A Couple of Old Saints and a Mother

Today we celebrate the Biblical couple of Zachariah and Elizabeth.  I also added to my saintly pegs and saint from the early Church, St. Sylvia.

The story of Zachariah and Elizabeth is a touching story of faithfulness which led to the great prophet who would herald the true coming of the Lord and Savior.  The knowledge we have of this couple can be found in the Gospel of Luke.  I cannot tell the story better than Luke:

Zachariah is the work of Henry
and Elizabeth was painted by another mother last summer

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” (Luke 1:  5-25)

The story continues after Gabriel presents himself to Mary and announces the coming of the Messiah through her yes to the Lord!  Mary is also told of her cousin's child and hurries to help Elizabeth in her time of need.

Mary entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:  39-45)

The months pass and the birth of John the Baptist takes place.  All are amazed by the turn of events and what happens:

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him. (Luke 1:  57-66)

The rest of the story of John the Baptist is told in all the Gospels (Matthew  3; Mark 1; Luke: 3; John 1) , but we never hear any more of his parents.

St. Zachariah and St. Elizabeth, pray for us!


St. Sylvia

Feast Day:  November 5
Born:  515
Death:  594
Patron:  Expectant mothers
Sicily

Little is known of the early life of Sylvia.  However, we do know that she was most likely born to a prominent family in Sicily.  She married Gordian (whose life would end as a martyr) and she was the mother of two sons.  Her own son would later present her to

the Church as a saint as he would be raised to the position of pope as Pope Gregory the Great.

Upon Gordian's death, Gregory would turn their home into a monastery and Sylvia spent the remainder of her days in a small home near a church.  She was happy to lift up her prayers for the Church.  She would live another twenty years lifting her prayers up to the Lord for all the needs of the Church and those around her.

St Sylvia, pray for us!

Organizer of the Church

Imagine a young man destined to reform the Church and you would have today's saint.

Feast Day:  November 4
Born:  1538
Death: 1584
Patron of learning and the arts
Italy

Some would say Charles was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.  He has wealthy parents who could give him all that he desired as well as a good education.  He was even born in a castle!  Furthermore, his (maternal) uncle was a well known religious man who would one day be the pope.  No one could deny that Charles has all the needed.  He could have also been quite conceited about his circumstances.  

Charles took a different approach to his station in life.  At the age of 12 years old, he would receive his first tonsure (rite of inducting someone into the clergy, including shearing of his hair and the investment with the surplice).  It was soon after this choice that his (paternal) uncle turned over the wealth obtained by his family in relation to an abbey.  One must wonder if this was a test to young Charles desire to enter the priesthood.  Charles was quick to explain that any profit from the abbey would be returned to the use of the Church.  Charles then spent the remainder of his youth at university studying civil and canon law.  I found it interesting that he was considered a slow learned because a speech impediment; however, he was always very successful in his studies.  He even had to take a break from his coursework when his father died and he was asked to manage the family affairs.  He was still able to complete his doctorate in law by the time he was 21 years old.

When his uncle became Pope Pius IV, Charles was immediately called to Rome to assist as an adviser.  He would soon be named a cardinal and entrusted with both the public and the privy seal of the ecclesiastical state.  He was also entrusted in the government of the Papal States and appointed supervisor of the Franciscans, Carmelites and Knights of Malta.  During this time, he brought order to all that areas of the establishment, including the renewal of the Council of Trent (1562-1563).  This role led to his efforts to create the Church's first official catechism.  

Although asked to leave the priesthood to take over the family affairs when his older brother died, Charles as determined to remain true to his calling and took on the position of bishop of Milan.  He devoted himself wholly to the reformation of his diocese, especially since it had lacked a bishop for almost 80 years.  He was determined to put into practice the many aspects of the Council of Trent, and his diocese would soon become a model for all other dioceses.  Not everyone approved of all the improvements and attempt on his life was miraculously thwarted.

After the plague broke out in Milan, Charles quickly took action and began to take care of the sick.  Supposedly, the leaders of the town fled and Charles took over the every day workings of the town as well as the needs of the sick and dying.  There are accounts of him feeding 50,000-70,000 daily during this time.  

