Listen to the Lord
He is the Teacher of justice who was sent into the world to give
instruction
to all flesh: To enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of
death, and guide our
feet into the way of peace. He came to teach knowledge and justice to the
upright of heart,
as the prophet had foretold: Rejoice, O sons of Zion, and rejoice in the
Lord your God for he
has given you the Teacher of justice and has made the morning and evening
rain descend upon
you as in the beginning. Listen to him, then, all who love life and truth,
all who seek the way
of salvation and peace, all who desire to win everlasting happiness.
-Thomas of Villanova, O.S.A.
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January 18th - St. Deicolus, Abbot.
(also known as Deel, Deicola, Deicuil, Delle, Desle, Dichul, Dicuil)
Born in Leinster, Ireland, c. 530; died in Lure (diocese of Besançon),
France, c. 625. Deicolus, the elder brother of Saint Gall, was one of the
12
disciples of Saint Columbanus who accompanied him to France in 576 and
helped to found the great abbey of Luxeuil. Deicolus worked with
Columbanus
in Austrasia and Burgundy. Though life was not easy, Deicolus was known
for
the peace and joy that radiated from his soul and could be seen on his
face.
Columbanus once asked him, "Why are you always smiling?" He simply
answered,
"Because no one can take God from me."
When Columbanus was expelled by Thierry in 610, Deicolus suc***bed to
fatigue just a few miles from Luxeuil. Columbanus blessed the monk who was
unable to accompany him into exile because of his age. Deicolus wandered a
bit in the forest region. When he became thirsty with no water in sight,
he
knelt down in prayer. Miraculously, a spring gushed forth under his
walking
stick. He settled where the water arose at Lure (Lutra) in the Vosges.
But the spring is not the only miracle attributed to Deicolus. The pastor
of
the nearby chapel of Saint Martin objected to the saint coming there each
night to pray. He was troubled by the stranger for whom "doors opened
without keys." Soon, however, a community gathered around the ancient
monk.
King Clothaire provided funds for the monastery he founded on the site.
There Deicolus retired to live as a hermit until his death.
His lonely mountain cell was the beginning of the city of Lure in
northeastern France. The abbots of Lure were made princes of the Holy
Roman
Empire more than 1,000 years later. Deicolus's cultus is still strong
around
Lure, where even at the end of the 19th century children's clothes were
washed in the spring because it was reputed to cure childhood illnesses.
Deicolus teaches us that joyful souls delight the Lord and others
(Attwater2, Benedictines, Coulson, D'Arcy, Daniel-Rops, Delaney, Dubois,
Encyclopedia, Gougaud, McCarthy, Montague, Tommasini, Walsh).
Saint Deicolus is pictured as a hermit. A wild boar hunted by King
Clothair
takes refuge at his feet. Sometimes there is a ray of light on him
(Roeder).
Saint Quote:
As our Savior says: "A good tree is not able to produce bad fruit."
He says: A good tree, that is, a good heart as well as a soul on fire with
charity, can do nothing but good and holy works. For this reason Saint
Augustine said: "Love, and do what you will," namely, possess love and
charity and then do what you will. It is as if he had said: Charity is not
able to sin.
Mothers of children, even if they have a thousand, carry each and every
one
fixed in their hearts, and because of the strength of their love they do
not
forget any of them. In fact, it seems that the more children they have the
more their love and care for each one is increased.
Be sincerely kind to every one according to the words of our Lord: "Learn
of
me, for I am meek and humble of heart." Thus you are imitating God, of
whom
it is said: "He has disposed all things pleasantly." And again Jesus said:
"My yoke is easy and my burden light."
--from Spiritual Testament by Saint Angela Merici
Bible Quote:
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and
Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)
Also today:
The feasr of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle wherein he first exercised
authority at Rome. A totum duplex feast.
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A prayer to St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles:
Thou art the shepherd of the sheep, the Prince of the
Apostles, unto thee were given the keys of heaven.
V. Thou art Peter, R. And upon this rock I will build my
Church.
Let us pray:
Raise us up, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the apostolic
assistance of blessed Peter, Thine Apostle: so that the
weaker we are, the more mightily we may be helped by the
power of his intercession: and that being perpetually
defended by the same holy Apostle, we may neither yield to
any iniquity, nor be overcome by any adversity. Through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
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