#Saint of the Day

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (April 23)

St. George was a soldier of the Roman army who was tortured and beheaded for his Christian faith in the year 303 in Lydda (in modern day Palestine). 

He was likely born in Cappadocia, of a Cappadocian father and a Palestinian mother of noble rank.

At the death of his father (possibly martyrdom), he moved to Palestine with his mother where he joined the military and apparently served with some distinction, meriting several promotions in rank.

One account of the martyrdom of St. George is Eusebius´ Ecclesiastical History, which relates that when the emperor Diocletian issued an edict:

"to tear down the churches to the foundations and to destroy the Sacred Scriptures by fire… a certain man, of no mean origin but highly esteemed for his temporal dignities, stimulated by a divine zeal and excited by an ardent faith, took it as it was openly placed and posted up for public inspection, and tore it to shreds as a most profane and wicked act." 

This act of instransigence and holy audacity enraged the emperor who had the man tortured and killed.

This man “of no mean origin,” i.e. of nobility, has been identified by more than one ancient source including Eusebius as St. George, though most modern historians of the period state that this is unlikely.

St. George is usually depicted in Christian art as a soldier on horseback killing a dragon with a lance.

This image is a representation of a popular legend of St. George, which first appeared in 1265 in a romance titled "The Golden Legend" in which he saved a town terrorized by a dragon with one blow of his lance.

However, the image is also, and more significantly, a powerful symbol of the victory of Christian faith over evil (sometimes interpreted more contextually in the early Church as “paganism”), personified by the devil who is symbolized by the dragon according to the imagery in Revelations.

St. George is invoked as a patron of military causes, not only because he was a soldier but also due to his appearance to the Christian armies before the battle of Antioch in which they were victorious, then to King Richard the Lionheart of England during his crusade against the Saracens.

The cult of St.George, while universal, remains strongest in the Eastern Church where he is venerated as “The Great Martyr.”

Accounts of early pilgrims identify the seat of the cult of St.George at his burial site in Lydda.

The cult has been in existence since the 4th century, soon after his death.

St. George is the patron of soldiers and the patron of many nations, including Palestine, Lebanon, England, Georgia, and Malta.

He is also the patron of Palestinian Christians and of Boy Scouts. 

He is invoked by sufferers of herpes, skin diseases, skin rashes, syphilis, and snakebites.

[lord-here-i-am]

Hl. Katharina (Kateri) Tekakwitha

Gefeiert Am 17. April

Hl. Katharina (Kateri) Tekakwitha Büßerin * 1656 in Ossernenon - dem heutigen Auriesville im Bundesstaat New York in den USA † 17. April 1680 in Caughnawaga / Kahnawake in Kanada

Kateri, Indianerin aus dem Irokesenstamm der Mohawks, wurde nach dem frühen Tod ihrer Eltern von Verwandten erzogen. Sie lehnte mehrfach eine Heirat ab und gelobte Jungfräulichkeit. Als 20-jährige wurde sie von einem Jesuitenpater getauft und wurde dadurch sehr schweren Anfeindungen ausgesetzt. Sie schloss sich einer Missionsstation der Jesuiten bei Montreal an. Dort führte sie ein Leben der Buße und des Gebets. Nach ihrem Tod ereigneten sich Wunder und Heilungen. Ihre Gebeine sind im Reservat der Mohawk-Indianer in Caughnawaga aufbewahrt. Die "Lilie der Mohawks" war die erste Indianerin, die selig gesprochen wurde. Papst Benedikt XVI. sprach sie im Oktober 2012 heilig.

[catholicsaintquotes33ad]

[ladymarys-blog]

Saint of the day is Joan of Arc.

Saint Joan pray for us!

Game by: Elequinoa.

[essence-of-femininity]

Saint of the Day for May 22 - Santa Rita of Cascia.

Reflection:

Although we can easily imagine an ideal world in which to live out our baptismal vocation, such a world does not exist. An “If only ….” approach to holiness never quite gets underway, never produces the fruit that God has a right to expect.

Rita became holy because she made choices that reflected her baptism and her growth as a disciple of Jesus. Her overarching, lifelong choice was to cooperate generously with God’s grace, but many small choices were needed to make that happen. Few of those choices were made in ideal circumstances—not even when Rita became an Augustinian nun.

Saint Rita of Cascia is the Patron Saint of:

Difficult Marriages

Impossible Causes

Infertility

Parenthood

[milatherese]

Prayer to St. Mary Magdalene and Our Lord

(by St. Anselm)

St. Mary Magdalene, thou didst come with springing tears to the spring of mercy, Christ; from Him thy burning thirst was abundantly refreshed, through Him thy sins were forgiven; by Him thy bitter sorrow was consoled.

