The fervour of the builders of Chartres Cathedral
Medieval chronicler Robert du Mont wrote that Chartres Cathedral (1), built between 1194 and 1220, was built amid deep popular fervour:
"It was at Chartres that we saw for the first time, men pulling with all their strength carts laden with stone, wood, food, and all the provisions necessary for the construction of the church, whose towers were slowly rising.
Whoever has not seen these wonders will never see them again, not only here but in Normandy, in all France and in many other countries. Everywhere can be seen humility, suffering, repentance, forgiveness of offences, groans and tears. We can see men, even women, dragging themselves on their knees through muddy swamps, beating their breasts and asking heaven for mercy, all this in the midst of many miracles that elicit songs and shouts of joy."
(1) In 876, King Charles the Bald, grandson of Charlemagne donated to the cathedral the holy relic of the "Veil of the Virgin" (formerly thought of as the "Holy Tunic"). This event made Chartres a prominent shrine.
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THANK YOU, LORD, FOR SAYING "NO".
Lord, thank you for not answering all my prayers. All my life I’ve prayed for special favours. I’ve pestered you for many things that weren’t worthy of your attention. I’ve asked you to solve problems of my own creation that I should solve myself. I have prayed that you would make life easy for me. I have asked you to help me answer questions which I ought to answer by working and thinking for myself. I have prayed for sure ways to success and short cuts to wealth when I should have been working to attain goals that really satisfy. I have asked for good health instead of exercising my body and being more careful about my diet and health habits. I have asked you to help me understand my fellow man when I should have been listening and trying to help him with his problems.
I realise now that if you had answered all my prayers, I would be weak, dependent, and lazy. By forcing me to work out some of my own problems, you have helped me to become strong. Now I face the world with the belief that it can be conquered and there is reason to ‘be of good cheer.’
You have helped me to become a person I can respect. My days are full of opportunity to help others. That’s the most important thing I could have prayed for. So thank you, Lord, for helping me to become the person you knew I could become – not by giving me my every wish but by refusing to answer some of my prayers in the way I wanted them answered. (contributed by a parishioner.)
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Jane Frances de Chantal
"To be sure, I am convinced, and experience has taught me, that nothing so wins souls as gentleness and cordiality. I beg you, dearest, follow this method, for it is the spirit of our blessed Father [Francis de Sales]. Curtness in words or actions only hardens hearts and depresses them, whereas gentleness encourages them and makes them receptive..."
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