FEAST OF SAINT JOHN GUALBERT, ABBOT, JOHN JONES AND JOHN WALL– 12th JULY

FEAST OF SAINT JOHN GUALBERT, ABBOT
FEAST DAY – 12th JULY

On July 12, the Church marks the feast day of Saint John Gualbert (985-1073), Abbot, founder of the Vallumbrosan (Benedictine) Order, and soul converted by the Lord to create change in the world. Saint John experienced a dramatic moment of conversion early in his life—a momentary encounter with the Crucified Christ which inspired him to great acts of mercy and charity.

Today, on his feast day, we pray for the same experience of Our Lord, looking for our own opportunities of mercy and charity toward others. Born in Florence, Italy, John was a member of Florentine nobility. Although he was thoroughly educated in Christian doctrine and faith, his privileged status as a young noble allowed him ample opportunity to participate in the vanities and debaucheries of the world.

While he was still relatively young, his only brother, Hugo, was murdered, and true to the time period, John had resolved to avenge his death. It was on Good Friday when the Lord opened his eyes to wickedness of his ways, and through grace, created a refined and converted soul within him.

On Good Friday, as John was riding into Florence through a narrow mountain pass, he encountered his brother’s murderer. The pass was such that neither could avoid each other, and no one was present to intervene. John drew his sword, preparing to avenge his brother’s death, as was customary at the time. His adversary, who was totally unprepared to fight, fell upon his knees.

With his arms outstretched in the form of a cross, he implored John, for the sake of Our Lord’s holy Passion, to spare his life. Saint John said to his enemy, “I cannot refuse what you ask in Christ’s name. I grant you not only your life, but my friendship. Pray that God may forgive me my sin!”

They embraced and parted, and John made his way straight to a church in Florence. There, kneeling before the crucifix, John saw Jesus Crucified bow His head, acknowledging his act of forgiveness and, by the same token, forgiving him all his sins.

John’s heart was changed. He abandoned his former ways—the ways of the world– and devoted himself to prayer and penance in the Benedictine Order. His virtue and austerity were so great that when his abbot died, he was unanimously chosen to replace him.

Out of humility, however, John refused the honor. Instead, he left the monastery to live as a hermit, alone, in monastic solitude, contemplating the Passion of Our Lord. He retired to Vallombrosa, and along with two other hermits, founded the Order of Vallumbrosan, which followed the austere Rule of Saint Benedict. From this valley, near Florence, the Order spread over Italy.

Miracles were attributed to the great faith of Saint John Gualbert. During famine, his prayers were said to fill the empty storeroom of the monastery with so many provisions that not only was the Order fed, but all the poor who presented themselves went away with rations to spare.

On another occasion, when he found one of the monasteries too rich (and therefore in violation of the austerity of the Benedictine Rule), he prayed that a small stream which trickled past the building would overflow and reduce their wealth. Without delay, the stream destroyed the building, and the monks realized their greed.

Yet another time, a convent was plundered set fire to by thieves, who beat and injured the monks who were present. Upon arrival at the convent, Saint John rejoiced. “Now,” he said, “you are true monks. Oh, how I envy your lot!” Saint John went on to build several monasteries throughout the region, dying peacefully at age 80 while Angels were singing near his bed.

PRAYER

Almighty God, you are the source of peace and of concord, and to know you is to live according to your Holy Will, to serve you is to follow your commandment expressed in your new Covenant of love.

Guard our hearts Lord, and establish your peace within us, that by the example of the blessed abbot John Gualbert, we may render good for evil and blessings for curses, so obtaining from you, both pardon and peace. Amen

Saint John Gualbert, pray for us. 

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ALSO CELEBRATED TODAY

SAINTS JOHN JONES AND JOHN WALL 
FEAST DAY – 12 July 2023

These two friars were martyred in England in the 16th and 17th centuries for refusing to deny their faith.

John Jones was Welsh. He was ordained a diocesan priest and was twice imprisoned for administering the sacraments before leaving England in 1590. He joined the Franciscans at the age of 60 and returned to England three years later while Queen Elizabeth I was at the height of her power. John ministered to Catholics in the English countryside until his imprisonment in 1596. He was condemned to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. John was executed on July 12, 1598.

John Wall was born in England but was educated at the English College of Douai, Belgium. Ordained in Rome in 1648, he entered the Franciscans in Douai several years later. In 1656 he returned to work secretly in England.

In 1678, Titus Oates worked many English people into a frenzy over an alleged papal plot to murder the king and restore Catholicism in that country. In that year Catholics were legally excluded from Parliament, a law which was not repealed until 1829. John Wall was arrested and imprisoned in 1678, and was executed the following year.

John Jones and John Wall were canonized in 1970.

(Source: franciscanmedia)

PRAYER

Eternal Father, every martyr knows how to save his/her life and yet refuses to do so, though a public repudiation of the faith would save any of them. But for them, profession of their faith, even if the price is death, is more precious than life itself. They prove that courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, that is, at the point of highest reality.

Bless us to have such undeniable faith, in emulation of your saints John Jones and John Wall, and never to be crushed by the enemy, but to stand tall in edification of Christ’s eternal sacrifice. Amen