My apologies to my faithful readers (all 4 of you), but I seem to be struggling with lack of inspiration this month. I'm going to dive back into Butler's Lives of the Saints, although sometimes I wonder why they have included some of the Saints that they have. Many of the stories seem to be of questionable origin and authority. For instance, the listing for Bd Gonsalo of Amarante begins like this, "It must be confessed that many of the incidents recorded in the life of Bd Gonsalo (Gundisalvus), a Portuguese of high family, are not of a nature to inspire confidence in the sobriety of his biographer's judgement."
Gonsalo was born in 1187. It was said that when he was carried to the baptismal font as an infant, he fixed his eyes on the crucifix with a look of extraordinary love. He was devoted to Jesus as a child and decided to become a priest. He then gave his inheritance to his nephew and embarked on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He was gone for many years and upon his return, his nephew set the dogs on him as a vagrant.
He was supernaturally (I can't seem to find out how) directed to enter that order in which the office began and ended with the Ave Maria. He accordingly became a Dominican but was allowed to live as a hermit. During this time, he built a bridge over the Tamega River. He did a lot of the work himself, but he did have some help. When the laborers who were assisting him ran out of wine, he prayed and then struck a rock with his stick and an abundance of the finest wine flowed forth. Another instance when food ran low, he went to the riverside, summoned the fishes who came at his call and jumped out of the river.
Gonsalo was also known for his powerful homilies. We are told that in an attempt to make the people understand the effect of the Church's censures upon their souls, he excommunicated a basket of bread. The loaves at once became black, rotted and inedible. Then to show the effects of grace on the repentant soul, he removed the excommunication, and the loaves once again became white and fresh.
Bd. Gonsalo died of natural causes on January 10, 1259. His feast day is January 16.
Blessed Gonsalo, pray for us.
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