SAINT OF THE DAY
SATURDAY, 2 MARCH, 2024
BLESSED CHARLES THE GOOD
MARTYR
(1083 - 1127)
Charles was a son of Canute IV of Denmark and Adela of Flanders. When he was only five years old, his father was assassinated in St. Alban's Church, Odence. He was taken by his mother to the court of Robert, his maternal grandfather and Count of Flanders as a suitable place for him to grow up.
Charles grew up in the court, learning the life of royalty, but also maintaining daily practice, prayer, and religious observance. When he reached the age of service, Charles became a Knight and accompanied his uncle on the Second Crusade. Upon his return, he was placed as leader of the county of Flanders.
Count Charles led his people with a profound emphasis on justice, based upon the Holy Scriptures and teachings of Christ. Each night after dinner, he met with learned theologians who explained the Scriptures to him. He then used this knowledge to enact fair and just laws throughout the county. He forbade blasphemy, and paid special attention to those who were easily exploited, including widows, the poor, and orphans. Those who were convicted of exploiting these fragile groups, Charles punished swiftly, but fairly. He led by example, expecting nothing more from his subjects than he, himself, was prepared to do.
He loved God's Name so much that he forbade any of his subjects to blaspheme or take the name of God in vain. The punishment for blaspheming was to lose a hand or foot.
Charles became so well loved and respected that he was pressurized to assume the imperial throne when it was vacated. He, for his part, declined, preferring to spend his time caring for the people of Flanders. Charles proclaimed peace, citing “the Truce of God,” and putting to an end the frequent fighting and violence of the country. He lived without the typical pomp and luxury of royalty of the times, instead streamlining and downsizing his government to better provide for the poor. He decreased taxes on the poor and increased wages. When nobles, whose lifestyles were hurt by his decrees complained, he kindly answered them saying: "It is because I am so aware of the needs of the poor and the pride of the rich." Everyday, the poor and hungry in his kingdom were fed at his castles, especially when great famine fell across the counties in 1125.
CHARLES' CASTLE AT BRUGES
As a sign of his daily penance, Charles went barefoot and wore the clothing of peasants. He attended Mass each day, relying on the priests and clergy he encountered to correct his laws if they violated the teachings of the Scriptures. So convinced of the power of forgiveness, Charles established that all convicted criminals sentenced to death were to confess and receive communion on the day preceding the execution of the sentence.
In favor of William of Ypres, the princess organized a league of principles that declared war to the young Charles. With God's help they managed to triumph over his enemies. As the Count of Amiens and vassal of the King of France, Charles was able to come to the aid of the latter when the Emperor Charles V invaded Champagne in 1123. All this helped to ensure that the name of Charles the Good became paradoxically more and more frightening to foreigners.
Made by the many wars that had saddened the beginning of his reign, Charles worked to reign in peace and justice in their countries. Proclaiming the “Truce of God”, he sought to prohibit his from subjects use of weapons to put an end to frequent fights. Pointed along very simple and modest in his attitudes, it was usual practice of typical religious austerity.
In 1125 a terrible famine fell on Flanders and Picardy. For Charles, this was a chance to express his concern and his love. He provided every day to feed one hundred very poor in Bruges and also wanted each of his castles to do the same. He also provided clothing daily to dress five poor people. After these generous distributions, he attended Mass in the church, sang psalms and sometimes gave money to beggars. The rest of his days were spent preparing new regulations to solve the ills afflicting the area and prevent their return.
When the Holy Roman Emperor died without heirs, there was a proposal to elect Charles, Count of Flanders to the position. Therefore, he sought advice from some of his barons, but only a small part encouaged him to accept the imperial scepter, as the majority feared losing him as an acknowledged father of Flanders. Charles followed the advice of the latter. He also declined the crown of Jerusalem that was offered when Baldwin was imprisoned by the Turks.
Therefore he preferred to dedicate himself wholly to the good of Flanders.
But not everyone appreciated the work of Charles and when there was yet another dispute between soldiers, he tried with every effort to arrive as usual to a peaceful solution, excluding the use of arms. This led most of the plotters to agree on one point: they met one evening, joined their hands in token of alliance and spent the whole night organizing the execution of an attack in to Carlo.
The next morning, March 2, 1127, as always, the count went to mass in the church of Saint-Donatian, adjacent to his palace. Here criminals were thus able to carry out their evil plan, obtaining for Charles, the crown of martyrdom. They found him at the Church and beheaded him while he knelt in prayer before the Altar of Our Lady.
PATRON: Counts, Crusaders, Burges, diocese of Belgium.
PRAYER: Father, you have given all peoples one common origin. It is your will that they be gathered together as one family in yourself. Fill the hearts of mankind with the fire of your love and with the desire to ensure justice for all. By sharing the good things you give us, may we secure an equality for all our brothers and sisters throughout the world. May there be an end to division, strife and war. May there be a dawning of a truly human society built on love and peace.We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord. Amen.