— 1 John 2:17 —

=E2=80=94 1 John 2:17 =E2=80=94
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God
lives forever.
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
"Blessed are the ears that catch the pulses of the divine whisper and
give no heed to the whispering of the world."
Thomas =C3=A1 Kempis

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November 13th - St. Brice of Tours B (RM)
(also known as Brictio, Britius, Brixius)

Died 444. God loves variety. He doesn't mass-produce his saints. Every
saint is unique, for each is the result of a new idea. As the liturgy
says: Non est inventus similis illis=E2=80=94there are no two exactly alike=
.
It is we with our lack of imagination, who paint the same haloes on
all the saints.

God loves variety. And He has a remarkable sense of humor. Sometimes
He seemingly takes mischievous pleasure in placing side by side two
saints whose characters should make it impossible for them to get
along together. No doubt God wants to teach them humility, by showing
them that each represents only a small part of the mystery of
saintliness; and perhaps God also wants to reassure us, by telling us
that if there are many mansions in heaven, there are also many roads
leading there.

And so it was in the 4th century in Touraine, France. God set the
impeccable Saint Martin of Tours side- by-side with the insufferable
Saint Brice. Unlike his master, Brice was a proud, ambitious, and,
perhaps, even licentious cleric.

When still very young, Brice entered the monastery that Martin had
founded at Marmo=C3=BBtier, just outside Tours. At first he was just an
ordinary, boisterous young monk, but soon he grew up. By the time he
was 18, he had become a deacon and had his own stables and slaves.

Martin, whose enemies reproached him for his excessive poverty and for
what Gaston Boissier has called his 'rather democratic' outlook, was
worried about the way the young deacon was behaving and remonstrated
him like a father.

Brice bristled and answered the bishop with biting sarcasm. How could
a barbarian from the wilds of Hungary tell him, who had been born on
the banks of the Loire, how to behave? Was he, who had been educated
properly, to take instruction from an improperly educated old
legionary? Anyone who has ever dealt with teenagers can imagine the
encounter.

Unlike most adults, however, Martin listened calmly and replied
gently. He even predicted that Brice would one day become bishop, but
that his episcopate would not be a peaceful one. The vicars- general
and the canons of Tours, who didn't relish the idea of one day being
ruled by this spitfire, urged Martin to send him packing. But Martin
replied, "If Christ put up with Judas, then surely I can put up with
Brice."

Brice continued to hold Martin in contempt, but despite Brice's
attitude Martin dealt patiently with him, and eventually Brice
repented with great remorse and begged Martin's forgiveness.

When Martin died, Brice succeeded him in 397 as bishop of Tours=E2=80=94 no=
t
by tricks or intrigue but by the regular open vote of the people. For
30 years Brice taught, baptized, confirmed, administered, and
fulfilled all his duties as bishop. Several times Brice was accused of
laxness but nothing really extraordinary happened, none of those
miracles or scandals that were as dear to the hearts of the
chroniclers then as they are to journalists today.

Nevertheless, Brice slept badly; he couldn't forget that Martin had
predicted that he would be put to the test, and with a man like Martin
there wasn't the slightest hope that the prediction would prove false.
It might be late coming, but come it would. And every day for 30 years
Brice waited for the fulfillment of the prophecy. It was uncomfortable
but God had chosen it as a way of deflating the excessive conceit of
youth.

Then it happened. One morning the rumor ran through the streets of
Tours that a seamstress belonging to the bishop's palace had borne him
a son. What a windfall for the town's gossips!

The accusation was false, but how to prove it? Since blood tests for
paternity hadn't been discovered, Brice had to find another way. He
had the infant brought to him, and, in his most episcopal voice, said,
"I admonish you in the name of Jesus Christ to say, in the presence of
everybody, if I am the man who fathered you." To which the baby
replied, "You are not my father."

Such precociousness seemed suspicious to those present, and they
thought that there must be some trick (unless it is we who have been
tricked by Saint Gregory of Tours, who recorded the story). At any
rate Brice's people were so far from being convinced that they
expelled their bishop by physical force.

Brice didn't resist, for he realized that Martin's prophecy was now
being fulfilled. About 430, he used his free time to make a journey ad
limina, which took him seven years. During his 'exile' Brice had an
opportunity to repent of his ways and completely changed his
lifestyle. On his way back home he founded several new Christian
centers.

When the seven years had passed, Brice returned to Tours. Just as he
was coming into sight of the town, a providential fever killed the
bishop who had been elected his successor. Not wanting to be lacking
in politeness, Brice quickened his step and arrived in time to perform
the funeral rites for this most tactful of bishops. He then resumed
the episcopate himself for the remaining years of his life and ruled
with humility, holiness, and ability.

At his death he was held to be a saint, and rightly so, such was the
change of his manners after his conversion in Rome. He was buried in
the same church as Saint Martin, for now that they were both saints
there was no reason why they shouldn't sleep side-by- side. God had
destined them to be together and to serve as foundations for the
church of Tours. By joining the serenity of Martin to the vigor of
Brice, harmony was ensured for a town where the Loire and Vouvray meet
(Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney, Encyclopedia).


Saint Quote:
Holy Spirit, inspire me. Love of God consume me. Along the true road,
lead me. Mary, my good mother, look down upon me. With Jesus, bless
me. From all evil, all illusion, all danger, preserve me.
-- Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified

Bible Quote:
Apocalypse 18 7  "As much as she hath glorified herself, and lived in
delicacies, so much torment and sorrow give ye to her


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Dear Lord, grant us a spirit that is not bound by our own ideas and
preferences. Grant that we may be able to appreciate in others what we
lack in ourselves. O Lord, grant that we may understand that every
saint must be a unique praise of Your glory.