Charles took to wearing a noose around his neck as a symbol of his desire to die in the place of the villagers.  In 1584, during his annual retreat at Monte Varallo, he was stricken with an intermittent fever and ague, and on returning to Milan grew rapidly worse. After receiving the Last Sacraments, the beloved bishop died quietly at the age of 46 years old.  Following his death, popular devotion to Charles arose quickly and continued to grow.

"Be sure that you first preach by the way you live. If you do not, people will notice that you say one thing, but live otherwise, and your words will bring only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head."  - St. Charles Borromeo

St. Charles Borromeo, pray for us!

Saintly Healers

Today we have two saints who are known for miraculous healings.

St Winfred

Feast Day:  November 3
Born: ??
Death: 660
Patron of virgins
Wales

Our first saint is a legendary saint.  Winifred was born to a wealthy family and sister to another saint (Beuno).  Supposedly, she was beheaded by a suitor whom she rebuffed.  However, Beuno took up her head from the ground and set it back in its rightful place. From where it had fallen, there instantly sprang up a well of pure clear water. At the same time, he commanded the congregation to pray that Winifred might be restored to life and fulfill her vow of chastity; and, when they arose from praying, she arose with them. For the rest of her life she had a red mark round her throat where it had been sliced through.

Winifred became a nun in the nearby village of Denbigshire.  She succeeded the abbess and remained there until her death 15 years later.

The spring where Winifred's head fell, is called Holy Well or St. Winifred's Well and became a great pilgrimage center where many cures have been reported over the centuries.

St. Winifred, pray for us!

Love this little peg painted by another mom
Aren't the animals so cute?

St. Martin de Porres

Feast Day: November 3
Born:  1579
Death: 1639
Patron of Mixed Race, Barbers, Public Health Workers, Innkeepers
Lima, Peru

There could not be two different saints yet they both are known for their healing abilities.

Martin was born to a freed slave who had not married.  His father (a Spanish gentleman) abandoned the mother and son (as well as a sister) when he was very young.  Their financial situation became so extreme that he was placed as an apprentice in a barber shop at a very young age.  He had little education but learned quickly and was able to learn the barber's skill as a physician as well as other duties.

In Peru, by law, all descendants of African or Indians were not allowed to become full members of religious orders.  At the age of 15 years old, Martin, who spent long hours in prayer, longed to join the Dominicans.  He found his only way into the community would be to volunteer to perform the most menial tasks in the monastery. In return, he would be allowed to wear the habit and live within the religious community.

Martin was eventually given the task of distributing money to deserving poor.  During this time, Martin took on his old trades of barbering and healing. He also worked in the kitchen, did laundry and cleaned.

After eight years, Martin was granted the privilege to take his vows as a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic against the laws of the day.  Even though he also completed all his tasks, Martin was called horrible names and mocked for being illegitimate and descending from slaves.

At the age of 24, Martin was allowed to be ordained a lay brother.  He would later be placed in charge of the infirmary.  His ability to heal could not be surpassed.  Martin was praised for his unconditional care of all people, regardless of race or wealth. He took care of everyone from the Spanish nobles to the African slaves. Martin didn't care if the person was diseased or dirty, he would welcome them.

It is said Martin had many extraordinary abilities, including aerial flights, bilocation, instant cures, miraculous knowledge, spiritual knowledge and an excellent relationship with animals. Martin also founded an orphanage for abandoned children and slaves and is known for raising dowry for young girls in short amounts of time.

In 1639, Martin became very ill with chills, fevers and tremors causing him agonizing pain. He would experience almost a year full of illness until he passed away.   After his death, the miracles received when he was invoked in such greatness that when he was exhumed 25 years later, his body exhaled a splendid fragrance and he was still intact.

At Martin's canonization in 1962, Saint John XXIII remarked: "He excused the faults of others. He forgave the bitterest injuries, convinced that he deserved much severer punishments on account of his own sins. He tried with all his might to redeem the guilty; lovingly he comforted the sick; he provided food, clothing and medicine for the poor; he helped, as best he could, farm laborers and Negroes, as well as mulattoes, who were looked upon at that time as akin to slaves: thus he deserved to be called by the name the people gave him: 'Martin of Charity.'"

St. Martin de Porres, pray for us!