Blessed John of Jesus-Mary

History, too sparing with details regarding his early years, his studies, the virtues of his youth, the place of his education, and the masters who formed him, forces us to be sober ourselves concerning this period of his life. We only know that he made his profession in the year 1583, and that the execution of his vocation to religious life was an act of the most heroic kind: he had to trample underfoot all the considerations of a high birth, a great fortune, the regrets of a widowed mother, and the desolation of two orphaned sisters.

Destined to occupy himself with scholastic science, he became a distinguished master therein. He followed the example of the great Saints, who expected the knowledge they desired to have from help from above, rather than from study, the penetration of the mind, and the extent of the memory; that is to say, he sought science only at the foot of the crucifix; and such was his respect for Holy Scripture that he always read it on his knees and bareheaded. Thus, he rose to an immense height above his century in the most sublime matters. He was regarded in Rome as th e or Rome Birthplace of Maximian. acle of his time, and the admiration that attached to his name and his virtues was such that Cardinals Tolomei, Galli, Camésis, Sfondrati, and Bellarmine honored him with Bellarmin Jesuit theologian, cardinal and Archbishop of Capua, a major figure of the Counter-Reformation. a particular esteem and even veneration. The latter especially, the learned Bellarmine, finding in him, says one of his biographers, another himself in his science and his piety, loved and cherished him with the liveliest tenderness.

Saint Francis de Sales and Bossuet both spoke Saint François de Sales Bishop of Geneva who prophesied the vocation of Olier. hig hly of Bossuet Preacher and bishop who delivered the funeral oration for the Oratory. him. Here is how the illustrious Bishop of Meaux speaks of him; having to cite him in his book *Mystici in tuto*, pars prima, caput XV, t. x, he says: *Quem in locum sanctæ matris, Joannes a Jesu Maria summus theologus, summusque mysticus, et in contemplativo ordine Carmelitarum discalceatorum ad summum honorem erectus, hæc habet, etc.*

The life of this holy religious was a mirror of all perfection: he was meek and humble of heart like his divine Master, charitable to others, austere to himself alone, and patient toward all; devoted to prayer and contemplation, he had made the most astonishing progress in them; full of compassion for sinners, burning with zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, he consumed himself in preaching and spiritual direction: he was elec ted General of his entire général de tout son Ordre Reformed branch of the Order of Carmel founded by Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. Order after having passed through all the ranks. The multitude and greatness of his knowledge is sufficiently attested by all that one is about to read. In the *General History of the Discalced Carmelites*, translated from the Spanish by the Reverend Father Gabriel de la Croix, it is said (page 454, volume II), "that if the health of his body had equaled that of his mind, he would most assuredly have united in his own person the angelic Saint Thomas and the eloquent Saint Gregory of Nazianzus. One can judge all this, says this historian, by the works he left behind, in which it is easy to notice both the gravity of his eloquence and the depth of his doctrine in his commentaries on Holy Scripture, and in his spiritual treatises, which are of great perfection." Here is the list and titles of these various works: *A Commentary on the Book of Job*; — one on the *Canticle of Canticles*; — one on the *Lamentations of Jeremiah*; — a *Historical, Allegorical, and Topological Paraphrase of the Psalms*; — the * Theologia mystica Theologia mystica One of the principal spiritual treatises written by the saint. *; — the *Disciplina monastica*; — *Instructio magistri novitiorum*; — *Disciplina claustralis*; — *Liber de prudentia justorum*; — *Stimulus compunctionis*; — *Schola Jesu Christi*; — *Schola de oratione et contemplatione*; — *Epistola Christi ad hominem*; — *Ars amandi Deum*; — *Ars gubernandi*; — *Ars concionandi*; — *Vita virginis Teresiae*; — *Ars vivendi spiritualiter*; — *Ars bene moriendi*. All these works form an enormous folio volume containing three tomes, printed in Cologne in 1650, entitled: *Opera omnia*, etc., R. P. Joannis a Jesse Maria.

However, a life so busy, so laborious, and so mortified, with such frail health, could not be prolonged for long: he succumbed, under the weight of fatigue, at the age of fifty-one; it was the 28th of May in the year 1615.

His death was beautiful and holy like his life, or rather it was but a sweet rest and the sleep of a Blessed one. He rendered his soul to God in Frasc ati, a s Frascati Italian town where the saint died. mall town in the vicinity of Rome. His precious remains were deposited in the C hurch of Saint Sylvester, église de Saint-Sylvestre Place of burial and veneration of the saint's body. where they are the object of the greatest veneration. His body has remain ed incorrupt incorruptible Miraculous phenomenon observed on a body after death. to this day: several miracles have been performed at his tomb. Finally, his name is still surrounded by glory and splendor throughout his Order as well as throughout the entire Church.

*Cf. Esprit des Saints*, by Abbé Grimes.