CHAPTER 32: How, on a journey, he restored to life a youth who was brought to him dying
CHAPTER 32
How, on a journey, he restored to life a youth who was brought to him dying
ONCE when this most holy shepherd of the Lord’s flock was doing the round of his sheepfolds, he came into a rough mountain area whither many had gathered from the scattered villages to be confirmed. Now there was no church nor even a place in the mountains fit to receive a bishop and his retinue, so the people put up tents for him while for themselves they made huts of felled branches as best they could. Cuthbert preached twice to the milling crowds and brought down the grace of the Holy Ghost by imposition of hands on those newly regenerated in Christ. In the middle of the ceremonies some women appeared bringing in on a litter a youth all wasted away by a long nagging disease. They laid him down at the edge of the wood and sent to Cuthbert to ask permission to bring him forward for a blessing. When the youth had been brought in Cuthbert saw how gravely ill he was and bade everyone move farther off. He had recourse to his usual armoury, prayer, gave a blessing and drove away the disease for which the doctors, despite their skill in concocting medicines, had been unable to devise a cure. The youth regained his strength, stood up and gave thanks to God, and went back home with the women who had brought him. And so it came to pass that he who had been carried in prostrate by sorrowing women walked home hale and hearty amid their rejoicings.