Jan 16 - St. Berard and Companions d. 1220

When our holy Father St. Francis learned by divine revelation that God had called him and the members of his order not only to personal perfection but also for the salvation of the souls of others, he entertained an ardent desire to convert the Mohammedans, whose inroads at that time frequently endangered Christian countries and the Christian Faith. While he himself and a companion traveled to the Orient in order to approach the Sultan, he sent 6 of the brethren to the Mohammedans in the West; Votalis, Berard, Peter, Accursius, Adjutus, and Otho. On the journey, Vitalis, the superior, fell sick in Spain, and when his illness refused to mend, he submitted to the will of God and remained behind, while he permitted his brethren under the guidance of Berard to proceed.

At Seville, in southern Spain, which the Mohammedans occupied at the time, they preached fearlessly in the mosque that the teaching of Mohammed was falsehood and deceit, and that salvation could be found only in the Faith of Christ. Burning with rage, the Mohammedan ruler, who had been listening to them, ordered that their heads be cut off at once. But his son, who was with him, appeased the anger of his father, and at his suggestion the friars were permitted to sail across the sea to Morocco.

This was quite in accordance with their wishes, since there among the Saracens they were right in the midst of the Mohammedan people. Coming upon a group of Saracens, Berard, who had a good command of the Arabic language, began at once to preach the Faith of Christ to them. On another day when King Miramolin and his suite appeared on the scene, he again fearlessly preached the doctrine of Christ and called Mohammed an imposter. The king gave orders that Berard and a his companions should be expelled from the country; but they escaped from their guards and returned a second and then a third time. Then it happened that on their way through the desert they came upon the royal army, which was nearly perishing because of thirst and could find no water anywhere. Berard prayed, struck his staff upon the ground, and at once a spring bubbled forth, which refreshed and saved the entire army.

More gently disposed because of this miracle, the king ordered the brethren to appear in his presence, and promised them wealth, positions of high honor, and all the conveniences of life if they would remain with him and become Mohammedans. But the champions of the Faith answered: "We despise all those things for the sake of Christ." They proceeded to urge upon the king the necessity of his conversion to their Faith. Stung by disappointment as well as by their audacity, Miramolin then seized his sword and split the head of every one in turn. Thus they obtained the martyr's palm on January 16, 1220. Pope Sixtus IV canonized them in 1481 after many miracles had occurred through their intercession.

ON ZEAL FOR THE FAITH
1. When St. Francis and his religious brethren recognized that they were called to labor the salvation of souls, they also remembered to bring the tidings of the true Faith to those who had not yet received the grace, because they knew that "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Heb 11:6). Christ Himself has said: "He who believes and is baptized, he shall be saved; but he who does not believe shall be condemned" (Mark 16:16). -- Do you value your Faith as you should? Do you believe that the true Faith is the most necessary blessing for you and for all those in whose salvation you are interested?
2. Consider the sacrifices these first Franciscan martyrs made in their zeal for the Faith. They did not shrink from distant journeys, nor from privation and persecution; they did not permit themselves to be deterred by threats nor by promises, not even when they were face to face with certain death for preaching faith in Christ. They despised all temporal things in order to merit the eternal blessings, and they cheerfully offered their blood out of love for the immortal souls for which Christ so lovingly shed His Precious Blood. -- What efforts have you put forth to acquire a knowledge of the Faith for yourself and in order to be better able to instruct others in it?
3. Consider the great reward which the holy martyrs are now enjoying and will enjoy throughout eternity. They entered the heavenly kingdom bearing the palm of victory, and were adorned with the crown of martyrdom in the presence of the entire heavenly court. Our holy Father St. Francis, who was still living at that time, rejoiced greatly when he heard of this triumph of his sons. -- Should this not also urge you on to zeal for the Faith? To be active for its glory in your own circle of acquaintances, as well as for the spread of the Faith in pagan lands? Cheerfully to labor for this end, to contribute towards it, and to pray for it? In this way you will prove that you are worthy of being a child of St. Francis and a member of the order of these martyrs.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
We beseech Thee, O Lord, grant us through the intercession of the holy martyrs, Berard, Peter, Accursius, Adjutus, and Otho, through whose glorious martyrdom Thou didst sanctify the beginning of the Order of Friars Minor, that we may at all times desire those things which are heavenly and may love Christ. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

from: The Franciscan Book of Saints, ed. by Marion Habig, ofm., © 1959 Franciscan Herald Press