Today, January 30th, we celebrate St. Mucian Mary Wiaux, known for his humility, good nature and love of God and neighbor.
He was born on March 20, 1841 at Mellet, baptized Louis Joseph, the son of a father who worked as a blacksmith and a mother who managed an inn. They were deeply devout Catholics. Accordingly, he had the benefit of their lives of holiness as an example of how to live for the honor and glory of God.
In 1856, he entered the novitiate of the Brothers of the Christians Schools, known as the De la Salle Brothers, at Namur. Subsequently, he went to Chimay and to Brussels, but in 1858 he was sent to the college at Malonne where he spent the rest of his life. Although baptized Louis Joseph as set out above, the name he was given in this Order was Mucian, after a Roman martyr. It is believed that St. Mucian, with St. Mark and an unnamed small boy, witnessed his friends’ martyrdom, calling out to encourage them in their trials, wherein he himself was then slaughtered.
He taught the boys music and art, supervised the playground and dormitories, rang the school bell and organized walks. But the bishops noticed that Brother Mucian “had the skill of bringing even the least gifted to the limit of their abilities.” His students loved him because he was so gentle, kind and holy. They named him, “the brother who is always praying.”
He died on January 30, 1917, and pilgrims began to visit his tomb. St. Mucian earned a reputation as an intercessor before Our Lord. His cause for sainthood was introduced in 1936, less than twenty years after his death.
On December 10, 1989, Pope John Paul II called him, “the light of Belgium and the glory of his Congregation.” The Bishops of Belgium said this about our dear saint:
“He had left no theological treatise, nothing to bring his name out of the shadows,” and that “he accomplished nothing out of the ordinary”, but that “he was a man of prayer, an apostle among the students and went about his daily tasks with holiness. . .hurting none and forgiving all. . .”
Surely we can relate to this saint. He modeled himself after St. Therese of the Little Flower and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, doing all things, no matter how small, with great love. Let us remember to do our daily activities with Mucian’s joyous and loving spirit, offering his life to Jesus as he went about in his own “Calcutta” serving those individuals who were in his life. We must try to do the same. . .
With love and respect,
Joan
Source: Butler’s Lives of the Saints, Edited by Michael Walsh
