Subj : February 27th - St. John of Gorze To : All From : rich Date : Mon Feb 26 2018 09:10:27 From: rich February 27th - St. John of Gorze, Abbot Also known as Jean de Gorze, John of Lorraine d. 974 THE father of John of Gorze was well on in years when his son was born at Vandi=C3=A8res near Pont-=C3 -Mousson, and, though he lived long enoug= h to have him well educated at Metz and at Saint-Mihiel, he died before John attained to manhood. The youth was called upon to look after the family property, and was thus brought into touch with leading men in church and state. The benefices of Vandi=C3=A8res and of Saint-Laurent in the village of Fontenoy were vested in him, and he did much to adorn and beautify these churches, especially Saint-Laurent, where he would sometimes spend several days in prayer when he was free from secular business. Although the world still had attractions for him, he was greatly influenced by an old priest who had a special devotion to the Divine Office and by a holy deacon named Bernier. The church and monastery on his estate were dependent on the nunnery of St. Peter at Metz, and he used often to go there to serve at Mass. The accidental discovery of the austerity practised by the nuns and those who were under their care brought home to him the ease and luxury in which he was living. From that moment he turned his mind entirely to spiritual matters. He is credited with having learnt the Bible by heart, and is said to have acquired an extraordinary knowledge of the Comes, the Penitentials, the canons of ecclesiastical law, the homilies of the fathers, and the lives of the saints, so that he could recite them as though he were reading from a book. A pilgrimage to Rome brought John into touch with various holy persons who helped him to advance in the spiritual life, and he visited Monte Gargano, Monte Cassino=E2=80=94and Vesuvius. Upon his return to Lorraine, h= e formed a great friendship with Archdeacon Einhold of Toul, whom he persuaded to give away his possessions and to join him on another pilgrimage to Rome. However, Adelborn, Bishop of Metz, interposed, and the two then betook themselves to the almost deserted abbey of Gorze in 933. They soon instilled new life into the monastery, and Einhold became abbot, with John as his prior; so severe were the austerities which he undertook that his superior felt obliged to moderate them. The Emperor Otto I having asked for two monks to go as his ambassadors to the court of the Caliph Abdur-Rahman of Cordova, John was chosen as the chief spokesman, and he fulfilled his mission with so much courage and wisdom that he won the admiration of the Mussulman chief. On his return in 960 he was elected abbot of Gorze, and he proceeded to introduce reforms which spread to other Benedictine monasteries in Upper Lorraine; the reform, like that of the contemporary St. Gerard of Brogne, was marked by its physical severity. It seems rather uncertain whether John should be styled =E2=80=9CSaint=E2=80=9D, or =E2=80= =9CBlessed=E2=80=9D: the Bollandists give the latter description, but he is popularly spoken of as St. John of Gorze. A full and historically important biography of John of Gorze was written in 980 by his friend John, abbot of St. Arnulf at Metz, but the only manuscript we possess is unfortunately incomplete. The text has been edited by the Bollandists (Acta Sanctorum, February, vol. iii), by Mabillon, and in the MGH., Scriptores, vol. iv, whence it has been reprinted in Migne, PL., vol. 137, cc. 241-310. See also Mathieu, De Joannis Abbatis Gorziensis Vita (1879), and Sackur, Die Cluniacenser, vol. i. Saint Quote: Blessed the one who loves truth continually and has not lent his mouth as an instrument of impiety by lying, for he fears the commandment about idle speech. --St. Ephrem of Syria Bible Quote: Now we are well aware that whatever the Law says is said for those who are subject to the Law, so that every month may be silence, and the whole world brought under the judgment of God. So then, no human being can be found upright at the tribunal of God by keeping the Law; all that the Law does is to tell us what is sinful. [Romans 3:19-20.] <><><><> A Prayer for a Pure Heart and Heavenly Wisdom Strengthen me, O Lord God, by the grace of Your Holy Spirit.(Ps. 51:12) Grant me inward power and strength (Eph.3:16) and empty my heart of all profitless anxiety and care.(Matt.5:34) Let me never be drawn away from You by desire for anything else, whether noble or base, but help me to realize that all things are passing, and myself with them. Nothing in this world is lasting, and everything in this life is uncertain, troubling to the spirit (Eccles.1:14; 2:11) How wise is the man who knows these truths! Grant me heavenly wisdom, O Lord, that above all else I may learn to search for and discover You; to know and love You; and to see all things as they really are and as You in Thy wisdom have ordered them. May I prudently avoid those who flatter me, and deal patiently with those who oppose me. True wisdom cannot be swayed by every wordy argument, (Eph.4:14) and pays no regard to the cunning flatteries of evil men. Only thus shall we go forward steadily on the road on which we have set out. --Thomas =C3 Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3, Ch 27 --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .