July 12 | Saint John Gualbert

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Today, imagine stepping into the narrow, winding cobblestone streets of Florence, Italy, over a thousand years ago. The air is tense. A young nobleman with a furious fire in his eyes is stalking through the city. He has a heavy sword at his side, and his heart is consumed by a single dark obsession, revenge.

His brother has just been brutally murdered. And this young man has sworn a solemn oath to hunt down the killer and make him pay. Suddenly, he sees him, the man who took his brother's life. It's Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified, a day meant for peace and reflection, but all this young nobleman feels is violent wrath. He corners the killer. He raises his gleaming sword, ready to strike the fatal blow. This is the moment. The revenge he has been thirsting for is literally in his hands.

But then, the unexpected happens. The murderer doesn't fight back. Instead, he drops to his knees. He crosses his arms, looks up at the blinding blade, and begs for his life. He cries out for mercy, pleading with the young man to remember Jesus Christ on the cross, and the incredible mercy and forgiveness Jesus showed to his own enemies. The sword hovers in the air. Time stands completely still. What would you do? Would you drop the sword, or would you swing it?

Today, we are talking about that young nobleman with the raised sword, St. John Gwalbert. I know what you're thinking. Wait, a saint was about to strike down a guy in the streets of Florence? Yes! Before he was a saint, John Walbert was a regular guy, born into a wealthy, noble family in Italy in the year 985.

Growing up, John wasn't exactly what you'd call holy. In fact, he was pretty obsessed with worldly things, loving the rich, comfortable, and privileged lifestyle of his family. But his life completely shattered when his brother was murdered, a tragic event that changed his entire life's trajectory. In his intense grief, John became completely laser-focused on getting revenge. Back in those days, a blood feud was a serious matter, and John was determined to finish it.

So, let's go back to that alleyway. It's Good Friday. John's sword is raised, and the killer is on his knees, begging for mercy in the name of Jesus. The tension is unimaginable. But John looks at the man, and he is suddenly struck to the core by this desperate plea. Instead of anger, his heart is flooded with an overwhelming sense of grace. Right there, In the middle of the street, John makes the ultimate choice. He forgives the killer. He lowers his weapon.

He spares the man's life. This wasn't just a momentary change of heart. It completely rewired John's entire universe. He was so deeply moved by what had just happened that he marched straight to a monastery to join the Benedictine brothers. Now, the monks were pretty skeptical. You can imagine them thinking, isn't this the guy who was just roaming the streets looking to kill someone? They were thinking, isn't this the guy who was just roaming the streets looking to kill someone? John was understandably wary of admitting this formerly vengeful man into their peaceful home.

So John took extreme measures. To prove to them that he was completely committed to changing his lifestyle, he shaved off all his hair. Seeing his absolute dedication, the monastery finally allowed him to join. John spent a few years living with those monks, but he soon realized he was being called to do something even more intense. He ended up leaving to start his very own religious order with even stricter practices. He wanted to get back to the basics, following the primitive Benedictine rule.

His new monastery was completely dedicated to quiet contemplation, deep prayer, and, most importantly, serving the poor and the sick. Remember, this was a guy who started out loving wealth, status, and worldly things. But in his new life, John refused to ever receive holy orders or take on any office of privilege. He didn't want fancy titles or power. He simply wanted to humble himself and serve other people. He lived a wildly full life, completely dedicated to the Lord, eventually passing away at the age of 80.

On July 12, 1073, St. John Gwalbert was canonized by Pope Celestine III in 1193, and today, he is actually known as the patron saint of forest workers. You probably know exactly what it feels like to be deeply hurt by someone. Maybe a friend completely betrayed your trust. Maybe someone spread a vicious rumor about you, or someone in your family deeply disappointed you. When those things happen, our first instinct is usually just like John's. We want to hurt them back. We want to get even.

We hold on to that grudge. Like a weapon. But St. John Galbert challenges us to do the hardest thing in the world—drop the sword. Consciously choose to forgive them in your heart, just like John did on that Good Friday. Let go of the anger. You don't have to shave all your hair off like John did, but you can choose to show mercy. When you forgive, you aren't just letting the other person off the hook, you're also setting yourself free. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.