21st MARCH 2003
ST.NICHOLAS DE FLUE
( 1417--1487)
LIFE:
Nicholas was born near the Lake of the four Cantons, in Switzerland.As
a young man he was for some years a soldier, fighting for his native
Canton and rising to the rank of a captian.He then married Dorothy Wyss
& was blessed with an offspring of ten children.A respected citizen , he
took an active part in the civil and polictical life of his country and
held office as councillor and magistrate --all the while spending whole
nights in prayer.
At the age of 50, in 1467, after a vision of the Blessed Trinity, he
resolved that he must leave all and go away to live entirely for
God.Having obtained the consent of his wife and arranged the affairs of
the family, he retired to the mountains of solitude of Ranft, where the
people soon built him aliitle cell and chapel. Here he spent the last
twenty years in prayer and great austerity .Many witnesses have testified
that during those years he took neither food or drink, but only Holy
Communion.
**Brother Klaus ** as he was popularly known, was greatly venerated even
beyond the swiss border.People high and low flocked to his cell to seek
counsel and prayer. His reputation for sanctity spread, and he attracted spiritual
students. In 1481 he was called on to mediate a dispute that threatened civil war in
Switzerland. He succeeded in averting the conflict, then retired to his hermitage. He
is considered by many to be the father of this country, honored by both Swiss
Protestants and Catholics for his wisdom, holiness and work to unify Switzerland.
He died on21 March 1487 of natural causes with his wife and children at his side
Canonized
1947 by Pope Pius XII
PATRONAGE:
councilmen, difficult marriages, large families, magistrates, parents of large
families, separated spouses, Switzerland
REFLECTION:
" O my Lord and my God, take from me all that keeps me from
u,
O my Lord and my God, give me all that brings me nearer
to u,
O my Lord and my God, take myself from me and let me
possess only u.."" (prayer of St Nicholas)
COMMENT:
the Holy communion---the Holy Eucharist..!!!! recollect what
church says.....
1392 What material food produces in our bodily life, Holy Communion wonderfully
achieves in our spiritual life. Communion with the flesh of the risen Christ, a flesh
"given life and giving life through the Holy Spirit,"229 preserves, increases, and
renews the life of grace received at Baptism. This growth in Christian life needs the
nourishment of Eucharistic Communion, the bread for our pilgrimage until the moment of
death, when it will be given to us as viaticum.
1393 Holy Communion separates us from sin. The body of Christ we receive in Holy
Communion is "given up for us," and the blood we drink "shed for the many for the
forgiveness of sins." For this reason the Eucharist cannot unite us to Christ without
at the same time cleansing us from past sins and preserving us from future sins:
1394 As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our
charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life; and this living charity wipes away
venial sins.231 By giving himself to us Christ revives our love and enables us to
break our disordered attachments to creatures and root ourselves in him: ( Catechism
of catholic church)
** the more ur life unfolds completely at the foot of the tabernacle , in
intimate union with Jesus in the Eucharist , the more u grow in
holiness**( Our Lady`s message on Aug 21st 1987)
---------------------------------
**O Jesus ! Who for love of me,
Didst bear Thy Cross to Calvary ;
In Thy sweet mercy grant to me
To suffer & die with Thee...**
S.THOMAS
NOTTINGHAM
ENGLAND
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