From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
February 17th - Saint Alexis Falconieri
(born 1200, died 1310)
Saint Alexis Falconieri is also known as one of the Seven Holy
Founders of the Servants of Mary, or the Servite Order. Together,
these seven prominent men in Florentine society, gave up their
influential lives, fortunes, and oftentimes marriages, to consecrate
themselves to Our Blessed Mother, and serve others at her direction.
Alexis Falconieri was born the son of a Florentine merchant prince
and leader of government. He enjoyed the privilege and status of the
rich and powerful, but instead of embracing those privileges, chose a
life of profound humility and piety.
At that time, Florence was a prosperous city, the center of government
and art in Italy. It was also a time period of great political strife,
and religious heresy. It was in that climate that Saint Alexis joined
the Laudesi, a pious confraternity of the Blessed Virgin. Here he met
six other young men, all members of the most prominent Florentine
families, who would come to be known as the Seven Holy Founders. Their
ranks included Saints Buonfiglio Monaldi, John Bonagiunta, Benedict dell'Antella, Bartholomew Amidei, Gerard Sostegni, and Ricoverus
Uguccione.
Together, on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin in
1240, Our Lady appeared to them carrying a black habit, and a nearby
angel bore a scroll reading Servants of Mary. She told them:
=E2=80=9CYou will found a new Order, and you will be my witnesses throughou=
t
the world. This is your name: Servants of Mary. This is your rule:
that of Saint Augustine. And here is your distinctive sign: the black
scapular, in memory of my sufferings at the foot of the Cross.=E2=80=9D
The Seven promptly founded the Ordo fratrum Servorum Beatae Mariae
Virginis, the Servite Friars, or Servants of Mary. Servites make
solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, as instructed by
Mary, following the Rule of Saint Augustine. Their mission is to
sanctify all men through devotion to the Mother of God, especially in
her desolation during the Passion of her Divine Son. The Servites give missions, have the care of souls, or teach in higher institutions of
learning. Given their devotion to the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin,
the Rosary of the Seven Dolors (or Sorrows) is a common devotion
within the order. During this devotion, one meditates on the seven
moments of suffering enduring by the Blessed Virgin during the life of
Jesus:
1. The Prophecy of Simeon over the Infant Jesus during the
Presentation in the Temple. (Luke 2:34)
2. The Flight into Egypt of the Holy Family. (Matthew 2:13)
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus for Three Days, and the finding of Him
in the Temple. (Luke 2:43)
4. The Meeting of Jesus and Mary while He carried His cross. (Luke 23:26)
5. The Crucifixion, where Mary stands at the foot of the cross. (John 19:25=
)
6. The Descent from the Cross, where Mary receives the dead body of
Jesus in her arms. (Matthew 27:57)
7. The Burial of Jesus. (John 19:40)
Following the founding of the Servite Order, six of the Seven Holy
Founders took the vows of priesthood, as ordained by the bishop. Only
Saint Alexis, due to his humility and feelings of unworthiness to
serve, chose to remain a lay brother. He was the face of the Servite
community within greater Florentine society, raising money through
begging, tending to the building of new facilities due to the rapid
expansion of the Order, and generally serving his brothers through
seeing to even the most menial of tasks. Pope Benedict XI approved the
order in 1304, with Saint Alexis being the only founding member still
living. During that time, more than ten thousand members had joined
the Order.
Today, the Servite Order has spread throughout the world, continuing
through its devotion to Mary to serve and educate the poor. One of the
five original mendicant orders, the Servites are 100% dependent on
charitable contributions to survive, neither owning nor desiring to
own any individual or group possessions. All they have, they give.
Saint Alexis Falconieri and his holy colleagues were granted the
privilege of a vision of the Blessed Mother, specifically giving them
direction on where to move the course of their lives. This, of course,
happened only after they had committed themselves to the Lord, and
given up the ties to their earthly lives=E2=80=94including possessions and
even wives! While this may seem extreme to us, the influence of their sacrifices remains today in the flourishing Servite Order, begging us
to ask the question: what might we accomplish if we turn from our
material ties and focus our lives on God? How might we better serve
Him and each other?
Saint Quote:
If you take little account of yourself, you will have peace, wherever you l= ive.
--St. Poemen
Bible Quote:
And his disciples asked him, =E2=80=9CRabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?=E2=80=9D 3 Jesus answered, =E2=80=9CIt was=
not that
this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be
made manifest in him.[a] [John 9:2-3] RSVCE
<><><><>
Jesu Corona Virginum
Jesu, the Virgins' crown, do thou Accept us as in
prayer we bow; Born of that Virgin, whom alone The
Mother and the Maid we own.
Amongst the lilies thou dost feed, By Virgin choirs
accompanied; With glory decked, the spotless brides
Whose bridal gifts thy love provides.
They, wheresoe'er thy footsteps bend, With hymns
and praises still attend: In blessed troops they follow
thee, With dance, and song, and melody.
We pray Thee therefore to bestow Upon our
senses here below Thy grace, that so we may endure
From taint of all corruption pure.
To God the Father, God the Son, And God the
Spirit, Three in One, Laud, honor, might, and glory be
From age to age eternally. Amen
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)