BL. EBERHARD OF VILLIERS - 5 JULY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JULY 

Saints celebrated on the 5th of July

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

BL. EBERHARD OF VILLERS 

Bl. Eberhard (Everard), a Benedictine lay brother at [the Cistercian monastery of] Villers in Brabant, was a man of great holiness who, for all of his life, paid particular attention to holy silence. 

HOLY SILENCE

Once when a knight, whom he had given directions upon the latter's request, asked him several unnecessary questions afterwards, he did refrain from answering the soldier.

Enraged, the soldier struck him in the face, whereupon the servant of God threw himself to the ground and offered him the other cheek. He also held the reins of the horse to help the knight mount it, and gave the offender all the necessary services when climbing up. 

THE KNIGHT WAS DEEPLY TOUCHED

The knight felt so deeply touched by such humility and charity shown to him, that he melted into tears and soon afterwards entered the Benedictine Order himself. 

Bl. Eberhard radiated light as if by holiness, as well as by miracles. Even the wild animals obeyed him as if he was their master. Bl. Eberhard died around 1390.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints)

➡️ Blessed Everhard the Silent