Saint Who?
Saints Who Saw Angels
Saint Cuthbert of Lindisfarne
Abbot and bishop († 687)Feast: March 20
Although Cuthbert was orphaned at a young age, he was raised by a loving widow. He was a mischievous but likeable and active child. He must have initially decided to become a soldier because he showed up at an abbey in Scotland, bearing arms but ready to set aside the life of a soldier and become a monk instead.
Since providing hospitality is an important act of charity for monks, fifteen-year-old Cuthbert was first assigned to care for guests. One day, Cuthbert was surprised to discover a stranger in one of the guest rooms, and he dutifully washed the visitor’s hands and feet. Then he promised to return with food. When Cuthbert came back to the room, the visitor had disappeared, and three loaves of white bread had appeared on a table. Since there were no footprints in the snow outside the abbey, Cuthbert always believed that he had unknowingly entertained an angel, just as Abraham did.
Cuthbert eventually became a priest, abbot, evangelist, hermit, and bishop, and he was known for his personal kindness and a supernatural gift of healing. As he was dying, surrounded by his brother monks, he gave them some final instructions for living a holy life. One of those admonitions was to always remember to treat visitors with kindly charity, no matter what they looked like.
Lord God, dispose our hearts to always respond to guests with Christlike hospitality.
