October 17 — Saint Hedwige Widow

At tbe beginning of the thirteenth oentury, the plateaux of upper Asia poured down a fresh torrent of barbarians, more terrible than all their predecessors. The one fragile barrier, whieh the Grraoo-Slavonian civilization oould oppose to the Mongols, had been swept away by the first wave of the invasion ; not one of the States formed under the protection of the Byzantine Ohuroh had any prospeot for the future. But beyond this Ruthenia, whioh had fallen into dissolution before being oonquered, the Roman Ohuroh had had time to form a brave and generous people: when the hour arrived, Poland was ready. The Mongols were already inundating Silesia, when, in the plains of Liegnitz, they found themselves confronted by an army of thirty thousand warriors, headed by the duke of Silesia, Henry the pious. 1 The enoounter was terrible; the victory remained long undeoided, until at length, by the odious treason of some Ruthenian prinoes, it turned in favour of the barbarians. Duke Henry and the flower of the Polish knighthood were left upon the battle-field. But their defeat was equal to a victory. The Mongols retired exhausted, for they had measured their strength with the soldiers of the Latin Christianity.

It is Poland's happy lot, that at eaoh decisive epoch in its history a saint appears to point out the

1 April 8, 1241.

(409)

TtMB AFTER PENTB008T road to the attainment of its glorious destiny. Over the battle-field of Liegnitz shines the gentle figure of St. Hedwige, mother of duke Henry the pious. She had retired, in her widowhood, into the Cisteroian monastery of Trebnitz founded by herself. Three years before the ooming of the barbarians, she had had a revelation touohing the future fate of her son. She offered her saorifioe in silenoe; and far from discouraging the young duke, she was the first to animate him to resistance.

The night following the battle, she awoke one of her companions, and said to her: 6 Demundis, know that I have lost my son. My beloved son has fled from me, like a bird on the wing ; I shall never see my son again in this life.' Demundis endeavoured to console her ; no courier had arrived from the army, and her fears were vain. ' It is but too true,' replied the duchess, ' but mention it to no one. 9

Three days later the fatal news was confirmed. * It is the will of God,' said Hedwige ; 4 what God wills, and what pleases Him, must please us also. 9 And rejoicing in the Lord: ' I thank Thee, 0 my God,' said she, raising her hands and eyes to heaven, 4 for having given me such a son. He loved me all his life, always treated me with great respect, and never grieved me. I much desired to have nim with me on earth, but I congratulate him with my whole soul, for that by the shedding of his blood he is united with Thee in heaven, with Thee his Creator. I recommend his soul to Thee, 0 Lord my God.' No less an example was needed to sustain Poland under the new task it had just aooepted.

At Liegnitz it had raised up again the sword of Christendom, fallen from the feeble hands of Ruthenia. It beoame henceforth as a watchful sentinel, ever ready to defend Europe against the barbarians.

SAINT HEDWlOK

Ninety-three times did the Tartars rush upon Christendom, thirsting for blood and rapine: ninety-three times Poland repulsed them at the edge of the sword, or had the grief to see the country laid waste, the towns burnt down, the flower of the nation oarried into oaptivity. By these sacrifices it bore the brunt of the invasion, and deadened the blow for the rest of Europe. As long as blood and tears and viotims were required, Poland gave them unstintedly ; while the other European nations enjoyed the security purchased by this oontinual immolation. 1

This touching page will be oompleted by the Church's story, where the part played by the saintly duohess is so well brought forward.

