The fire of faith
Let us honor blessed Lawrence, who by his faith overcame the flames lit
by the persecutor, and thus showed us how the fire of faith can defeat the
fire
of hell. And
let us rejoice with spiritual joy and glory in the Lord at his happy
death,
confident that if we
celebrate his feast by worthy behavior and good deeds we shall always be
helped
by his
prayers and protection. Let us strengthen one another in the spirit of
love
so
that we may
overcome all temptations and escape every snare. Let us stand firm, and
being of
one mind
in every good work, protect ourselves with the ****eld of faith against all
temptations to sin,
through him who has overcome the devil and enabled us to overcome him:
Jesus
Christ our
Lord, to whom be praise and glory through endless ages. Amen.
-Rabanus Maurus
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December 13th - St. Aubert, Bishop and Confessor
This great prelate was one of the greatest ornaments of the seventh age
and
eminent promoters of learning and piety in the Gallican church. His youth,
that
most precious season of life, he dedicated to God by the mortification and
the
absolute conquest of sensual appetites; he was careful to employ all his
time
usefully, and was proficient in sacred learning. Having with great zeal
served
the church for many years, he was consecrated bishop of Arras and Cambray
on
the
24th of March, in 633. Though solitude, in which he conversed with heaven,
and
consulted God about his own necessities, and those of his people, was his
delight. Yet he knew what he owed to others; his door was always open to
persons
of all ranks and conditions, and he was ever ready to afford every one all
comfort and assistance, spiritual and cor****al, especially the poor, the
sick,
and distressed. With extraordinary watchfulness and sagacity he discovered
the
roots of the disorders which reigned among the people. His prudence and
zeal
applied the remedies, and all the obstacles he met with, he surmounted by
his
courage and constancy. His instructions, sup****ted by the wonderful
example
of
his own life, had incredible success in reforming the manners of his
abundant
flock. It was the first part of his care to train a virtuous clergy, and
to
qualify them for their sacred functions by learning and good habits.
Ignorance,
especially in those who are the teachers of others, is a most fatal enemy
to
virtue. A rooted and experienced piety being necessary in all youth, that
when
they attain manhood and are exposed to the dangers of public life in a
corrupt
world, they may be able to resist the influence of vice and bad example.
St.
Aubert converted to God innumerable sinners, and induced many persons of
quality
of both ***es, to renounce the world.
The great king Dagobert often resorted to the saint to be instructed in
the
means of securing an eternal kingdom. He listened to him with respect and
attention, always rejoiced exceedingly in his heavenly conversation, and
received from it the greatest comfort and edification. Out of respect for
him he
bestowed on his church the royal estate and manor of Oneng. St. Landelin
was
drawn by St. Aubert's tears and prayers from apostasy to a religious
state.
From
a most abandoned course of life into which he fell, at the head of a troop
of
licentious soldiers, or rather robbers; and in expiation of his crimes, he
founded four monasteries. In 653 at Lobes on the Sambre, in Haynault,
which
was
long very famous; but being secularized, the canons removed their chapter.
In
1408, to Binche, three leagues from Mons, towards Charleroi. In 686
leaving
St.
Ursmar abbot of Lobes, he founded the abbeys of Ane, St. Guislain's, and
Krespin, near Valenciennes, in which he died. St. Aubert gave his
benediction to
St. Guislain, and blessed his cell on the river Hannau or Haine, (which
gave
name to the province,) in the place which since bears his name, but was
then
called Ursdung or Ursidonc, i. e. Bear's Kenne.
The blessed count Vincent, called in the world Madelgare, his wife the
blessed
Waldetrude, and her sister St. Aldegundes, received the religious habit
from
the
hands of St. Aubert, and the latter founded the monastery of Maubeuge, the
former that of Mons. Our saint built himself many churches, and some
monasteries, as Hautmont, in 652, &c.
He performed the translation of the relics of St. Vedast at Arras in 666,
to
a
church at that time outside the walls of the city, and St. Aubert laid
there
the
foundation of the great monastery which still flourishes. It was soon
after
most
munificently endowed by king Thierry or Theodoric III, who, dying in 691,
after
a reign of twenty-one years, was buried in this monastery with his second
wife,
Doda, where their monuments are seen to this day.
