
others, "The more cheerfully we give to those who are in distress, the
more
readily will God give us what we ask of him."
When Valéry died, cures were claimed at his tomb and a cultus developed,
which eventually spread to England during the Norman Conquest. William the
Conqueror exposed Valéry's relics for public veneration. He was invoked
for
a favorable wind for the expedition in 1066, which sailed from
Saint-Valéry
Valéry is honored at Chester Abbey in England and in France, where a
famous
monastery arose from his cells. His vita was carefully written in 660, by
Raimbert, second abbot of Leucone after him. King Richard the Lion Hearted
had his relics restored to Saint-Valéry-en-Caux; however, his original
abbey
later recovered them. Two towns in the Somme district are called Saint-
Valéry after him, and there are several dedications to him in England as
well (Attwater2, Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Husenbeth).
Saint Quote:
[When] "We cannot ... always have at hand a spiritual Father [director],
nor
can we hear the sermons of sacred orators [holy preaches], to direct and
give us light to walk well in the way of God. Good books supply the place
of
sermons."
-St. Alphonsus de Liguori (Doctor, 1696-1787) - The True Spouse Of Jesus
Christ"
Bible Quotes:
"Go thou in therefore, and read out of the volume" - Jeremias 36:6
"We, ... needed none of these things, having for our comfort the holy
books
that are in our hands" - 1 Machabees 12:9
<><><><>
THE CROSS
A young man was at the end of his rope, seeing no way out, he dropped to
his knees in prayer "Lord, I can't go on," he said. "I have too heavy a
cross to bear." The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight,
just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door and
pick
out any cross you wish." The man was filled with relief and said, "Thank
you
Lord," and he did as he was told. Upon entering the other room, he saw
many
crosses; some so large the tops were not visible. Then, he spotted a tiny
cross leaning against a far wall. "I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered.
The Lord replied, "My son, that is the cross you just brought in." When
life's problems seem overwhelming, it helps to look around and see what
other people are coping with. You may consider yourself far more fortunate
than you imagined.
Whatever your cross Whatever your pain
There will always be sun****ne After the rain
Perhaps you may stumble Perhaps even fall
But God's always there To help you through it all
Funny how you can send a thousand "jokes" through e-mail and they spread
like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord,
people think twice about passing it on. Funny, isn't it, when you go to
forward this message, how many on your buddy list will not receive it
because you're not sure they believe in anything? Funny? No! Sad, and
thought-provoking... May God give you the strength and courage to pass
this
along to everyone on your email buddy list.... I JUST DID!
Frumentius
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