At the age of 12 Aloysius was put under the spiritual guidance of Saint Charles Borromeo and received his first Holy Communion from him. In 1581 he went with his father and brother to Spain, and was made a page to the infante James, the son of King Philip II. He kept three days as fasts in every week, and that mostly upon a little bread and water. But indeed, he, as it were, fasted every day, for he hardly ever took so much as an ounce weight of food at his meal. Often also, even three times a day, he would, with cords or chains scourge himself to blood. Sometimes he would supply the place of a discipline or hair-shirt, by his own spurs or dog-thongs. He secretly strewed his soft bed with pieces of broken wood or potsherds, that he might find it easier to wake to pray. He passed great part of the night even in the depth of winter clad only in his shirt, either kneeling on the ground, or lying prostrate, when too weary to remain upright, occupied in heavenly contemplation. Sometimes he would keep himself thus immoveable up to five hours until he had spent at least one without any distraction of mind. Such constancy obtained for him the reward of being able to keep his understanding quite concentrated in prayer without any wandering of mind, as though rapt in God, in unbroken ecstasy.
In Spain Aloysius, called by a voice from Heaven, he resolved to join the Society of Jesus. In order that he might adhere to God alone, having overcome his father’s bitter resistance in a sharp contest of three years’ duration, and having procured the transfer of his right to the Marquessate to his brother, he took his vows in Rome in 1585 and received minor Orders. In his noviciate he began to be held as a master of all virtues. His obedience even to the most trifling rules was exact, his contempt of the world was extraordinary, and his hatred of self was implacable. His love of God was so ardent that it gradually undermined his bodily strength. Being commanded, therefore, to divert his mind for a while from divine things, he struggled vainly to distract himself from Him Who met him everywhere. He joyfully ministered to the sick in the public hospitals, and in the exercise of this charity he caught an infection and died in 1591 at the age of 23 years. He was beatified by Pope Gregory XV in 1621 and was canonised by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726. Saint Aloysius is the patron of youth.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
“O how exceeding great is the glory of Aloysius, Son of Ignatius! Never could I have believed it, had not my Jesus shown it to me. Never could I have believed that such glory as that was to be seen in Heaven!” Thus cries out Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, whose memory we were celebrating a month ago: she is speaking in ecstasy. From the heights of Carmel from which her ken may reach beyond the heavens, she reveals to Earth the splendour with which the youthful hero of this day shines amid the celestial phalanxes.
Yet short was the life of Aloysius, and nothing had it offered to the superficial gaze of a vast majority save the preliminaries, so to say, of a career broken off in its flower, ere bearing fruit of any kind. God does not account of things as men do: of very slight weight are their appreciations in His Judgement! Even in the case of the Saints themselves, the mere fractional number of years or brilliant deeds goes far less to the filling up of a lifetime, in His view, than does love. The usefulness of a human existence ought surely to be measured as a matter of fact by the amount produced in it of what is lasting. Now, beyond this present time, charity remains alone, fixed forever at that precise degree of growth attained during this life of passage. Little matters it, therefore, if without any long duration or any apparent works, one of God’s Elect have developed in himself a love as great or greater, than some others have done, in the midst of many toils, be they never so holy, and throughout a long career admired of men.
The illustrious Society that gave Aloysius Gonzaga to Holy Church owes the sanctity of her members and the benedictions poured on their works to the fidelity she has ever professed to this important truth which throws so much light on the Christian life. From the very first age of her history it would seem that our Lord Jesus, not content to allow her to assume His own blessed Name, has been lovingly determined so to arrange circumstances in her regard that she may never forget in what it is her real strength lies in the midst of the actively militant career which He has especially opened before her. The brilliant works of Saint Ignatius her Founder, of Saint Francis Xavier, the Apostle of the Indies, of Saint Francis Borgia, the noble conquest of Christ’s Humility, manifested truly wondrous holiness in them, and to the eyes of all. But these works of theirs had no other spring nor basis than the hidden virtues of that other glorious triumvirate in which, under the Eye of God alone, by the sole strength of contemplative prayer, Saints Stanislaus Kostka, Aloysius Gonzaga and John Berchmans rose to such a degree of love, and consequently to the sanctity of their heroic Fathers.
