Revolution of Love.com
St. Benedict Joseph Labre: The Beggar Saint
(1747-1783)
During Holy Week of 1783 little children ran through the streets near the Roman Coliseum shouting, "The saint is dead! The saint is dead!" These same children, who threw stones at the man they were declaring to be a saint, informed the populace that the French pilgrim/tramp, Benedict Joseph Labre, had left this world to enter into his inheritance.
From an early age Benedict dreamt of becoming a monk. At the age of 18 he received his parent's blessings to enter monastic life. Between 1766-1770 Benedict went from one monastery to another only to be rejected or asked to leave following a brief stay. He attempted religious life eleven times, but after being expelled from the monastery of Sept-Fonts he received an interior light from the Lord.
Through this light, God helped Benedict see that his vocation was not to be a monk, but a "tramp" - a poor pilgrim. From that day forward, until 1777, Benedict traveled throughout Europe visiting one holy shrine after another. He visited Compostella, Einsiedeln, Parav-le-Monial, Assisi and Loreto. It has been estimated that Benedict walked 20,000 miles during the last thirteen years of his life.
From 1777 till his death at the age of 35, Benedict took up residence in the Roman Coliseum that housed many of the city's homeless population. Benedict's only possessions were a New Testament and Rosary. He lived a life of extreme self-denial, deep prayer, and unyielding charity driven by a great love for Jesus and Mary. All this led him to the heights of sanctity.
I have heard many fine Catholics ask the question, "Where is my reward? I labor and sweat to raise my children and provide for my family, but I can't see why God is not rewarding me for my efforts." I believe St. Benedict's life, though it may seem odd to some, can help answer this important question.
Benedict's life shows us that our reward for living a good Catholic life is not to be found here on earth but only in Heaven. As Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew (6:19-20), we should not store up treasures here on earth because moth, decay and thieves can spoil it.
St. Benedict reminds us that our ultimate reward is waiting for us in the life to come. There is no earthly reward that any person could receive that would ever come close to eternal life. So the next time you get a bit down and are wondering when God will give you a little compensation for your faithfulness, don't forget your reward is waiting for you - Heaven.
God bless!
For further reading about St. Benedict Joseph Labre visit:
The Catholic Encyclopedia (NewAdvent.org) - St. Benedict J. Labre
Patron Saint Index (Catholic-forum.com) - St. Benedict J. Labre