St. Rumold renounced the world in his youth and embraced a state
of voluntary poverty, being convinced that whatever exceeds the
calls of nature is a useless load and a perfect burden to him that
bears it. He was the most declared enemy to voluptuousness; and by
frugality, moderation, and a heart pure and disengaged from all
seducing vanities, and desires of what is superfluous, he tasted
the most solid pleasure which virtue gives in freeing a man from
the tyranny of his passions, when he feels them subjected to him,
and finds himself above them. Victorious over himself, by humility,
meekness, and mortification, he reaped in his soul, without any
obstacles from self-love or inordinate attachments, the sweet and
happy fruits of assiduous prayer and contemplation, whereby he
sanctified his studies, in which he made great progress, and at the
same time advanced daily in Christian perfection. He had faithfully
served God many years in his own country, when an ardent zeal for the
divine honor and the salvation of souls induced him to travel into
Lower Germany to preach the faith to the idolaters. He made a journey
first to Rome to receive his mission from the chief pastor, and
with the apostolic blessing went into Brabant, great part of which
country about Mechlin he converted to the faith. He was ordained a
regionary or missionary bishop without any fixed see. He frequently
interrupted his exterior functions to renew his spirit before God in
holy solitude. In his retirement he was slain on the 24th of June in
775, by two sons of Belial, one of whom he had reproved for adultery.
His body was thrown into a river, but being miraculously discovered,
it was honorably interred by his virtuous friend and protector, count
Ado. A great and sumptuous church was built at Mechlin to receive
his precious relics, which is still possessed of that treasure, and
bears the name of this saint. The city of Mechlin keeps his feast a
solemn holiday, and honors him as its patron and apostle. Janning the
Bollandist gives a long history of his miracles. His great church at
Mechlin was raised to the metropolitical dignity by Paul IV. Ware
says that the feast of St. Rumold was celebrated as a double festival
with an office of nine lessons throughout the province of Dublin
before the reformation. It was extended to the whole kingdom of
Ireland in the year 1741.
* * * * *
It was from the spirit of prayer that the saints derived all their
lights and all their strength. This was the source of all the
blessings which heaven through their intercession showered down
on the world, and the means which they employed to communicate an
angelical purity to their souls. “This spirit,” says a father of the
Church,[2] “is nourished by retreat, which in some manner may be
called the parent of purity.” This admirable transformation of our
souls produced by prayer is to be attributed to God’s glory, which by
prayer he makes to shine in the secret of our hearts. In fine, when
all the avenues of our senses are closed against the creature, and
that God dwells with us, and we with God; when freed from the tumult
and distractions of the world we apply all our attention to interior
things and consider ourselves such as we are, we then become capable
of clearly contemplating the kingdom of God, established in us by
that charity and ardent love which consumes all the rust of earthly
affections. For the kingdom of heaven, or rather the Lord of heaven
itself, is within us, as Jesus Christ himself assures us.