ST. CUNEGUNDES was the daughter of Sigefride, the first count of
Luxemburgh, and Hadeswige his pious wife. They instilled into her from
her cradle the most tender sentiments of piety, and married her to St.
Henry, duke of Bavaria, who, upon the death of the emperor Otho III.,
was chosen king of the Romans, and crowned at Mentz on the 6th of June,
1002. She was crowned at Paderborn on St. Laurence's day, on which
occasion she made great presents to the churches of that city. In the
year 1014 she went with her husband to Rome, and received the imperial
crown with him from the hands of Pope Benedict VIII. She had, by St.
Henry's consent before her marriage, made a vow of virginity.
Calumniators afterwards accused her to him of freedoms with other men.
The holy empress, to remove the scandal of such a slander, trusting in
God the protector of innocence, in proof of hers, walked over red-hot
ploughshares without being hurt. The emperor condemned his too
scrupulous fears and credulity, and made her ample amends. They lived
from that time in the strictest union of hearts conspiring to promote in
every thing God's honor, and the advancement of piety.
Going once to make a retreat in Hesse, she fell dangerously ill, and
made a vow to found a monastery, if she recovered, in a place then
called Capungen, now Kaffungen, near Cassel, in the diocese of
Paderborn, which she executed in a stately manner, and gave it to nuns
of the Order of St. Benedict. Before it was finished St. Henry died, in
1024. She earnestly recommended his soul to the prayers of others,
especially to her dear nuns, and expressed her longing desire of joining
them. She had already exhausted her treasures and her patrimony in
founding bishoprics and monasteries, and in relieving the poor. Whatever
was rich or magnificent she thought better suited churches than her
palace. She had therefore little now left to give. {502} But still
thirsting to embrace perfect evangelical poverty, and to renounce all to
serve God without obstacle, on the anniversary day of her busband's
death, 1025, she assembled a great number of prelates to the dedication
of her church of Kaffungen; and after the gospel was sung at mass,
offered on the altar a piece of the true cross, and then put off her
imperial robes, and clothed herself with a poor habit: her hair was cut
off, and the bishop put on her a veil, and a ring as the pledge of her
fidelity to her heavenly spouse. After she was consecrated to God in
religion, she seemed entirely to forget that she had been empress, and
behaved as the last in the house, being persuaded that she was so before
God. She feared nothing more than what ever could bring to her mind the
remembrance of her former dignity. She prayed and read much, worked with
her hands, abhorred the least appearance of worldly nicety, and took a
singular pleasure in visiting and comforting the sick. Thus she passed
the fifteen last years of her life, never suffering the least preference
to be given her above anyone in the community. Her mortifications at
length reduced her to a very weak condition, and brought on her last
sickness. Her monastery and the whole city of Cassel were grievously
afflicted at the thought of their approaching loss; she alone appeared
without concern, lying on a coarse hair-cloth, ready to give up the
ghost, while the prayers of the agonizing were read by her side.
Perceiving they were preparing a cloth fringed with gold to cover her
corpse after her death, she changed color and ordered it to be taken
away; nor could she be at rest till she was promised she should be
buried as a poor religious in her habit. She died on the 3d of March,
1040. Her body was carried to Bamberg, and buried near that of her
husband. The greatest part of her relics still remains in the same
church. She was solemnly canonized by Innocent III. in 1200. The author
of her life relates many miracles wrought at the tomb, or by the
intercession of this holy virgin and widow.
* * * * *
Few arrive at any degree of perfection amongst those who aspire after
virtue, because many behave as if they placed it barely in multiplying
exercises of piety and good works. This costs little to self-love, which
it rather feeds by entertaining a secret vanity, or self-complacency, in
those who are not very careful in watching over their hearts. It is a
common thing to see persons who have passed forty or fifty years in the
constant practice of penance and all religious exercises, and the use of
the most holy sacraments, still subject to habitual imperfections, and
venial disorders, incompatible with a state of sanctity or perfection.
They give marks of sudden resentment, if they happen to be rebuked or
despised: are greedy of the esteem of others, take a secret satisfaction
in applause, love too much their own ease and conveniences, and seek
those things which flatter self-love. How much are these souls their own
enemies by not giving themselves to God without reserve, and taking a
firm resolution to labor diligently in watching over themselves, and
cutting off all irregular attachments, and purifying their hearts! The
neglect of this fosters many habitual little disorders and venial sins,
which incredibly obstruct the work of our sanctification, and the
advancement of the kingdom of divine grace in our souls. These little
enemies wilfully caressed, weaken our good desires, defile even our
spiritual actions with a thousand imperfections, and stop the abundant
effusion with which the Holy Ghost is infinitely desirous to communicate
himself to our souls, and to fill them with his light, grace, peace, and
holy joy. The saints, by the victory over themselves, and by making it
their principal study to live in the most perfect disengagement and
purity of heart, offered to God, even in their smallest actions, pure
and full sacrifices of love, praise, and obedience. If we desire to
cultivate this purity of heart, we {503} must carefully endeavor to
discover the imperfections and disorders of their souls, especially such
as are habitual, and strenuously labor to root them out. Secondly, we
must keep our senses under a strict guard, and accustom them to
restraint by frequent denials. Thirdly, we must live as much as may be
in a habit of recollection, and the practice of the divine presence,
and, after any dissipating affairs, return eagerly to close retirement
for some short time. Fourthly, we must, with perfect simplicity, lay
open our whole interior to our spiritual director, and be most
solicitous to do this, with particular candor and courage, in things in
which we are tempted to use any kind of duplicity or dissimulation.
Lastly, we must propose to ourselves, in all our thoughts and actions,
the most perfect accomplishment of the will of God, and study to square
our whole lives by this great rule, watching in all we do with
particular care against motives of vanity, pride, sensuality, interest,
and aversions, the great enemies to purity of intention.