Hedwigis, regiis clara natalibus, innocentia tamen ▼its longe clarior, sanctae Elisabeths filise regis Hungariaa matertera, Bertholdi et Agnetis Mora viae marohionum filia, animi ab ineunte state moderationem protulit. Adhuo enim puellula puerilibus abstinuit, et duodennii Henrico Poloni» duci a parentibus nuptui tradita, thalami fide sancte servata, prolem inde susoeptam in Dei timore erudivit. Ut autem oommodius Deo vacaret, ex pari voto et consensu unanimi ad separationem thori virum induxit. Quo defuncto, ipsa in monasterio Trebnicensi, Deo, quern assiduis precibus exoraverat, inspirante,

Hedwige was illustrious for her royal descent, but still more so for the innocence of her life. She was maternal aunt to St. Elizabeth, the daughter of the king of Hungary; and her parents were Berthold and Agnes, Marquis and Marchioness of Moravia. From childhood she was remarkable for her self-control, for at that tender age she refrained from all childish sports. At the age of twelve, her parents gave her in marriage to Henry, duke of Poland. She was a faithful and holy wife and mother, and brought up her children in the fear of God. In order the more freely to attend to God, she persuaded her husband to make with her a mutual vow of continency. After his death, she

1 Dom GuSpin, S. Josaphat et PJBglite grecque unie en Pologne % Introduction.

TIME AFTER PENTECOST

Cisterciensem devota sumptit habitum; in eoque contemplationi intenta, divinis Officii* et Missarum solemniii a solis ortu ad meridiem usque assidua assistens, antiquum humani generis hostem fortis contempsit.

Sreculi autem commercia, ni divina, vel animarum salutem attingerent, audire ▼el loqui non sustinuit. Prudentia in agendis sic emicuit, ut neque excessus esset in modo, nec error in ordine, comis alioqui, et mansueta in proximum. Grandem autem de se triumphum, jejuniis et vigiliis, vestiumque asperitate austera carnem macerans, reportavit; hinc sublimioribus fiorens virtutibus christianis, consiliorum gravitate, animique candore et quiete, in eximium religiose pietatis evasit exemplar: omnibus se ultro subjicere, atque viliora pr® ceteris monialibus alacriter munia subire; pauperibus etiam fiexo genu ministrare, leprosorum pedes abluere et osculari, ipsi f amiliare erat, neque illorum ulcera sanie manantia sui victrix abhorruit. was inspired by God, whose guidance she had earnestly implored, to take the Cistercian habit; which she did with great devotion in the monastery of Trebnitz. Here she gave herself up to divine contemplation, spending the whole time from sun-rise till noon in assisting at the Divine Office and the holy Sacrifice. The old enemy of mankind she utterly despised.

She would neither speak of worldly affairs nor hear them spoken of, unless they affected the interests of God or the salvation of souls. All her actions were governed by prudence, and it was impossible to find in them anything excessive or disorderly. She was full of gentleness and affability towards all. She triumphed completely over her flesh by afflicting it with fasting, watching, and rough garments. She was adorned moreover with the noblest Christian virtues; she was exceedingly prudent in giving counsel; pure and tranquil in mind; so as to be a model of religious perfection. Yet she ever strove to place herself below all the nuns; eagerly choosing the lowest offices in the house. She would serve the poor, on her knees, and wash and kiss the feet of lepers, so far overcoming herself as not to be repulsed by their loathsome ulcers.

SAINT HKDWIGK

Mira fait ejus patientia animiqne constantia; pracipne vero io morte Henrici ducis Silesia? sui, quern materne diligebat, filii, in bello a Tartaris csesi, enituit: potius enim gratias Deo, quam filio lacrimas reddidit. Miraculorum denique gloria percrebuit; puerum enim demersum, et molendini rotis allisum et prorsus attritum, invocata, vitae restituit; aliaque prsestitit; ut rite iis Clemens qnartus probatis, sanctorum numero earn adscripserit, ejusque festum in Polonia, ubi pr»cipua veneratione uti patrona colitur, die decima quinta Octobris celebrari concesserit; quod deinde ut decima septima in tota Ecclesia fieret, Innocentius undecimus ampliavit.