Again, it is by Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, the depository of the secrets of the Spouse, that this mystery is revealed to us. In the rapture during which the glory of Aloysius was displayed before her eyes, she thus continues while still under the influence of the Holy Ghost: “Who could ever explain the value and the power of interior acts? The glory of Aloysius is so great, simply because he acted thus, interiorly. Between an interior act and that which is seen, there is no comparison possible. Aloysius, as long as he dwelt on Earth, kept his eye attentively fixed on the Word, and this is just why he is so splendid. Aloysius was a hidden martyr. Whoever loves you, my God, knows you to be so great, so infinitely amiable, that keen indeed is the martyrdom of such a one, to see clearly that he loves you not so much as he desires to love you, and that you are not loved by your creatures, but are offended!.. Thus he became a martyrdom to himself. Oh he did love, while on Earth, wherefore now in Heaven he possesses God in a sovereign plenitude of love. While still mortal, he discharged his bow at the Heart of the Word, and now that he is in Heaven his arrows are all lodged in his own heart. For this communication of the Divinity which he merited by the arrows of his acts of love and of union with God, he now verily and indeed possesses and clasps forever.”
To love God, to allow His grace to turn our heart towards Infinite Beauty which alone can fill it, such is then the true secret of highest perfection. Who can fail to see how this teaching of today’s feast answers to the end pursued by the Holy Ghost ever since His coming down at our glorious Pentecost? This sweet and silent teaching was given by Aloysius wherever he turned his steps during his short career. Born to Heaven in holy Baptism, almost before he was born to Earth, he was a very Angel from his cradle. Grace seemed to gush from him into those who bore him in their arms, filling them with heavenly sentiments. At four years of age he followed the Marquess, his father, into the camps, and thus some unconscious faults which had not so much as tarnished his innocence became for the rest of his life the object of a penitence that one would have thought rather beseemed some grievous sinner. He was but nine years old when, being taken to Florence there to be perfected in the Italian language, he became the edification of the Court of duke Francis: but though the most brilliant in Italy, it failed to have any attraction for him and rather served to detach him more decisively than ever from the world. During this period, likewise, at the feet of the miraculous picture of the Annunziata, he consecrated his virginity to Our Lady.
The Church herself, in the Breviary Lessons, will relate the other details of this sweet life in which, as is ever the case with souls fully docile to the Holy Ghost, heavenly piety never marred what was of duty in earthly things. It is just because he really was a model for all youth engaged in study that Aloysius has been proclaimed Protector thereof. Of a singularly quick intelligence, as faithful to work as to prayer in the midst of the gay turmoil of city life, he mastered all the sciences then exacted of one of his rank. Very intricate and ticklish negotiations of worldly interest were more than once confided to his management: and thus was opportunity afforded of realising to what a high degree he might have excelled in government affairs. Here again, he comes forward as an example to such as have friends and relatives who would fain hold them back when on the threshold of the religious state under pretense of the “great good they may do in the world, and how much evil they may prevent.” Just as though the Most High must be contented with useless non-entities in that select portion of men He reserves to Himself amid nations. Or, as though the aptitudes of the richest and most gifted natures may not be turned all the better, and all the more completely to God their very principle, precisely because they are the most perfect. On the other hand, neither State nor Church ever really loses anything by this fleeing to God, this apparent throwing away of the best subjects! If, in the old Law, Jehovah showed Himself jealous in having the very best of all kinds of goods offered at His altar, His intention was not to impoverish His people. Whether admitted or not, it is a certain fact that the chief strength of society, the fountain-head of benediction and protection to the world, is always to be found in holocausts well pleasing to the Lord.
