September 12th, St. Guy

St. Guy

Welcome to the saint of the day. Today, September 12, the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Guy of Anderlecht, also known as Saint Guido, a Belgian Christian known as the “Poor Man of Anderlecht.”

The few facts that we know of him show, that he totally demonstrated in his life Christ’s worry for the poor and marginalized. Saint Guy did not have much worldly belongings, but he was inundated with love and kindness to others. Charged with grace of God, he worked untiringly at the most tedious jobs, and in a short time became a well recognized person, as a friend of the poor, in spite of remaining a poor man all through his life. Although, he never joined a particular religious order, Saint Guy was visited for spiritual direction by many, and through his model, brought many closer to Christ.

Born in Anderlecht, Belgium, a small village outside of Brussels, Guy was reared and instructed, by poor, but saintly parents. Early in life he had a great affection to Our Lord and Holy Mother Mary. This warm relation with Jesus and Mary made him select a life that is set apart for the deprived. Throughout his childhood, he gave away all he had, and spent his days visiting the ailing and aged of the town. Guy came to be recognized as a saint by many.

As he grew up his commitment to Jesus and Mary and his dedication to the poor became the innermost concerns in his life. He spent hours in prayer each day, rarely sleeping but instead contemplating the Lord. His devotion to Jesus and Mary was noted by a holy priest who asked his to serve the Church. He virtually lived in the Church, praying, cleaning the church and giving arms to the poor who came to seek his help.

However, saintly a person may be, he or she is likely to go off track. This occurred  to Guy also.  A rich merchant from Brussels approached   him with a business scheme. He advised Guy to be a associate with him, in an endeavor. The merchant suggested that earnings from it could be used to assist the deprived. At first sight Guy became charmed of the idea of business and joined him. However, the business failed totally. Guy realized the suggestion for business as a way of making money for the poor, came from the evil spirit. The fact that he ventured into it for a short time filled him with remorse.

In his early 60s he came back to Anderlecht and soon died there of natural causes. People around him started esteeming him as a saint. He was buried in Anderlecht, and many miracles were credited to his mediation at his grave. Saint Guy is the patron saint of Anderlecht.  His intervention is invoked for healing  from epilepsy and rabies.  In atonement Guy engaged in rigorous acts of atonement for the rest of his life, offering all he had to the Lord for his fickleness. He traveled on pilgrimage—on foot—for seven years, visiting Rome and then the Holy Land, coming back  to Belgium and serving as a guide at the holy shrines.