ST CUTHBERT - POPE FRANCIS IDEAL PRIEST AND BISHOP St. Cuthbert lived in England in the seventh century. He was a poor shepherd boy who loved to play games with his friends. He was very good at them, too. One of his friends scolded him for loving to play so much. In fact, his playmate said words that didn’t seem to be coming from himself. The boy said, “Cuthbert, how can you waste your time playing games when you have been chosen to be a priest and a bishop?” Cuthbert was con-fused and very impressed when he heard this. He wondered if he really was going to be a priest and a bishop. In August, 651, fifteen-year-old Cuthbert experienced something he would never forget. He saw a totally black sky. Suddenly a bright beam of light moved across it. In the light were angels carrying a ball of fire up beyond the sky. Sometime later, Cuthbert learned that the same night of the vision, the bishop, St. Aiden, had died. Cuthbert did not know how this all involved him, but he made up his mind about his life’s vocation and entered a monastery. There Cuthbert became a priest. From one village to another, from house to house, Father Cuthbert went, on horse or on foot. He visited people bringing them the Good News of Jesus. He could speak the dialect of the peasants because he himself had once been a poor shepherd boy. Cuthbert did good everywhere and brought many people to God. He was cheerful and kind. People felt attracted to him and no one was afraid of him. He was also a prayerful, holy monk. When Cuthbert was ordained a bishop, he worked just as hard as ever to help his people. He visited them no matter how difficult it was to travel on poor roads or in very bad weather. As he lay dying, Cuthbert urged his monks to live in peace and charity with everyone. He died peacefully in 687. ❦ St. Cuthbert went out of his way to be kind and loving with his people. We can ask him to help us to be like him so that no one will find it hard to get along with us.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 13:10:55 +0000
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