From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
=C2 7 May =E2=80=93 Blessed Alberto of Bergamo OP
(1214-1279)
Layman, Widow, Apostle of Charity, Pilgrim, Third Order Dominican =E2=80=93 born at Villa d'Ogna, Italy and died on 7 May 1279 in Cremona, Ital=
y
of natural causes. Patronages =E2=80=93 Villa d'Ogna, Compagnia del=
l'Arte dei
Brentatori, Farmers, Labourers, Bakers.
Albert =E2=80=9Cthe Farmer=E2=80=9D was a peasant farmer who followed his p= ious and
industrious father's example. His father taught him many practices =
of
penance and piety that later fructified in a saintly life. At seven,
Albert was fasting three days a week, giving the foregone food to the
poor. Working at the heavy labour of the fields, Albert learned to see
God in all things and to listen for His voice in all nature. The
beauty of the earth was to him a voice that spoke only of heaven. He
grew up pure of heart, discreet and humble=E2=80=93to the edification of th=
e
entire village.
Albert married while still quite young. At first his wife made no
objection to the generosity and self-denial for which he was known.
When his father died, however, she made haste to criticise his every
act and word and made his home almost unbearable with her shrewish
scolding. =E2=80=9CYou give too much time to prayer and to the poor!=E2=80=
=9D she
charged;=C2 Albert only replied that God will return all gifts made to
the poor.
In testimony to this, God miraculously restored the meal Albert had
given away over his wife's objections. Finally, softened by Albert=
's
prayers, she ceased her nagging and became his rival in piety and
charity. She died soon after her conversion and Albert, being
childless, he left his father's farm to make a pilgrimage to Jerusa=
lem
and Rome.
Stopping at Cremona, Italy, at harvest time, Albert went to work in
the fields. He soon earned the name of =E2=80=9Cthe diligent worker.=E2=80=
=9D His
guardian angel worked beside him in the fields and, therefore, twice
the work was accomplished that might be expected of one man. Weighing
in his grain at the end of the day, Albert always received twice as
much in wages as the other workers did. Though he gave this to the
poor and kept nothing for himself, jealous companions determined to
annoy him. Planting pieces of iron in the field where Albert would be
working the next day, they watched to see him break or dull his
scythe. Miraculously, the scythe cut through iron as it did through
the grain, never suffering any harm. In Cremona, Albert's poverty w=
as
also a witness to a group of heretics there who boasted of their own
poverty.
In all, Albert visited Rome nine times, Santiago de Compostela eight
times and Jerusalem once. He worked his way, giving to the poor every
penny he could spare. His pilgrimages were almost unbroken prayer, he
walked along singing hymns and chanting Psalms, or conversing on
things of God with the people he met along the way.
Appalled at the suffering of pilgrims who fell ill far from home and
the penniless, Albert determined to build a hospital for their use.
This he actually accomplished by his prayers and diligent work.
In 1256, he met the Dominicans. Attracted by the life of Saint
Dominic, Albert joined the Brothers of Penance, which later became the
Order of Penance of Saint Dominic and continued his works of charity
in his new state. As a lay brother he was closely associated with the
religious but lived in the world so that he was able to continue his pilgrimages. At home, he assisted the Dominican fathers in Cremona,
working happily in their garden, cultivating the medicinal herbs so
necessary at the time and doing cheerfully all the work he could find
that was both heavy and humble.
Falling very ill, Albert sent a neighbour for the priest but there was
a long delay and a dove came bringing him Holy Viaticum. When he died,
the bells of Cremona rang of themselves and people of all classes
hurried to view the precious remains. It was planned to bury him in
the common cemetery, outside the cloister, as he was a secular
tertiary but no spade could be found to break the ground. An unused
tomb was discovered in the church of Saint Matthias, where he had so
often prayed and he was buried there. Many miracles were attributed to
him after his death and the farmer- saint became legendary for his
generosity to the poor.
Blessed Alberto was Beatified in 1748 after Pope Benedict XIV
confirmed that there existed a longstanding local =E2=80=98cultus' =
=E2=80=93 or
popular devotion =E2=80=93 to the late farmer.
https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/07/
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=C2 =C2 Let me warn anyone bent on following Christ to listen to Saint=
Paul:
=C2 =C2 One who claims to abide in Christ ought to walk as he walked. =
Would
you follow Christ? Then be humble as he was humble; do not scorn his
lowliness if you want to reach his exaltation. Human sin made the road
rough but Christ's resurrection leveled it; by passing over it himself
he transformed the narrowest of tracks into a royal highway.
=C2 =C2 Two feet are needed to run along this highway; they are humili=
ty
and charity. Everyone wants to get to the top--well, the first step to
take is humility. Why take strides that are too big for you--do you
want to fall instead of going up? Begin with the first step, humility,
and you will already be climbing.
-- St. Caesarius of Arles
Bible Quote
Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and
humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.=C2 (Matthew
11:29)
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O the Word of My Lord
Song of a Young Prophet
By Brother Damian Lundy FSC (1944-1997)
O the word of my Lord
Deep within my being,
Oh the word of my Lord,
You have filled my mind.
Before I formed you in the womb
I knew you through and through,
I chose you to be Mine.
Before you left your mother's side
I called to you, My child, to be My sign.
Refrain
I know that you are very young,
But I will make you strong.
I'll fill you with My word
And you will travel through the land,
Fulfilling My command
Which you have heard.
Refrain
And everywhere you are to go
My hand will follow you;
You will not be alone.
In all the danger that you fear
You'll find Me very near,
Your words, My own.
Refrain,
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)