Yesterday, we celebrated St Boniface, who lived back in the 8th century and who brought the Good News of Jesus Christ to many of the ethnic groups who were living in modern-day Germany. Today, we celebrate another priest who was a missionary to that same part of the world: St Norbert. Norbert’s life actually mirrors that of St Paul in some ways, the author of our first reading from the second letter to Timothy. Norbert was born in present-day Germany to an aristocratic family. However, like Paul, he had a dramatic conversion experience when he was thrown from a horse. He heard God tell him: “Turn away from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it.” Upon his ordination to the priesthood, Norbert gave away all his earthly wealth. He later founded a new religious community in France - the Norbertines. The Norbertines sought to fight against the heresies prevalent in that area and to bring back those who had strayed from the faith. Norbert later became the Bishop of Magdeburg in Germany, but continued to live the austere life of a monk. In fact, when he first arrived at the episcopal palace in that city, he was so austerely dressed that they thought he was a beggar. We give thanks for the Norbertines who serve in many different ministries here in our Diocese and for their proclamation of the social justice Gospel of Jesus Christ in many ways, especially in their prison ministry. Paul encourages Timothy in his letter today to stir into flame the gift that God bestowed on him, that same flame faith in which St Norbert brought to his ministry. May the flame of faith be alit in all of us.
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