Thought for the Day – 9 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Month of the Holy Rosary” The Second Sorrowful Mystery The Scourging
“Tradition holds that Mary followed Jesus through the various stages of His Passion. It is impossible to believe that she would have abandoned Him in these tragic hours. She must, at least, have known of the cruel flogging which He endured and, while His body was being torn by lashes, she was most probably not far away, participating, by her maternal sorrow, in her Son’s torment. Here, then, was a double Martyrdom – the Martyrdom of Blood and the Martyrdom of tears.
Life demands the shedding of blood and the shedding of tears! What are the motives which cause you sorrow in life? Are yours the tears of unsated ambition, of frustrated caprice, or of discouragement in times of trouble? Such tears are not worthy of a Christian. His, should be tears of repentance for his sins and tears of love for Jesus and Mary.”
Quote/s of the Day – 9 October – St Louis Bertrand OP (1526-1581) “Apostle of South America,” St John Leonardi OMD (1541-1609), Founder of the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God
“If, because of your preaching, men lay aside enmities, forgive injuries, avoid occasions of sin and scandals and reform their conduct, you may say that the seed has fallen on good ground. But to God alone, give all the glory and acknowledge yourselves, ever unprofitable servants.”
One Minute Reflection – 9 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – St John Leonardi (1541-1609) Confessor, Priest, Founder – 2 Corinthians 4:1-6; 4:15-18, Luke 10:1-9 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Go. Behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves.” – Luke 10:3
REFLECTION – “The Lord of all bestowed on His Apostles the power of proclaiming the Gospel. And, it is through them that we have come to understand the truth, that is to say, the teaching of the Son of God. To them, the Lord said: “Whoever listens to you, listens to Me. Whoever rejects you, rejects Me and rejects the One Who sent Me” (Lk 10:16). For we have not known the message of salvation from any, besides those who brought the Gospel to us.
This is the Gospel they first of all preached. Then, by God’s will, they handed it onto us in their Writings ,so that it might become “the pillar and foundation” of our faith (1Tm 3:15). It is not permissible to say they preached before, they had acquired perfect understanding, as some people rashly claim, who boast of being correctors of the Apostles. For indeed, after our Lord had been raised from the dead and the Apostles had been “clothed with power from on high” (Lk 24:49) by the coming of the Holy Spirit, they were filled with assurance about everything and possessed perfect knowledge. Then, they went forth “to the ends of the world” (Ps 18:5; Rom 10:18), proclaiming the Good News, of all the good things which have come to us from God and announcing peace on earth to men. Each and all, possessed the Gospel of God in equal measure.” – St Irenaeus (c130-202) Bishop, Martyr, Father of the Church (Against the heresies III, 1).
PRAYER – O God, Who in a wondrous way graciously urged blessed John, Thy Confessor, to propagate Thy faith among the pagans and through him brought together a new religious family in Thy Church for the education of the faithful, grant Thy servants, so to profit by his teaching that we may reach everlasting rewards.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 9 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels”
Through Thee, to Us, Our Saviour Came To Our Lady of the Rosary By St Amadeus of Lausanne O.Cist (1108-1159)
Through thee, to us, our Saviour came, Through thee, to Him, we fain would go. Our lives are marred by wrong and shame, Yet, confidence in thee we know. The friendship thou dost give to all Who love thy name, shall ever be Assurance thou wilt hear our call, Sweet Lady of the Rosary!
Thou art our Strength upon the way, Our Morning Star, to cheer and guide; Our Beacon Light to show the day, And lead us to the Saviour’s Side; A Comforter in ev’ry pain We find, O Mother blest, in thee, And seek we, never, thee in vain, Fair Lady of the Rosary!
Thy praises, Mary, we would sing, And all our faculties employ, That unto thee our hearts might bring A glory-crown of love and joy. Bless thou each humble effort made In thy regard and grant that we, May by thy influence be swayed, Our Lady of the Rosary!
Saint of the Day – 9 October – Saint Gislenus (Died c680) Priest, Basilian Monk, Abbot of the Monastery of Hainault, which he founded, Hermit, Missionary and friend of bears! Born either in Germany or in Greece (records differ but the name Gislenus is of Germanic origin) in the early 600s and died in c680, of natural causes, in the Town named after him, Saint-Ghislain, in modern day Belgium. Also known as – The Apostle of Hainault, Ghislain, Gislain, Gisleno, Gisileno, Guislain. Patronages – Saint-Ghislain, against epilepsy, also known as “St Gislenus’ disease” children’s illnesses and during difficult births.
St Gislenus with his bear
The Roman Martyrology states: “In the Hainault region of Austrasia, in today’s Belgium, Saint Gislenus, who led a monastic life in a cell he built himself [and later extended into a Monastery of which he was the first Abbot.]”
Gislenus completed his studies and then abandoned the world to follow the Rule of St Basil. He was later Ordained a Priest. He travelled to Rome, where the Pope sent him, together with his disciples, Lambert and Berler (both of these too are Saints), to Belgium. as Missionaries.
He made a clearing in the vicinity of Mons, in Hainault, later moving his abode at a place called Ursidongus,- meaning “Bear’s den” and named for our Saint and his friend, the Bear, who had chosen the site – where he built a Chapel and Monastery dedicated to the Princes of the Apostles, Saints Peter and Paul.
Many Bishops had deep esteem and veneration for him – StAubert, the Bishop of Cambrai (Died c720) protected him in a particular way. St Waltrude (c612-686) Widow, gave him a gift of lands and Gislenus influenced her to supply the funds to build a Monastery.
Gislenus exerted a strong influence on the women of the nobility and stimulated them to enter monastic life. These included StAldegonda, St Aldetrude, St Madelberta and of course, the most renowned, St Waltrude.
He died at an advanced age on 9 October between 680 and 685 at his Monastery which later took his name. The cult was already witnessed in the 9th Century. The Saint is particularly invoked against epilepsy, also known as “St Gislenus’ disease” children’s illnesses and during difficult births. The two disciples of the Saint, Lambert and Berler are generally commemorated with him.
St Gislenus right with St Andrew Apostle
The Relics of the Saint were first disinterred in c929. They were translated to Grandlieu, near Quaregnon, about the end of the tenth century or the beginning of the eleventh and, in 1025, Gerard of Florennes, Bishop of Cambrai, removed them to Le Cateau-Cambrésis. They were visited several times in the course of the Middle Ages by the Bishops of Cambrai.
In 1647 they were removed to St-Ghislain, of which place he is Patron.
In iconography he is frequently represented with a bear or bear’s cub beside him. This relates to the wonderful prodigy of the a bear, who being pursued in the chase by King Dagobert I, sought refuge with Gislenus and later showed him the place where he should establish a Monastery. Moreover, the site of the Saint’s cell was called Ursidongus, “Bear’s den,” He is also frequently represented holding a Church.
There is a Rue Saint-Ghislain/Sint-Gissleinsstraat in Brussels.
The Life of St Gislenus Altarpiece at St Waltrude’s Church in Mons
St Aron of Kracow St Abraham the Patriarch St Alfanus of Salerno St Andronicus of Antioch St Athanasia of Antioch Bl Bernard of Rodez St Demetrius of Alexandria St Deusdedit of Montecassino St Domninus St Dorotheus of Alexandria
Martyrs of Laodicea – Three Christians Martyred together in Laodicea but no other information about them has survived but their names – Didymus, Diodorus and Diomedes. They Died in Laodicea, Syria.
AnaStpaul 
You must be logged in to post a comment.