The Lives of the Saints Volume 1 - St. Patrick's Basilica

www.freecatholicebooks.com
grace, to proclaim himself everywhere a sinner, and implore the prayers
of others.
To complete the crown of theological virtues, charity in both its
branches pre-eminently characterized our saint. This divine virtue
burned so warmly in his heart, as to be transfused through his features,
over which it spread a superhuman and celestial glow, and gave to his
discourse a melting tenderness. "Were there neither heaven nor hell," he
would say, "still would I ever wish to love God, who is a father so
deserving of our love." Or: {516} "Let us love our Lord, love him verily
and indeed, for the love of God is a great treasure. Blessed is he that
loveth God."
Our saint, who so ardently loved God, whom he saw not, was not without
bowels of tenderness for his neighbor, whom he beheld. It was the
constant practice of his life to feed the poor; and when he was
superior, he ordered that no beggar should be dismissed from the convent
gate without relief: in time of scarcity he devoted to their necessities
his own portion, and even that of the community, relying upon Providence
to supply their wants; and when he was only a private monk, he earnestly
recommended this charity to the superiors.
But it was towards the sick that his charity displayed itself. He used
to attend the infirm in his convent with unwearied assiduity; nor was he
less anxious to serve those who were without, but generously sought them
out, and visited them, even during the most inclement seasons. And as
God maketh his sun to shine upon the wicked as well as the good, so our
saint would not exclude even his enemies from the boundless range of his
charity. For one who had insulted him he once labored strenuously to
procure some advantageous post; and being warned that the man was his
enemy, he replied, "that therefore he was under the greater obligation
of serving him." Besides these general virtues, he possessed in the
highest degree those which belonged to his religious state, especially a
prompt and implicit obedience to all commands, however painful or
difficult. That obedience which he practised himself, he was careful to
enforce upon others, which his office of superior made it his duty, for
he justly regarded this virtue as essential to a religious. Nor was his
love of poverty less remarkable. A rouge seat and a table, a bed,
consisting of two narrow planks, with two sheep-skins and a wretched
woollen coverlet, a stool to rest his wounded legs upon, these, with his
breviary, formed the whole furniture of his cell. And although the order
allowed each one to possess two habits, yet during the forty-six years
that he was a member of it, he never had any other than that which he
put on in the novitiate. But it was in his vigilant guard over chastity,
that our saint was most remarkable. His unremitting mortifications, his
extreme modesty, and perpetual watchfulness over all his senses,