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VENERABLE old age is not that of long time, nor counted by the number of years, but the understanding of man is grey hairs and a spotless life is old age (Wisdom iv. 8). And therefore, Aloysius, you hold a place of honour amid the ancients of your people. Glory be to the holy Society in the midst of which you, in so short a space, fulfilled a long course. Obtain that she may ever continue to treasure, both for herself and others, the teaching that flows from your life of innocence and love. Holiness is the one only thing when one’s career is ended that can be called true gain, and holiness is acquired from within. External works count with God only in as far as the interior breath that inspires them is pure. If occasion for exercising works be wanting, man can always supply that deficiency by drawing near to the Lord in the secret of his soul, as much and even more than he could have done by their means. Thus did you see and understand the question. And therefore prayer which held you absorbed in its ineffable delights succeeded in making you equal to the very martyrs. What a priceless treasure was not prayer in your eyes, what a Heaven-lent boon, and one that is indeed in our reach too, just as it was in yours!
But in order to find in it, as you expressed it, the short cut to perfection, perseverance is needed and a careful elimination from the soul, by a generous self repression, of every emotion which is not of God. For how could muddy or troubled waters mirror forth the image of Him who stands on their brink? Even so, a soul that is sullied, or a soul that without being quite a slave of passion, is not yet mistress of every earthly perturbation, can never reach the object of prayer, which is to reproduce within her the tranquil Image of her God. The reproduction of the one great Model was perfect in you, and hence it can be seen how nature (as regards what she has of good), far from losing or suffering anything, rather gains by this process of recasting in the divine crucible. Even in what touches the most legitimate affections you looked at things no longer from the earthly point of view, but beholding all in God, far were the things of sense transcended with all their deceptive feebleness, and wondrously did your love grow in consequence. For instance, what could be more touching than your sweet attentions, not only on Earth, but even from your throne in Heaven, for that admirable woman given to you by our Lord to be your earthly mother, where may tenderness be found equal to the affectionate effusions written to her by you in that letter of a Saint to the mother of a Saint, which you addressed to her shortly before quitting your earthly pilgrimage? And still more, what exquisite delicacy did you evince in making her the recipient of your first miracle, worked after your entrance into glory! Furthermore, the Holy Ghost by setting you on fire with the flame of divine charity, developed also within you immense love for your neighbour: necessarily so, because charity is essentially one, and well was this proved when you were seen sacrificing your life so blithely for the sick and the pestiferous.
Cease not, dearest Saint, to aid us in the midst of so many miseries. Lend a kindly hand to each and all. Christian youth has a special claim on your patronage, for it is by the Sovereign Pontiff himself that this precious portion of the flock are gathered around your throne. Direct their feeble steps along the right path, so often enticed as they are, to turn into dangerous by-roads. Be prayer and earnest toil for God’s dear sake, their stay and safeguard. Be they illumined in the serious matter before them of the choosing a state of life. We beseech you, dearest Saint, exert strong influence over them during this most critical period of their opening years so that they may truly experience all the potency of that fair privilege which is ever yours, of preserving in your devout clients the angelical virtue! Yes, furthermore, Aloysius, look compassionately on those who have not imitated your innocence, and obtain that they may yet follow you in the example of your penance: such is the petition of Holy Church this day.Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
At Rome, St. Demetria, virgin, who was crowned with martyrdom under Julian the Apostate.
At Syracuse in Sicily, the birthday of the holy martyrs Rufinus and Martia.
In Africa, the holy martyrs Cyriacus and Apollinaris.
At Mayence, St. Alban, martyr, who was made worthy of the crown of life after long labours and severe combats.
The same day, St. Eusebius, bishop of Samosata, who, in the time of the Arian emperor Constantius, disguised himself under a military dress and visited the churches of God to confirm them in the faith. By Valens he was banished into Thrace, but when peace was restored to the Church in the reign of Theodosius, he was recalled. As he again visited the churches, an Arian woman struck him with a tile, which fractured his skull and made him a martyr.
At Iconium in Lycaonia, St. Terentius, bishop and martyr.
At Pavia, St. Urciscenus, bishop and confessor.
At Tongres, St. Martin, bishop.
In the diocese of Evreux, St. Leutfrid, abbot.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
