From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   On Being Mindful of God's Blessings [III]   
      
   THE DISCIPLE:   
   One who has received lesser gifts should not on that account be   
   grieved, or envious of those who are more richly endowed than himself.   
   Rather, he should turn to You and praise Your goodness, for Your gifts   
   are given generously, freely, and readily, without respect of   
   persons.(Rom. 2:11) All good things come of You; therefore in all   
   things You are to be praised. (Rom. 11:36) You alone know what is   
   right for each to receive; and it is not for us to judge why one has   
   less and another more, for You alone can weigh the merits of each.   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3, Ch 22   
      
   ============   
   April 14th - St. Benezet   
   (C.1165-c.1184)   
      
   Bridges play an important role in our social life. In times of war   
   they facilitate defense. In times of peace they promote communication,   
   commerce, travel, pilgrimage. The Romans knew this, and made a point   
   of constructing sturdy bridges throughout their empire.   
      
   In Europe’s “Dark Ages”, however, the ancient Roman bridges gradually   
   fell apart, and contemporary governments were not keen about spending   
   money to replace them or multiply them. We can understand, therefore,   
   why European medieval traffic often came to a fretful standstill.   
      
   In the 12th century, there was a great upsurge of bridge-building,   
   instigated not by the government but by the people. And it was a   
   saintly French layman who reputedly led the way.   
      
   St. Benezet, also known as Little Benedict the Bridge Builder, was   
   born somewhere in the countryside of eastern or northeastern France.   
   As he grew up he tended his mother’s sheep. Though uneducated and   
   unskilled, this Benedict was a quiet, devout youth, thoughtful of   
   others. It seems that he became concerned about the risk people had to   
   take when they crossed the Rhone River. In his day there were no   
   bridges spanning the river, and its turbulent waters could easily   
   capsize boats that tried to make the crossing.   
      
   One day in 1177, while the sun was in eclipse, Benezet heard a voice   
   commanding him three times to go to Avignon, where the Rhone current   
   was especially swift, and see to it that a bridge was built there. He   
   obeyed without delay, and reported this command to the bishop of   
   Avignon. Naturally, the bishop was hesitant about accepting the word   
   of the frail teenager. But by working certain miracles, we are told,   
   Benezet succeeded in convincing the bishop that the construction of   
   the bridge would be an act of true Christian charity. Permission was   
   granted, and the youth set about his task.   
      
   For the next seven years Benedict worked hard on the project,   
   persuading the Avignonese to give their support, and studying the   
   complicated details of construction. Around 1181, needing assistants   
   in his labors, he organized a group of laymen into a sort of   
   confraternity called the Fratres Pontifices (Bridge-building   
   Brothers). They left construction work to the craftsmen, concentrating   
   rather on securing the funds for building and maintenance.   
      
   This Avignon venture, in turn, inspired similar undertakings   
   elsewhere, and bishops began to grant indulgences to contributors to   
   these charitable enterprises. Elsewhere, too, bridge-building   
   confraternities like that of Avignon sprang up. Some of them also   
   managed hostels for wayfarers.   
      
   Unfortunately, Benezet himself died some four years before the great   
   stone bridge at Avignon was completed. We are told that the wonders   
   that occurred during its erection and the miracles wrought at the   
   Bridge Builder’s tomb convinced the people of Avignon that the young   
   man was a saint, and he was referred to as such as early at 1237. They   
   therefore built a chapel on the “Bridge of St. Benezet” to enshrine   
   his relics. There the body was venerated until 1669, when floodwaters   
   carried away a large segment of the bridge. His remains were rescued   
   from the flood, and on examination were found to be incorrupt. Now   
   they repose in the local church of St. Didier. Understandably, bridge   
   builders adopted little Benedict as their patron saint.   
      
   One can build in a figurative as well as a literal sense. Bishops, the   
   pope in particular, are often called “pontiffs”, a title derived from   
   the Latin word for “builder of bridges”. Building bridges between God   
   and mankind is their special calling. Our Lord Himself was a “pontiff”   
   in the sense that He made his cross a bridge on which souls could   
   enter heaven. The beatitude “Blessed are the peacemakers” promises   
   heaven to those who work for reconciliation; that is, “build bridges”.   
      
   Some persons labor to raise walls, or “iron curtains” to divide   
   mankind. Others labor to tear down the walls that divide, straighten   
   the paths that connect, bridge the crevices that separate people.   
   Surely they come close to fulfilling the great commandment to love   
   neighbor as oneself. St. Benezet was one such. He promoted the unity   
   of God’s children.   
   –Father Robert   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Reason can but ascertain the profound difficulties of our condition,   
   it cannot remove them.   
   -- Blessed John Cardinal Newman   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors!   
   that the King of glory may come in.   
   8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD,   
   mighty in battle!   
   9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors!   
   that the King of glory may come in.   
   10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of   
   glory!  [Psalm 24:7-10]   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   A PRAYER FOR THE DYING AND A SPECIAL SOUL   
      
   O MOST MERCIFUL JESUS, lover of souls,   
   I beseech Thee, by the agony of Thy most Sacred Heart,   
   and by the sorrows of Thine Immaculate Mother,   
   wash clean in Thy Blood the sinners of the whole world   
   who are to die this day.   
      
   Remember most especially the soul I spiritually adopt   
   with the intention of entrusting him or her to Thy Shepherd's care:   
   I beseech Thee for the grace to move this sinner, who is in   
   danger of going to Hell, to repent. I ask this because of my   
   trust in Thy great mercy.   
      
   If it should please Thy Majesty to send me a suffering this day   
   in exchange for the grace I ask for this soul, then, it, too,   
   shall please me very much, and I thank Thee, Most Sweet Jesus,   
   Shepherd and Lover of Souls; I thank Thee for this   
   opportunity to give mercy in thanksgiving for all the mercies   
   Thou hast shown me. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)