Her patience and strength of soul were admirable; especially at the death of her dearly-loved son, Henry duke of Silesia, who fell fighting against the Tartars; for she thought rather of giving thanks to God, than of weeping for her son. Miracles added to her renown. A child, that had fallen into a millstream and was bruised and crushed by the wheels, was immediately restored to life when the saint was invoked. Many other miracles wrought by her having been duly examined, Clement IV enrolled her among the saints; and allowed her feast to be celebrated on the fifteenth of October, in Poland, where she is very greatly honoured as patroness of the country. Innocent XI extended her Office to the whole Church, fixing it on the seventeenth of October. Daughter of Abraham according to faith, thou didst imitate his heroism. Thy first reward was to find a worthy son in him thou offeredst to the Lord. Thy example is most welcome in this month, wherein the Church sets before us the death of Judas Maohabeus. 1 As glorious as bis was the death of thy Henry ; but it was also a fruitful death. Of thy six children he alone, the Isaac offered and immolated to God, was permitted to propagate thy race. And yet what a posterity is thine, since all the royal families of Europe can claim to be of thy lineage ! * I will make thee increase exceedingly, and I will make 1 3rd Sunday of October,

TIME AFTER PEHTECOST nations of thee, and kings shall oome oat of thee. M This promise, made to the father of the faithful, is fulfilled onoe more on thy behalf, 0 Hedwige. God never ohanges; He has no need to make a new engagement ; a like fidelity in any age, earns from Him a like reward. Mayst thou be blest by all, 0 mother of nations ! Extend oyer all thy powerful protection ; but above all others, by God's permission, may unfortunate Poland find by experience that thy patronage is never invoked in vain J

October 18 SAINT LUKE

EVANGELIST

The goodness and kindness of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men. 8 It would seem that the third evangelist, a disciple of St. Paul, had purposed setting forth this word of the doctor of the Gentiles ; or may we not rather say, the apostle himself characterizes in this sentence the Gospel wherein his disciple portrays the Saviour prepared before the faoe of all peoples; a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of . . . Israel.* St. Luke's Gospel, and the words quoted from St. Paul, were in fact written about the same time ; and it is impossible to say which claims priority.

Under the eye of Simon Peter, to whom the Father had revealed the Christ the Son of the living God, Mark had the honour of giving to the Church the

1 Oen. xvii. 6, * Tit. U. 11 ; iii. 4, » §t. frike ii. 31. 32,

SAINT LUKE

Gospel of Jesus, the Son of God. 1 Matthew had already drawn up for the Jews the Gospel of the Messia8> Son of David, Son of Abraham. 1 Afterwards, at the side of Paul, Luke wrote for the Gentiles the Gospel of Jesus, Son of Adam through Mary. 8 As far as the genealogy of this First-born of His Mother may be reckoned baok, so far shall extend the blessing He bestows on His brethren, bpr redeeming them from the curse inherited from their first father.

Jesus was truly one of ourselves, a Man conversing with men and living their life. He was seen on earth in the reign of Augustus ; the prefect of the empire registered the birth of this new subject of Crosar in the city of His anoestors. He was bound in the swathing-bands of infancy; like all of his race, He was oiroumcised, offered to the Lord, and redeemed according to the law of His nation* As a Child He obeyed His parents ; He grew up under their eyes ; He passed through the progressive development of youth to the maturity of manhood. At every juncture, during His public life, He prostrated in prayer to God the Creator of all ; He wept over His oountry ; when His heart was wrung with anguish at sight of the morrow's deadly torments, He was bathed with a sweat of blood ; and in that agony He did not disdain the assistance of an angeL Such appears, in the third Gospel, the humanity of God our Saviour.

