By falling down, Christ rose up

We see that when Christ rose like the sun from his sepulcher this
meant that it was not only a ray of sunlight that was arising and
shining at that moment, but rather many rays, many shining splendors,
life itself, and the very future of the world, being embraced and
enhanced by Christ. Joy, birth, a new birth for all of us: a wonderful
birth in which we were all reborn, and moreover one that overcame
death, anguish, despair. By contrast with darkness light shines
brighter. The anguishing hours before such a birth, hours of despair
and death, enhance such a birth, since out of suffering, misery,
grief, came out victory and life. A paradox: By falling down Christ
rose up, out of death life arose and conquered the heavens. In such a
manner, we conclude that the deeper the roots, the higher the plant
that grows out of such roots, and in a parallel way out of an
experience so deep and poignant, of agony and despair, Christ came to
know an existence of bliss.
 —Luis de León, O.S.A.

<<>><<>><<>>
8 September – Saint Corbinian

 (c 670–c 730)
 First Bishop of Freising and Founder of the Diocese, Hermit,
Missionary, Confessor. After living as a hermit near Chartres for
fourteen years, he made a pilgrimage to Rome. Pope Gregory II sent him
to Bavaria. His opposition to the marriage of Duke Grimoald to his
brother’s widow, Biltrudis, caused Corbinian to go into exile for a
time. Also known as Latin: Corbinianus; French: Corbinien; German:
Korbinian, Waldegiso.

Corbinian was born sometime around 670, not in today’s southern
Germany but in what we now call France, indeed very near the centre of
modern northern France, at Chatres.

Corbinian’s life was recorded by Arbeo of Freising, one of his
successors as Bishop of Freising, who lived from 723-784. According to
Arbeo, Corbinian’s father, Waldegiso, after whom the boy was
originally named, died when he was a child. His father’s death was
followed some years later by that of his mother, who had renamed him
after her own name, Corbiniana. For some years after her death the
young Corbinian lived as a hermit in the forest not far from his home.
Here he prayed and studied and attracted a number of disciples.
Dismayed by the interruptions in his intended life of prayer that were
being made by the demands of his followers, he decided to journey to
Rome and become a hermit there, near the tomb of Saint Peter.

On arrival in Rome rumour of his spiritual prowess reached the ears of
Pope Gregory II. Gregory suggested that he should use his abilities
not in withdrawal into a hermitage but to bring the people of his
homeland to the Gospel and he sent him back to the north, ordaining
him as a Missionary Bishop before he left. This was fairly standard
practice at this time, for a Missionary Bishop had the full power of
the Church behind him. He could preach, offer the Eucharist, Baptise,
Confirm and Ordain, thus enabling him to plant new Churches with
complete structures in areas outside the surviving and functioning
Roman towns, which still had resident Bishops.

Corbinian set out as a pilgrim Bishop and was successful in the
Frankish territories. Sometime around 723 he returned to Rome and on
the way there acquired his most famous miracle and the symbol by which
he is so well remembered.

According to the story, as he travelled through the foothills of the
Alps, his horse was attacked and killed by a bear. Nothing daunted,
Corbinian subdued the bear and, as a penance for killing the horse,
asked the bear to carry his bags in its stead. The bear accepted the
penance . Corbinian saddled it and loaded his bags on its back. The
bear was as good as its word, carrying them all the way to the gates
of Rome. At Rome, Corbinian released it back to the wild with thanks.
The bear became the symbol of Saint Corbinian as well as the symbol
for the town of Freising.

After reporting to Pope Gregory II on this second trip to Rome, Saint
Corbinian was sent back to the north to continue his Missionary work.
He appears to have arrived in the Freising region about 724 and
established a Benedictine Monastery there.

Almost immediately he entered into a controversy with Grimoald, the
duke then ruling the area now called Bavaria, on behalf of the
Frankish kings. Grimoald, who, as a Frankish noble, was already a
Christian, had contracted a marriage to his brother’s widow,
Biltrudis. This kind of marriage was considered incest if undertaken
without a dispensation (this is the very same issue that applied to
Henry VIII of England and Catherine of Aragon hundreds of years later,
causing Henry to break away from the Catholic Church). Corbinian
denounced the marriage and was forced by threats from Grimoald and
Biltrudis to leave the area, retreating to northern Italy for a while.
On their deaths he was able to return to Freising and resume his work.

He died there on 8 September 730 and this day became his feast day. Of
course, his feast day was overshadowed by the greater feast of the
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and it has subsequently been moved
to 20 November in Freising in veneration of the translation of St
Corbinian’s relics.

Corbinian’s Bear is used as the symbol of Freising in both civic and ecclesiastical heraldry. It appeared on the arms of Pope Benedict XVI,
who first adopted the symbol when, still known as Joseph Ratzinger, he
was appointed Archbishop of Freising-Munich in March 1977. He retained
the bear in his revised coat of arms when he was elevated to Cardinal
in June of the same year and again on his Papal Coat of Arms when he
was elected in 2005.

https://anastpaul.com/2020/09/08/


Saint Quote:
In the spiritual life he who does not advance goes backward. It
happens as with a boat which always must go ahead. If it stands still
the wind blows it back. Fix the time, the length of your meditation,
and do not rise from your place until you have finished even at the
cost of being crucified.
--Padre Pio

Bible Quote:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according
to his great mercy hath regenerated us unto a lively hope, by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead: Unto an inheritance,
incorruptible, and undefiled and that cannot fade, reserved in heaven
for you, Who, by the power of God, are kept by faith unto salvation,
ready to be revealed in the last time.  (1 Peter 1:3-5) DRB


<><><><>
The Birth of Mary

We Fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God. Despise not our
petitions in our necessities, and deliver us from all dangers, O ever
glorious and blessed Virgin!

Meditation:
  Mary is born! The dawn announcing the coming salvation of mankind is
at hand. The deep significance of Mary's birth is expressed in the
words of the Church: "Thy birth, O virgin Mother of God, has brought
joy to the world; for from thee is to come forth the Sun of Justice,
Christ our Lord, to dispel the curse and bring the blessing, to
conquer death and bring us everlasting life. On this day a light broke
forth to brighten the paths of men through all time. Let us, then,
rejoice in Mary's coming."

Equally expressive and touching are the reflections of that great
Doctor of the Church, St. Augustine: "The day has dawned, the
long-wished for day of the blessed and venerable Virgin Mary. Well may
this earth of ours rejoice and be glad for having been honored and
sanctified by the birth of such a virgin."

Practice:  Let us, then, rejoice in Mary's coming. Let us hail the
birth of her who attained the dignity of mother without losing the
high privilege of a virgin. Let us imitate her holy life, that she may
become our intercessor before the throne of her Son, our judge and
redeemer. By becoming the Mother of God she became also our Mother. As
Mother of the Redeemer she is also the Mother of the redeemed. Richard
of St. Lawrence writes: "If we desire grace and help, let us have
recourse to Mary and we shall obtain what we desire." For, as St.
Alphonsus remarks: "All graces and gifts which God has resolved to
bestow upon us He gives us through the hands of Mary."

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