By St. Aubert's zeal, religion and sacred learning flourished greatly in
all
Haynault and Flanders. Having worthily sustained the burden the episcopal
charge
for the space of thirty-six years, he died in 669 and was buried in St.
Peter's
church, now a famous abbey of regular canons in Cambray, which bears his
name.
It was founded in 1066, by St. Lietbert, bishop of Cambray, who also
founded
the
Benedictine abbey of St. Sepulcher in Cambray, and died on the 23rd of
June,
1076. St. Aubert's shrine is the richest treasure of this magnificent
church
and
abbey.
His festival was kept from the time of his death on the 13th of December,
as
appears from the most ancient calendars of that and neighboring churches.
From
the Libellus Annalis Domini Bedre Presbyteri, published by Martenne from a
manuscript of St. Maximin's at Triers, upwards of eight hundred years old.
(Anec. t. 3, colt 637,) &c. This festival is a holiday at Cambray, where
are
also kept two other annual feasts in his honor: the elevation of his
relics
when
they were first enshrined on the 24th of January; and that of their
translation
the 5th of July. When Guy or Guiard of Laon was bishop of Cambray, William
the
abbot of St. Aubert's in 1242, removed them into a new rich shrine which
was
built by Thomas, a goldsmith of Douay, as we are informed by an
inscription
on
the shrine. From which time this feast has been kept. The same inscription
mentions that this shrine was enlarged and improved in 1275 by James, a
goldsmith at Eskierchin, then a considerable town. Gerard I, the learned
and
zealous bishop of Cambray and Arras, about the year 1020 employed the most
eminent Doctor Fulbert to write the life of St. Aubert. This could be no
other
than Fulbert the celebrated bishop of Chartres, who died in 1028, and had
been
fellow-scholar with Gerard, in the great school at Rheims under Gerbert of
Orleans, afterwards archbishop of Ravenna, and lastly pope Sylvester II.
This
life of St. Aubert is given imperfectly by Surius: copied in manuscript
entire
with notes and preliminary disquisitions, by M. Henry Dionysius Mutte,
dean
of
the metropolitical church of Cambray and vicar-general of the diocese. He
added
three authentic relations of miraculous cures of persons struck with a
palsy,
blind, lame, &c., with a particular detail of the cir***stances of each,
wrought
by the intercession, and by the touch or presence of the relics of St.
Aubert:
the first written under the same bishop Gerard and by his order. The
second
was
compiled in the eleventh; and the third relation of miracles in the
twelfth
century, in part by eyewitnesses. We have also an account of miracles
wrought by
the intercession of this saint in the parish church of Hennin Lietard, in
which
is preserved the relic of his jawbone.
We have another accurate life of St. Aubert in the Chronicon Camaracense
et
Atrebatense, published by Dr. Colvenerius at Douay, in 1615, under the
name
of
Baldericus, bishop of Noyon and Tournay. But the author declares that he
had
been brought up and had always lived in the service of the church of
Cambray,
and that he wrote it by the order of his bishop, Gerard. Whereas the
clergy
of
Noyon, in their letter concerning the election of Baldericus, to the
clergy
and
church of Arras, (apud Balus, Miscell. t. 5, p. 309,) assure us that he
had
always lived in the church of Noyon. Baldericus of Noyon was only a boy
when
Gerard died. The author of this Chronicon afterwards compiled the life of
St.
Gerry, as appears from the preface. See Boschius the Bollandist, Praev.
Comment.
in vitam S. Gaugerici, 11 Aug. Also see the life of St. Aubert, written by
a
monk in Mabillon, Act. Ben. t. 2, p. 873.
Quote:
"A soul truly resigned to God has no affection for any created thing, for
it
sees clearly that all its possessions, except God, are vain and nullity.
So
its
single object and aim is to die to itself, and resign itself actually and
always
in all things
-Bl. Henry Suso
Bible Quote
13 Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as is human. And God is
faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are
able:
but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it.
(1
Cor. 10:13)
<><><><>
THE CROSS BENEATH THE ROSES
Hidden from all eyes, but only known to Thee,
A treasure brought with suffering,
With sorrow and with glee-
Covered with the fragrance of Heavenly perfume;
Nurtured with a confidence that Heaven would be soon;
Carried through the years along with care and grace;
Fostered by the memory of His beloved face.
Lighter than a cloud, softer than the flower,
The Cross beneath the roses
Was surely Heaven's power!
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