How sweet too are His grace and goodness 1 Among all the children of men, He merited to be the expectation of nations and the Desired of them all: He who was conceived of a humble Virgin ; who was born in a stable with shepherds for His court, and choirs of angels singing in the darkness of night:

1 St. Ma?k LI, » St. Matt, i, 1 , » St. Luke iii. 38,

TIME AFTBB PBHTECOST

4 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good-will. 9 But earth had sung the prelude to the angelic harmonies ; the precursor, leaping with delight in his mother's womb, had, as the Churoh says, 1 made known the Xing still resting in His bride-chamber. To this joy of the Bridegroom's friend, the Virgin Mother had responded dv the sweetest song that earth or heaven has ever heard. Then Zaohary and Simeon oompleted the number of inspired canticles for the new people of God. All was song around the new-born Babe ; and Mary kept all the words in her heart, in order to transmit them to us through her own evangelist.

The divine Child grew in age and wisdom and graoe before God and man ; till His human beauty captivated men, and drew them with the oords of Adam to the love of God. He was ready to weloome the daughter of Tyre, the Gentile race that had become more than a rival of Sion. Let her not fear, the poor unfortunate one, of whom Magdalene was a figure; the pride of expiring Judaism may take soandal, but Jesus will aooept her tears and her perfumes ; He will forgive her muoh because of her great love. Let the prodigal hope once more, when worn out with his long wanderings, in every way whither error has led the nations ; the envious oomplaint of his elder brother Israel will not stay the outpourings of the sacred Heart, oelebrating the return of the fugitive, restoring to him the dignity of sonship, placing again upon his finger the ring of the alliance first oontraoted in Eden with the whole human race. As for Juda, unhappy is he if he refuse to understand.

Woe to the rioh man, who in his opulenoe neglects the poor Lazarus 1 The privileges of race no longer

1 Yesp$r tymn for th? feast of 8t. Jolm Baptist,

SAINT tVKt exist: of ten lepers oared in body, the stranger alone is healed in soul, because he alone believes in his deliverer and returns thanks. Of the Samaritan, the levite, and the priest, who appear on the road to Jericho, the first alone earns our Saviour's oommendation. The pharisee is strangely mistaken, when, in his arrogant prayer, he spurns the publican, who strikes his breast and cries tor mercy. The Son of Man neither hears the prayers of the proud, nor heeds their indignation ; He invites Himself, in spite of their murmurs, to the house of Zaoheus, bringing with Him salvation and joy, and declaring the publican to be henoeforth a true son of Abraham. So much goodness and suoh universal mercy close against Him the narrow hearts of His fellow-citizens ; they will not have Him to reign over them ; but eternal Wisdom finds the lost groat, and there is great joy before the angels in heaven. On the day of the sacred nuptials, the lowly and despised, and the repentant sinners, will sit down to the banquet prepared for others. In truth I say to you, there were many widows in the days of Elias in Israel, . . . and to none of them was Elias sent, but to Sarepta of Sidon, to a widow woman. And there were many lepers in Israel at the time of Eliseus the prophet, and none of them was cleansed but Naaman the Syrian. 1

O Jesus, thy evangelist has won our hearts. We love Thee for having taken pity on our misery. We Gentiles were in deeper debt than Jerusalem, and therefore we owe Thee greater love in return for Thy pardon. We love Thee because Thy choicest graces are for Magdalene, that is, for us who are sinners, and are nevertheless called to the better part. We love Thee because Thou oanst not resist the tears of

1 $t. Luke iy. 25-27,

TIMB AFTER PENTECOST mothers; but restoreet to them, as at Nairn, their dead children. In the day of treason, and abandonment, and denial, Thou didst forget Thine own injury to east upon Peter that loving look, which caused him to weep bitterly. Thou turnedst away from Thyself the tears of those humble and true daughters of Jerusalem, who followed Thy painful footsteps up the heights of Calvary. Nailed to the cross, Thou didst implore pardon for Thy executioners. At the last hour, as God Thou promisedst paradise to the penitent thief, as Man Thou gavest baok Thy Soul to Thy Father. Truly from beginning to end of this third Gospel appears Thy goodness and kindness, O God our Saviour !

