Bronchain Meditations: August 11

Meekness, The Daughter Of Humility

Preparation. - Humility, the special virtue for this month, leads us to meekness, of which we shall consider, first, the obligation, or precept, and secondly, the ways, or means by which we can attain it. We shall then resolve to guard against our ill-temper in our words and deeds towards those around us, for, says St. Paul, “the servant of God must be mild towards all men” (2 Tim. 2. 24).

I. The Obligation Of Practicing Meekness

“Be ye perfect,” says our divine Saviour to us, “as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mat. 5. 48). God governs the world with meekness, so far as to cause His sun to rise on the wicked as well as on the good; so far as to furnish to all the means of living, the elements of happiness and the graces of sanctification. Jesus Christ, the perfect image of His Father, taught us meekness both by word and example. “I send you as lambs among wolves,” He said to His apostles (Luke 10. 3). “Learn of Me, because I am meek” (Mat. 11. 29). “If one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other; if a man take away thy coat, let go also thy cloak unto him” (Mat. 5. 39, 40).

Oh, how this teaching urges us to aspire to the perfection of meekness, especially when we behold it so constantly in Christ’s conduct! From His very birth at Bethlehem He already offers Himself as the meek victim of our salvation. He flees from Herod, whose insolence He could have repressed. Later on during His ministry, how patiently He bears with the scribes and pharisees; and how kind He is towards unhappy sinners! Ever ready to forgive, He dissimulates insults, and does good to all, without excepting His enemies.

What is to be said of His conduct during the torments and revilings of His Passion? The prophet thus describes Him: “He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and dumb as a lamb before his shearer” (Is. 53. 7). After this, should we not blush at being so often the slave of bitterness, resentment, aversion, and even anger, whenever we are in the least displeased?

O my God, enable me to know how I fail in thought, sentiments, words and dealings with my neighbor against the virtue of meekness, and especially against my inferiors, the poor, the ignorant, the unpolished. Make me kind and condescending towards all in all things lawful, so that, like St. Francis de Sales, I may prefer always to yield to others, rather than to compel others to adopt my views. “Be meek towards all.”

II. Means Of Acquiring Meekness

After exhorting us to practice patience towards all, never to return evil for evil, but rather good meekly and charitably, St. Paul immediately adds: “Always rejoice; pray without ceasing; in all things give thanks” (1 Thess. 5. 14-18). Does he not thereby seem to indicate the means of always keeping our soul tranquil and meek?

“Always rejoice,” he says. Anger, impatience and bitterness often arise from our habitual sadness. Spiritual joy, by dilating our heart, banishes therefrom melancholy, ill-humor and caprice, and enables us more easily to yield to the wishes of others, and to be less sensitive when annoyed.

Assiduous prayer, mentioned by St. Paul, obtains for us light for our mind to act wisely, unction of grace to soften our temper, and a mildness of heart that enables us to speak and act at all times and with every one, in accordance with the example of Jesus, the meekest of men.

Gratitude, also mentioned by St. Paul, in its turn, helps us to practice meekness; for when we consider the loving and continual attention of Providence towards each one of us, we cannot refrain from being moved thereby. And if we are so moved, how can we show ourselves harsh, uncivil and devoid of compassion towards others? The patience of God in bearing our faults, our defects, our imperfections, and even our grievous offenses against His commandments, ought to fill us with confusion, when we get angry or irritated against others or foster an aversion against them, even if they had seriously wronged us.

O Jesus, who, during Thy Passion, didst endure in silence the derision, ill-treatment and scorn of Thy creatures, inspire me with peace and kindness in all that may wound my pride and self-love. Under the protection of Thy Blessed Mother, I am resolved, first, not to require others to be angels, but to bear with them in all meekness and charity, and secondly, to strive to suffer meekly every thing disagreeable from others, and to avoid causing others to suffer.

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Servant of God

Charles Louis Laurent Bronchain was born of excellent parents, September 4, 1829, at Frameries, near Mons in Belgium. From his early boyhood he was distinguished for his piety. As an altar boy he was modest and recollected, and was wont after serving Mass to remain as close as possible to the priest. Being asked why he acted thus, he replied: "I do this, because I wish to be nearer to the good God." When he saw people going to holy communion, he was filled with a holy envy, and would say to himself: "When shall I also have the happiness of receiving our Lord?" We may easily imagine his joy and happiness when this favor was vouchsafed to him for the first time. When out walking with his playmates, he always managed to bring them near a church and induced them to enter it with him to pay homage to our divine Saviour in the Sacrament of His love.

During the six years he studied at the "Petit Seminaire de Bonne Esperance," he was universally admired and respected for his modesty, piety, charity, and other virtues. Heeding the divine call to a more perfect life, he, with the consent of his parents, renounced the world and the brightest prospects of success, and entered in 1850 the Redemptorist Novitiate at St. Trond. The following year he made his profession and was sent to Wittem to prosecute his studies. As novice and student, Louis Bronchain was a model to his companions in regular observance, charity, love of prayer, and study, and self-denial. After his ordination in 1857, he labored zealously for some years in the ministry and in giving missions.

In 1865 he was appointed Master of Novices. To his novices he was ever a tender and loving father, giving them the example of every virtue. His life was practically a continual prayer. Rising very early every morning to be able to devote more time to it, he would spend hours in meditation before the Blessed Sacrament. Though very severe towards himself and addicted to corporal austerities, he, like a true saint, was always cheerful and full of charity and condescension towards others, and of solicitude in supplying the wants of his novices. His health failing, he was relieved of his heavy burden in 1870. From that time until his death, his life was one of continual suffering, borne with wonderful patience and resignation. As long as he was able he labored for his fellow-religious, and for the salvation of souls. Being an able spiritual director, he enabled his many penitents to make great progress in the spiritual life. As for himself he was an “interior man,” such as he describes in his “Meditations.” He died June 2, 1892, in the odor of sanctity.

Father Bronchain spent his years of suffering in composing spiritual works, which passed through many editions during his lifetime and have done incalculable good to souls. They are, like the works of St. Alphonsus, whose spirit he possessed in a remarkable degree, noted for the solidity of their doctrine, the simplicity and popularity of their language, and especially for that sweet unction which induces the practice of virtue, horror of sin, and especially the love of Jesus and Mary.

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August 11

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Servant of God

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