St
Louis (b. April 25, 1214), was son of King Louis VIII and
Blanche of Castile. He succeeded his father as King of France and Count of
Artois at age 11; his mother ruled as regent until he reached 22, and then he reigned
for 44 years. Louis made numerous judicial and legislative reforms, promoted
Christianity in France, established religious foundations, aided mendicant
orders, propagated synodal decrees of the Church, built leper hospitals, and
collected relics. He married Marguerite of Provence at age 19, and was the
father of eleven children. He supported Pope Innocent IV in war against Emperor
Frederick II of Germany. He was a Trinitarian
tertiary, and led two Crusades, and died on one – August 25, 1270. His relics
were at the Basilica of St. Denis in Paris, but destroyed in 1793 during the
French Revolution. He was canonized in 1297 by Pope Boniface VIII.
St. Louis, King of France was
an example of how one could put their
faith in God into practice in the real world. He was unlike other kings and
regents in that he did what he did –
magnificent works of progress and charity – because
he loved God; because he was obeying God’s commandment to love others
because he had been loved first by God! This Jesus states as the great commandment in the gospel passage.
May we do the same today – may
we do good in the world not to get noticed or complimented or praised ourselves
– but because we love God and in
helping others with this motivation, others will know we are but delivering a
very special gift to them from Him!
I give
you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you!
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