The histories of saints often include stories of miracles and other remarkable events. According to stereotype, my ancestors in Ireland were particularly drawn to such stories. So of course, these events in St. Brigid‘s life were recorded and shared. I acknowledge that we all have different tendencies to believe or disbelieve such stories, and that’s okay. So I will just share them today, and we can all decide what we think about them.
One time Brigid was thrown from a horse and hit her head. I imagine the bleeding was excessive, as is often true with head injuries. The story says that her blood mixed with some standing water on the ground. Then two sisters who couldn’t hear were healed after contact with the blood and water. Another time, Brigid blessed a mug of water, which was then used to wash a man with leprosy. The man was cured of his leprosy.
This next story happened in the context of her work at the dairy farm. As we discussed Sunday, Brigid went back to help her mother who was running the dairy farm for the Druid. For Brigid, this became an opportunity to get her hands on nourishment for those nearby who were hungry. Well, there is one story about a cow that had already been milked for the day. Brigid touched the cow, and they were able to get more milk. In fact, the cow produced ten times the amount of milk that a cow normally would produce in a day.
Brigid also impacted people in less supernatural ways. For example, she was called to the home of a pagan leader who was dying. She was asked to teach him about Jesus to save his soul before he died. When Brigid got there, he was delirious and upset and wouldn’t listen to her at first.
So she took some straw from the floor and started to weave a cross. He asked what she was doing, and she used the cross to teach him about Jesus. The man did become a believer, and she baptized him just before he died.
Today, many Irish people have a St. Brigid’s cross to ward off evil and welcome good. I found this picture with a quick Google image search, Maybe someday I’ll learn to make one myself.
These are a few stories about St. Brigid, but they seem to reiterate the image of someone devoted to serving the poor and the sick. What better example can we have?
Today, let’s close with this “Traditional Catholic Prayer to Saint Brigid”
Saint Brigid.
You were a woman of peace.
You brought harmony where there was conflict.
You brought light to the darkness.
You brought hope to the downcast.
May the mantle of your peace cover those who are troubled and anxious, and may peace be firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world.
Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all God has made.
Brigid you were a voice for the wounded and the weary.
Strengthen what is weak within us.
Calm us into a quietness that heals and listens.
May we grow each day into greater wholeness in mind, body and spirit