Ꭺ𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖗 a short Sojourn at the abbey,they both resumed their journey arrived at Montpellier.Three men who played an important part in the affairs of the Church at that epoch were then assembled beneath the walls of Montpellier. Arnault, abbot of Cîteaux; Raoul and Pierre de Castelnau, monks of the same order. Pope Innocent III had appointed them as Legates Apostolic to the provinces of Aix, Arles, and Narbonne, with full powers to follow the course and they judged best for the repression of heresy. Their legateship, of more than a years duration, had hither to been unsuccessful. The Count of Toulouse, Governor of those provinces, openly supported the heretics; the bishops refused to aid the Legates, one from cowardice, another from indifference and a third because he was a heretic too. Their unanimous decision was to give the Sovereign Pontiff an exact account of the state of things, at the same time resigning in to his hands an office, the duties of which they could fulfill neither with honor nor profit.
What could appear more hopeless than the religious condition of Languedoc in the year 1205? The Prince a violent heretic; the majority of the barons favoring heresy; the bishops utterly negligent of their duties; and some of them, as the bishop of Toulouse and the archbishop of Auch, stained with open crime; the specious show of virtue assumed by heresy; and even those were dispirited in whose strong pure hearts unshaken faith had its home. Two passing strangers suffice to change all. But man’s necessity is God’s opportunity.At the very moment that the Legates were making their sorrowful resolutions, they learnt that Don Diégo, Bishop of Osma, had just arrived at Montpellier. They sent a message entreating him to come and see them: Don Diégo at once acceded. The
Legates received him and his company( including St. Dominic) with respect, and begged his advice, knowing that he was a holy man, and full of zeal for the faith. He, endowed as he was with the gift of circumspection and skilled in the ways of God, began to inquire concerning the manners and customs of the heretics. He observed that the heretics made converts by their persuasive manners, by preaching, and by an exterior of sanctity, while the Legates were surrounded by a numerous and stately Retinue. He replied, “My brothers, you must change your course of action. It seems to Me impossible to convert, by words, men who set such store by example; they seduce simple souls by the outward appearances of evangelical poverty and austerity, and while you present the contrary spectacles you will edify but little; you will do much harm, and you will never touch their heart. Oppose example to example: to feigned sanctity oppose true piety: it is only by a marked humility that one gains the victory over the feigned sanctity of false apostles.
The Legates, moved by the counsel they had received, at once consented; dismissed their baggage and attendants, and keeping only such books as were necessary for controversy,went on foot in a state of voluntary poverty, and under the guidance of the Bishop of Osma, to preach the true faith.They set out on foot for Narbonne and Toulouse, stopping in the towns and villages on Their route, as the Spirit of God moved them, or as external circumstances made them judge their preaching would be of use. When they had decided on evangelizing any spot . They proportioned their stay either to the importance of the place or the impression that They made. In the churches they preached to the catholics, and in private housed held Their controversies with the heretics. Caraman, near Toulouse, was one of the first towns where they made any stay; and they preached with such success during a whole week, that the inhabitants wanted to drive away the heretics, and, when our missionaries set forth, they escorted them some distance on their way.
An important conference was held at Fanjeaux in presence of a great number of people and of the heretics. The Catholics had drawn up several outlines of arguments And authorities in support of the faith, but on comparing them, they gave the preference to those of God’s blessed servant Dominic, and resolved to make use of his production in Answer to the document put forth by the heretics. Three umpires were unanimously elected to decide on which side lay the most powerful arguments and consequently the soundest faith. Now after much discussion, these umpires, finding themselves unable to come to any decision, suddenly resolved to throw the writings into the fire, so that if one escaped the flames they would know that it contained the true doctrine. The fires was kindled, the two volumes were thrown in; that of the heretics was consumed immediately, And the other, written by Dominic, the blessed servant of God, not only remained intact, But was cast out of the flames, and that in presence of the whole assembly. Twice, and thrice they returned it to the flames, and each time the result clearly manifested on which side lay the true faith and that was the sanctity of the writer.
Something important to be noted that in spiritual warfare where souls are rescued from the clutches of the world and devil. The victory depends not on the skill or eloquence of the preacher but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Israel won their battles not by manpower but by the ‘Power from above’.
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“ᴍʏ sᴘᴇᴇᴄʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏ ᴘʀᴏᴄʟᴀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴘʟᴀᴜsɪʙʟᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ᴏғ ᴡɪsᴅᴏᴍ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴsᴛʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴘɪʀɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ, sᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғᴀɪᴛʜ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ʀᴇsᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ᴏɴ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴡɪsᴅᴏᴍ ʙᴜᴛ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴏғ ɢᴏᴅ. ” 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 ✝️
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Only by the power of the Holy Spirit does conversions happen. And How does one walk in the spirit?
“ By this power of the Spirit, God’s children can bear much fruit…. “We live by the Spirit”; the More we renounce ourselves, the more we “walk by the Spirit.” – CCC 736
One such way of renouncing ourselves is voluntary poverty, it opens our heart to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The apostolic ministry changes radically when St. Dominic and other preachers voluntarily embraced poverty. God confirmed how much he values self renouncing through the miracle at Fanjauex which converted many souls.
✝️💕 ❀Prayer❀ ✝️💕
L𝚘𝚛𝚍 J𝚎𝚜𝚞𝚜, 𝚠𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚏𝚢 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚏𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚊𝚕𝚞𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚊𝚗𝚝 S𝚝. D𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚌. B𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚠 𝚘𝚗 𝚞𝚜 O L𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑. W𝚎 𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚙 𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚕, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚏 G𝚘𝚍 . A𝚖𝚎𝚗.
S𝙩. D𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙘, 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙪𝙨.
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Pray in honor of the saint:-
1 Our Father. 1 Hail Mary. 1 Glory be.💖✨💖✨💖✨💖✨💖✨💖
PDM – Ruha Mount Attappadi
