Braulio of Zaragoza

In his own words on Psalms

• Psalms 72:18

  The marvelous deeds and miracles performed almost in our own day by the apostolic and most upright man, Emilian the priest, are so new that they urge us to relate them; yet, at the same time, so vast in scope that to recount them is frightening. How can the pen of a man who is bound to earthly things worthily reproduce the acts of a heavenly man, who, when compared with past ages, shines like the brightest star; who, when compared with the present, stands above all in his inimitable virtue? In my opinion, not even if the Tullian springs should flow and come bounding forth in copious veins of eloquence, and multiplicity of thoughts should furnish an abundant supply of words, could all those works of grace be revealed that Christ, "who alone does wondrous deeds," has performed and still is performing through him, from the time he began to despise the world until he departed from his body and from the world.

  LIFE OF ST. EMILIAN 4

• Psalms 131:1-2

  Nor can I think otherwise against the authority of so great a man, but I can only follow his steps and, in Christian humility, not deviate from the paths of our ancestors; as David says, "Neither have I walked with great things or with things too sublime for me." He is raised up above himself who departs from the traces of his elders and tries to have vision in things that are beyond his powers. Hence, it follows, "If I was not humbly minded, but exalted my soul: as a child that is weaned is towards his mother, so will you reward my soul." And so it is useful for us to think humble thoughts, in the words of the apostle: "Not setting your mind on high things but condescending to the lowly"; and to receive weaning with Isaac, that we may share stronger food rather than with Ishmael, son of the slave girl, to carry a bottle with water instead of wine and to be driven from the eternal inheritance.

  LETTER 44