St. Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne - His Life & Miracles

The blessed Cuthbert's life story is hallowed by the exaltation of the Prophet Jeremy, who says, "It is good for a man, when he hath borne the yoke from his youth, he shall sit alone, and shall be silent, because he shall raise himself above himself." Inspired by the sweetness of this good, Cuthbert, the man of God, from his early youth bent his neck beneath the yoke of the monastic institution; and when occasion presented itself, he rejoiced to sit apart for no small space of time, and to hold his tongue silent from human colloquy, for the sweetness of divine meditation. This ability to do so in his advanced years was the effect of God's grace, which had gradually incited him to the way of truth from his early childhood.

Even to the eighth year of his life, which is the first year of boyhood succeeding to infancy, Cuthbert gave his mind to such plays and enjoyments alone as boys delight in, so that it might be testified of him as it was of Samuel, "Moreover Cuthbert knew not yet the Lord, neither had the voice of the Lord been revealed to him." Such was the panegyric of his boyhood, who in more ripened age was destined perfectly to know the Lord, and to open the ears of his mind to imbibe the voice of God.

Cuthbert took delight in mirth and clamour, and, as was natural at his age, rejoiced to attach himself to the company of other boys, and to share in their sports. Due to his agile nature and quick mind, he often prevailed over them in their boyish contests, and frequently, when the rest were tired, he alone would hold out, and look triumphantly around to see if any remained to contend with him for victory. In jumping, running, wrestling, or any other bodily exercise, he boasted that he could surpass all those who were of the same age, and even some that were older than himself. For when he was a child, he knew as a child, he thought as a child; but afterwards, when he became a man, he most abundantly laid aside all those childish things.

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