St. Luke oompleted his work by writing, in the same oorrect style as his Gospel, the history of the first days of Christianity, of the introduction of the Gentiles into the Church, and of the great labours of their own apostle Paul. According to tradition he was an artist, as well as a man of letters ; and with a soul alive to all the most delicate inspirations, he consecrated his pencil to the holiest use, and handed down to us the features of the Mother of God. It was an illustration worthy of the Gospel which relates the divine Infancy ; and it won for the artist a new title to the gratitude of those who never saw Jesus and Mary in the flesh. Hence St. Luke is the patron of Christian art ; and also of the medical profession, for in the holy Scripture itself he is said to have been a physician, as we shall see from the breviary lessons. He had studied all the sciences in his native city Antioch; and the brilliant capital of the east had reason to be proud of its illustrious son.

The Churoh borrows from St. Jerome the historical lessons of the feast. The just censure therein passed upon a certain apocryphal and romantic history of §t t Thecla, in no way derogates from the

SAINT LUKK universal veneration of east and weft for the noble spiritual daughter of St. Paul.

Ex libro sancti Hieronymi From the book of St. Jerome, presbyteri de soriptoribus priest, on ecclesiastical ecclesiasticis. writers.

Lucas medicus Antiochensis, ut ejus scripts indicant grseci sermonis non ignarus, f uit sectator apostoli Panli, et omnis peregrinationis ejus comes. Scripsit Evangelium, de quo idem Paulus: Misimus, inquit, cum illo fratrem, cujus laus est in Evangelio per omnes ecclesias. Et ad Colossenses: Salutat vos Lucas, medicus carissimus. Et ad Timotheum: Lucas est mecum solus. Aliud quoque edidit volumen egregium, quod titulo, Acta apostolorum, pronotatur: cujus historia usque ad biennium Romae commorantis Pauli pervenit, id est, usque ad quartum Neronis annum. Ex quo intelligimus in eadem urbe librum esse compositum.

Igitur periodos Pauli et Theclffi, et totam baptizati leonis fabulam, inter apocryphas scripturas computamus. Quale enim est, ut individuus comes apostoli, inter ceteras ejus res, hoc solum ignoraverit? Sed et Tertullianus, vicinus eorum temporum, refert presbyterum quemdam in Asia ama-

Luke was a physician of Antioch, and, as is shown by his writings, was skilled in the Greek tongue. He was a disciple of the apostle Paul, and accompanied him in all his journeys. He also wrote a Gospel ; wherefore the same Paul says of him : We have sent also with him the brother whose praise is in the Gospel through all the churches. And again to the Colossians : Luke the most dear physician saluteth you. And to Timothy: Only Luke is with me. He wrote another excellent work, called the Acts of the apostles, in which he relates the history of the Church, as far as Paul's two years' sojourn at Rome, that is to the fourth year of Nero. From this circumstance we infer that the book was written at Rome.

Conseqently we class the journeys of Paul and Thecla and the whole fable of the baptized lion, among apocryphal writings. For is it possible that the apostle's inseparable companion should know everything concerning him except this one thing? Moreover Tertullian, who lived near to those times, relates that a certain priest ii*

TIME AFTER PENTECObT

Asia, an admirer of Paul, was convicted by John of having written that book; which he confessed he had done out of love for Paul, and was on that account deposed. Some are of opinion that whenever Paul in his epistles says: According to my Gospel, he means that of Luke.

Luke, however, was instructed in the Gospel not only by the apostle Paul, who had never seen the Lord in the flesh, but also by the other apostles. This he declares in the beginning of his work, saying: According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word. He wrote his Gospel, then, from what he had heard, but the Acts of the apostles from what" he had himself seen. He lived eighty-four years, and was never married. His body lies at Constantinople, whither it was translated from Achaia, together with the relics of St. Andrew the apostle, in the twentieth year of Constantino.

