Bede is one of the few saints honored as such even during his
lifetime. His writings were filled with such faith and learning that
even while he was still alive, a Church council ordered them to be read
publicly in the churches.
At an early age Bede was entrusted to the care of the abbot of
the Monastery of St. Paul, Jarrow. The happy combination of genius and
the instruction of scholarly, saintly monks produced a saint and an
extraordinary scholar, perhaps the most outstanding one of his day. He
was deeply versed in all the sciences of his times: natural philosophy,
the philosophical principles of Aristotle, astronomy, arithmetic,
grammar, ecclesiastical history, the lives of the saints and,
especially, Holy Scripture.
From the time of his ordination to the
priesthood at 30 (he had been ordained deacon at 19) till his death, he
was ever occupied with learning, writing and teaching. Besides the many
books that he copied, he composed 45 of his own, including 30
commentaries on books of the Bible.
Although eagerly sought by
kings and other notables, even Pope Sergius, Bede managed to remain in
his own monastery till his death. Only once did he leave for a few
months in order to teach in the school of the archbishop of York. Bede
died in 735 praying his favorite prayer: “Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As in the beginning, so now, and
forever.”
His Ecclesiastical History of the English People
is commonly regarded as of decisive importance in the art and science
of writing history. A unique era was coming to an end at the time of
Bede’s death: It had fulfilled its purpose of preparing Western
Christianity to assimilate the non-Roman barbarian North. Bede
recognized the opening to a new day in the life of the Church even as it
was happening.
Comment: Though his History is the greatest legacy Bede
has left us, his work in all the sciences (especially in Scripture)
should not be overlooked. During his last Lent, he worked on a
translation of the Gospel of St. John into English, completing it the
day he died. But of this work “to break the word to the poor and
unlearned” nothing remains today.
Quote: “We have not, it seems to me, amid all our
discoveries, invented as yet anything better than the Christian life
which Bede lived, and the Christian death which he died” (C. Plummer,
editor of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History). |
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