From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

January 3rd - St. Genevieve

=C2 Even while she was alive, St. Genevieve (422-512), who became the
patron saint of Paris, was famous throughout the world. In the East as
well as the West her name and virtues were known. From the top of his
column, St. Simeon Stylites greeted his sister in Christ and praised
her perfection in the Christian virtues. The capital of France was
entrusted to her. She was a simple shepherdess, but she protected the
destiny of Paris, just as it was a poor and simple farmer, St.
Isidore, who watched over the capital of the Spanish people.

How Our Lord chose her as His spouse while she was still a young girl
in Nanterre was recounted by St. Germain of Auxerre, one of the
greatest Bishops of Gaul in the 5th century. Pope St. Boniface had
sent St. Germain to Great Britain to combat the Pelagian heresy around
the year 430. He was accompanied by St. Lupus, Bishop of Troyes, who
shared his mission. On their way through France they stopped at the
village of Nanterre.

Upon their arrival, the two Prelates went to the Church to pray for
the success of their trip. The people surrounded them with pious
curiosity and to ask their blessing. Illuminated by a divine
inspiration, Germain espied in the crowd a young girl of seven years
of age, and he was interiorly advised that Our Lord had chosen and
elected her in a singular way. He asked the name of the child and that
she be brought before him. The people about her said that her name was Genevieve. Her father and her mother brought her forward.

=E2=80=9CIs this child yours?=E2=80=9D Germain asked. They answered, =E2=80= =9CYes.=E2=80=9D And the
holy man said: =E2=80=9CBlessed are you that God hath given you this child. Know you for certain that on the day of her birth the Angels sang and
a great feast was made in Heaven. This girl shall be of great merit
before the Lord. And from her good life and words many shall take
example, that they shall leave the yoke of sin and convert to God.=E2=80=9D

Then, he turned toward the child, and she said to him: =E2=80=9CBlessed
Father, your servant is listening.=E2=80=9D

The Bishop asked: =E2=80=9CTell me, and be not embarrassed, if you will consecrate yourself to Christ in purity without stain as His spouse?=E2=80=
=9D
The maid answered: =E2=80=9CBlessed be you, my Father, what you ask me is t=
he
most cherished desire of my heart. There lacks nothing more than by
your prayers Our Lord will accomplish my desire.=E2=80=9D

=E2=80=9CHave confidence, my daughter,=E2=80=9D said Germain. =E2=80=9CBe f= irm in your
resolution. Prove by your works the good things that you believe in
your heart and say with your mouth, and Our Lord shall give you
strength as well as virtue.=E2=80=9D


Comments of the late Prof. Plinio Corr=C3=AAa de Oliveira:

After this prophecy, the child grew in holiness and became the great
St. Genevieve, who saved Paris from the attack of Attila and his horde
of barbarians in 457.

In the 5th century Attila and his hordes rode roughshod over Western
Europe. The prayers of St. Genevieve diverted his path of destruction
away from Paris. As the Huns approached Paris, Genevieve told the
people not to flee the city but to stay. Through the intercession of
her prayers, Attila contrarily to what was expected and without any
known reason diverted his path and left Paris untouched. She was truly
one of the greatest figures in the History of that time.

Here we can see the great blossoming of holy souls that would form the foundation for the Middle Ages. You can observe the figures of this
story. First there was the Pope St. Boniface. He sent St. Germain of
Auxerre to England to defend it against the Pelagians. For his
companion on the mission, St. Germain had another saint, St. Lupus,
Bishop of Troyes. That is to say, two Bishops--two saints--were sent
by a Pope who was a saint to defend a country that was in danger of
being taken by heresy. We can understand the ambience of the sanctity,
the intensity of the spiritual life upon which the Middle Ages was
built.

On their way through France, the two holy Bishops passed through a
small village that was Nanterre. What was the first thing they did
upon arriving? They did not stop at a hotel or inn to rest and take
something to eat. Their first concern after a tiring journey was to go
to the Church and pray. Their bearing and sanctity were such that when
they entered the Church, the people surrounded them to observe them
praying and to ask their blessing. We can imagine the little people,
the faithful of the village, surrounding the Bishops who were absorbed
in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. We can consider how few
occasions today we have to see two holy Bishops praying like this in a
chapel to the Blessed Sacrament.

Then, suddenly, in this ambiance of ardent devotion, one of these
Bishops received a visible grace from Heaven. By visible, I do not
mean something visible to the eye, but visible because it showed him
amidst the crowd a child who would be a great saint. It was a girl of
seven years of age. He called her to him, and before the astonished
and admiring people, the Bishop spoke a prophecy about what this girl
would become. He began with these words: =E2=80=9CKnow you for certain that
the day of her birth the Angels sang and a great feast was made in Heaven.=E2=80=9D

We can easily imagine the marvel and admiration of all the villagers.
It is not difficult to visualize that for the small village this was
important news. The Bishops arrived, already an enormous thing for
them. Suddenly the Bishops singled out a girl whom they were
accustomed to see playing in the street, barefoot, running here and
there. And now they are informed there was a great joy in Heaven when
this girl was born. No one doubted. No one asked for evidence and
proofs. Everyone believed. Why? Because they belonged to this kind of
blessed persons who believe without having seen.

Everyone believed. The girl also believed, along with her parents. It
was so natural that there should be joy in Heaven because a girl who
would be holy had been born! The saints were so frequent, so numerous,
in that time! They had such a close and continuous contact with Heaven
that the people were accustomed to this supernatural communication--so
normal in that time....

How different this is our days, when a great distance separates
contemporary man from the supernatural. Miles and miles separate him
from Heaven. Today he does not like to admit that a thing can come
from Heaven. He has armed himself with every weapon imaginable to try
to deny the supernatural. And if he still cannot deny it, then and
only then does contemporary man resign himself without enthusiasm to
admit that something can come from Heaven.... Then we can see how
fortunate it was to live among those saints with a supernatural
presence of Heaven, and how sad it is to live in our days, when
sanctity is so difficult to find.


Saint Quote:
Faith lifts the soul, Hope supports it, Experience says it must, and
Love says ... let it be!
--St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Bible Quote:
He who is mighty hath done great things to Me, and holy is His Name.
(Luke 1:49)


<><><><>
TO A MIRACULOUS MOTHER

Blessed Mother, be my guide!
Be here always at my side!
Take me through this world of sorrow,
Show me there's a bright tomorrow!

--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)