St. Ambrose 340-397

Part 3 of St. Augustine and his mom Monica's Journey. 

December 7

Have you ever been chosen to do something you weren't sure you could do?

   Maybe your softball coach thought you'd be a great pitcher, but you didn't know if you agreed. Or maybe a teacher gave you the great news that she had given you a part in the play----even though you hadn't even tried out!

   Maybe you felt nervous about doing this thing that you weren't sure you could do. But what did your coach or your teacher tell you? What did your mom tell you when she left you to take care of your baby brother for the first time by yourself?

   "You can do it. I know you can. I've got faith in you!"

   Something like that happened hundreds of years ago to a man named Ambrose. Ambrose was asked to be a bishop----and he hadn't even been baptized yet!

   Ambrose lived in a city called Milan, which is in the northern part of Italy. In Ambrose's time, Italy was part of the Roman Empire, which covered most of Europe. An Emperor ruled the whole empire, but because the empire was so big, other people were put in charge of smaller parts of it. The emperor put Ambrose in charge of Milan. Ambrose was called a prefect.

   As the prefect of Milan, Ambrose had to make sure that the city was clean and that the people treated each other well. Sometimes that was a problem. People broke laws and they hurt others. But Ambrose treated everyone fairly and helped keep peace in the city. 

  There was also a bishop in Milan. He was in charge of the Christian church in the city, but the people did not like him. He taught something about Jesus that was wrong. He believed that Jesus was not really God, and he punished people who did not agree with him. The people of Milan were quite unhappy with their bishop.

   In 374, the bishop died. In those days, when a bishop died, the people of the city he served elected someone to replace him. The emperor was afraid that there would be trouble----even fights----over who the next bishop should be. So he asked Ambrose to pay special attention during the election and keep the peace. 

   The people of Milan went to their main church----called a basilica----to elect a new bishop. They were crowded inside, arguing and shouting about who the new bishop should be. Ambrose came reminding the people to be peaceful in their election, a cry came from somewhere in the crowd.

   "Ambrose for bishop!"

   Ambrose was surprised, but he tried to keep on talking. Soon everyone in the crown was shouting the same thing: "Ambrose for bishop!"

   Before he knew it, Ambrose had been elected the new bishop on Milan!

   The people had decided that they wanted Ambrose to be the leader of their church because he had been such a good leader of the city. But there was one problem. Ambrose hadn't been baptized yet. 

   His Mother was a Christian and had raised Ambrose in a Christian home. Ambrose believed in Jesus, but at that time, people did not usually get baptized until they were adults. Ambrose was still what we call a catechumen, not a full member of the Christian church. But he must have been quite a great man if the people thought he was the right choice for bishop!

   Ambrose was not happy at first about being elected bishop. He even hid from the people for several days, hoping they would give up and pick someone else. But they wouldn't change their minds, so finally Ambrose decided that it must be God's will. He began to prepare.

   And what big preparations he had to make. He had to be baptized and confirmed, receive the Eucharist, be ordained a priest, and be made a bishop, all in one week!

   As it turned out, Ambrose made the right decision when he accepted the people's choice as God's will. He was an excellent bishop. He gave all of his wealth to the poor. He studied hard so he could teach people the truth about Jesus. Ambrose became such a popular preacher that he gained the nickname "honey tongued." Of course, Ambrose is the patron saint of bees!

   Ambrose had been an excellent leader of the city, brave and fair. As bishop, he was just as brave. He was never afraid to stand up to leaders when they broke God's laws. 

   When Ambrose had been bishop for about fifteen years, Emperor Theodosius became angry with the people who lived in a city called Thessalonica. They had killed the governor of their city, and Theodosius decided to punish them. While the people were watching chariot races in their city's coliseum, Theodosius ordered his soldiers to go out among the crowd and kill as many of the people as they could in revenge for the governors death. By the end of the day, seven thousand people lay dead because of the emperors order. 

   Ambrose was outraged. He wrote to the emperor immediately and told him that he was not allowed to even step inside a church again until he had done serious penance for this horrible sin. Do you know how brave Ambrose was to do that? The emperor had just had thousands of people murdered----he could just as easily have gotten rid of one outspoken bishop.

   But he didn't. Theodosius realized how wrong he had been, and he did as Ambrose said. It's been said that there was never a day for the rest of his life that the emperor did not regret his terrible sin. Ambrose was at his side when he died. 

   Ambrose was afraid when the people elected him bishop of Milan, and he couldn't imagine that he was the right person for the job. But when the people continued to believe in him, Ambrose understood that God was speaking through their support. 

   So the next time you're asked to do something hard, remember the brave and kind bishop Ambrose, who said yes even though he was afraid. 

   St. Ambrose was surprised that the people of Milan asked him to be their bishop. Are you sometimes surprised by what other people think your gifts and talents are? 

This is from the book called Loyola Kids Book of SAINTS: By Amy Welborn.