The symbolical Ox, reminding us of the figurative sacrifices, and announcing their abrogation, takes his place to-day, with the man, the lion, and the eagle, to oomplete the number of the four mystical creatures before the throne of God. 0 evangelist of the Gentiles, blessed be thou for having put an end to the long night of our captivity, and warmed our frozen hearts. Thou wast the confidant of the Mother o{ iorem apostoli Pauli, convictum a Joanne, quod auctor esset libri, et confessum se hoc Pauli amore fecisse, et ob id loco excidisse. Quidam suspicantur, quotiescumque in epistolis suis Paulus dicit, Juxta Evangelium meum, de Lucsb aignificare volumine.

Lucam autem non solum ab apostolo Paulo didicisse Evangelium, qui cum Domino in carne non fuerat, sed a ceteris apostolis: quod ipse quoque in principio sui voluminis declarat, dicens: Sicut tradiderunt nobis, qui a principio ipsi viderunt, et ministri fuerunt sermonis. Igitur Evangelium sicut audierat, scripsit: Acta vero apostolorum, sicut viderat ipse, composuit. Vixit octoginta et quatuor annos, uxorem non habens: sepultus est Constantinopoli, ad quam urbem vigesimo Constantini anno ossa ejus cum reliquiis Andreae apostoli translata sunt de Achaia.

8AIOT LUKE

God ; and her happy influenoe left in thy soul that fragranoe of virginity which pervaded thy whole life and breathes through thy writings. With disoerning love and silent devotedness, thou didst assist the apostle of the Gentiles in his great work ; and didst remain as faithful to him when abandoned or betrayed, shipwrecked or imprisoned, as in the days of his prosperity. Rightly, then, does the Church in her Collect apply to thee the words spoken by Saint Paul of himself: In all things we suffer tribulation, are persecuted, are oast down, always bearing about in our body the mortification of Jesus; but this continual dying manifests the life of Jesus in our mortal flesh. Thy inspired pen taught us to love the Son of Man in His Gospel ; thy pencil portrayed Him for us in His Mother's arms ; and a third time thou revealedst Him to the world, by the reproduction of His holiness in thine own life.

Preserve in us the fruits of thy manifold teaching. Though Christian painters do well to pay thee speoial honour, and to learn from thee that the ideal of beauty resides in the Son of God and in His Mother, there is a yet more sublime art than that of lines and colours: the art of reproducing in ourselves the likeness of God. This we wish to learn perfectly in thy school ; for we know from thy master St. Paul that conformity to the image of the Son of God can alone entitle the elect to predestination.

Be thou the protector of the faithful physioians, who strive to walk in thy footsteps, and who, in their ministry of devotedness and oharity, rely upon thy oredit with the Author of life. Second their efforts to heal or to relieve suffering ; and inspire them with holy zeal, when they find their patients on the brink of eternity.

The world itself, in its decrepitude, now needs the

TIME AFTER PENTECOST assistance of all who are able, by prayer or action, to oome to its rescue. ' The Son of Man, when He cometh, shall He find, think you, faith on earth P M Thus spoke our Lord in the Gospel. But He also said that we ought always to pray and not to faint adding, for the instruction of the Ohuroh both at this time and always, the parable of the widow, whose importunity prevailed upon the unjust judge to defend her oause. ' And will not God revenue His elect, who cry to Him day and night ; and will He have patienoe in their regard P I say to you that He will quickly revenge them/ 8

October 19 SAINT PETER OP ALCANTARA

CONFESSOR

1 0 happy penanoe, which has won me such riory I 9 said the saint of to-day at the threshold of heaven. And on earth, Teresa of Jesus wrote of him: 1 Oh 1 what a perfect imitator of Jesus Christ God has just taken from us, by calling to his glory that blessed religious, Brother Peter of Aloantara! The world, they say, is no longer capable of such high perfection ; constitutions are weaker, and we are not now in the olden times. Here is a saint of the present day; yet his manly fervour equalled that of past ages; and he had a supreme disdain for everything earthly. But without going barefoot like him, or doing such sharp penance, there are very many ways in which we can praotise contempt of the world, and which