Yesterday, we celebrated the feast of the Apostle to the Germans: St. Boniface, who around the year 750 is sent by the Pope to evangelize the wild frontier of Europe at the time: the Netherlands, Austria, and Germany—spreading the Gospel among the scattered Germanic tribes and delivering them from their pagan worship and witchcraft. The blood of the martyrs certainly water the fields of Christendom in Europe, for within two hundred years of Boniface’s martyrdom, the Holy Roman Empire was established.
Today’s saint, was born into the German nobility in the high middle ages. Norbert was ordained a subdeacon and was given a role in the imperial court as chaplain to the emperor and was put in charge of dispensing alms to the poor. But soon, Norbert fell into the trap of worldliness and began to take on a lot of the vices and bad habits of the emperor’s court. The Holy Roman Empire was not always very Holy…or Roman for that matter. Anyway.
During a violent thunderstorm, Norbert had a close brush with death. That glimpse of mortality and the judgment that comes at the end of life, led Norbert to a deeper conversion to Christ. At his ordination to the priesthood in 1115, Norbert gave away all of his possessions and moved to the valley of Premontre in northern France, from which we get the name Premonstratensian, the contemplative religious order he would go on to found. Because Premonstratensians, is a bit of a mouthful, they are typically called, the Norbertines, these days.
As a contemplative, Norbert’s life revolved around Prayer, Scripture, and the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. As a priest and later as an archbishop, Norbert spent many hours in contemplation of the divine mysteries. Consequently, His preaching and teaching were infused with the fruit of his time in prayer.
He believed that devotion to the Scriptures and to the Blessed Sacrament were essential for the renewal of his diocese and for the religious life of his monks. He encouraged the members of his religious order to read the scriptures often, and to pattern their lives after the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These days when we are talking more and more about evangelization, that means Catholics must become much more familiar and devoted to the Scriptures, so that we can draw people to Christ through them.
Norbert was also devoted to the Blessed Sacrament, and Norbert attributed the conversion of sinners, the reform of the clergy, and the spread of the Gospel throughout his diocese to time spent in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Religious art often depicts him holding a monstrance or kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
As the Church begins this year of Eucharistic Renewal, St. Norbert certainly offers a program for all of us to follow: to turn away from worldly vices and to alternate between time with the scriptures in our laps and time on our knees before the Blessed Sacrament for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
To God the Father Almighty, may every prayer of our heart be directed, for it is His will that all humanity should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her.
For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them, and deepen in them the virtues of justice and religion.
That the Norbertine Order and all those consecrated religious may inspire us to strive for greater holiness.
For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, especially for the sick and victims of war and terror and natural disaster.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.
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