My dearest lady, well thou knowest by thine own life how a sinful soul can be reconciled with its creator, what counsel a soul in misery needs, what medicine will restore the sick to health. It is enough for us to understand, dear friend of God, to whom were many sins forgiven, because she loved much. Most blessed lady, I who am the most evil and sinful of men do not recall thy sins as a reproach, but call upon the boundless mercy by which they were blotted out. This is my reassurance, so that I do not despair; this is my longing, so that I shall not perish.

I say this of myself, miserably cast down into the depths of vice, bowed down with the weight of crimes, thrust down by my own hand into a dark prison of sins, wrapped round with the shadows of darkness. Therefore, since thou art now with the chosen because thou art beloved and are beloved because thou art chosen of God, I, in my misery, pray to thee in bliss; in my darkness, I ask for light; in my sins, redemption; impure, I ask for purity. Recall in loving kindness what thou used to be, how much thou didst need mercy, and seek for me that same forgiving love that thou didst receive when thou wert wanting it. Ask urgently that I may have the love that pierces the heart; tears that are humble; desire for the homeland of Heaven; impatience with this earthly exile; searing repentance; and a dread of torments in eternity. Turn to my good that ready access that thou once didst have and still doth have to the spring of mercy. Draw me to Him where I may wash away my sins; bring me to Him Who can slake my thirst; pour over me those waters that will make my dry places fresh. Thou wilt not find it hard to gain all thou doth desire from so loving and so kind a Lord, Who is alive and reigns and is thy friend. For who can tell, beloved and blest of God, with what kind familiarity and familiar kindness He Himself didst reply on thy behalf to the calumnies of those who were against thee? How He didst defend thee, when the proud Pharisee was indignant, how He didst excuse thee, when thy sister didst complain, how highly He didst praise thy deed, when Judas didst begrudge it.

And, more than all this, what can I say, how can I find words to tell, about the burning love with which thou didst seek Him, weeping at the sepulchre, and wept for Him in thy seeking?

How He cameth, who can say how or with what kindness, to comfort thee, and madest thee burn with love still more; how He didst hide from thee when thou didst want to see Him, and showed Himself when thou didst not think to see Him; how He was there all the time thou didst seek Him, and how He didst seek thee when, seeking Him, thou didst weep.

But Thou, most holy Lord, why didst Thou ask her why she weeps?

Surely Thou canst see her heart, the dear life of her soul, is cruelly slain.

O love to be wondered at; O evil to be shuddered at;

Thou didst hang on the wood, pierced by iron nails, stretched out like a thief for the mockery of wicked men; and yet, 'Woman,' Thou didst say, 'why art thou weeping?' She had not been able to prevent them from killing Thee, but at least she longed to keep Thy Body for a while with ointments lest it decay.

No longer able to speak with Thee living, at least she could mourn for Thee dead. So, near to death and hating her own life, she repeats in broken tones the words of life which she had heard from the living.

And now, besides all this, even the Body which she was glad, in a way, to have kept, she believes to have gone. And can Thou asketh her, 'Woman, why art thou weeping?' Had she not reason to weep? For she had seen with her own eyes---if she could bear to look---what cruel men cruelly did to Thee; and now all that was left of Thee from their hands she thinks she has lost. All hope of Thee has fled, for now she has not even Thy lifeless Body to remind her of Thee.

And someone asks, 'Who art thou looking for? Why art thou weeping?'

Thou, her sole joy, should be the last thus to increase her sorrow. But Thou knowest it all well, and thus Thou didst wish it to be, for only in such broken words and sighs can she convey a cause of grief as great as hers. The love Thou hast inspired Thou didst not ignore. And indeed Thou knowest her well, the gardener, Who planted her soul in His garden. What Thou plantest, I think Thou doth also water.

Does Thou water, I wonder, or does Thou test her? In fact, Thou art both watering and putting to the test. But now, good Lord, gentle Master, look upon Thy faithful servant and disciple, so lately redeemed by Thy Blood, and see how she burneth with anxiety, desiring Thee, searching all round, questioning, and what she longest for is nowhere found.

Nothing she seest canst satisfy her, since Thou Whom alone she wouldst behold, she seest not. What then?

How long will my Lord leave His beloved to suffer thus? Have Thou put off compassion now Thou hast put on incorruption? Did Thou let go of goodness when Thou didst lay hold of immortality? Let it not be so, Lord.

Thou will not despise us mortals now Thou hast made Thyself immortal, for Thou didst make Thyself a mortal in order to give us immortality.And so it is; for love's sake He canst not bear her grief for long or go on hiding Himself. For the sweetness of love He showeth Himself Who would not for the bitterness of tears. The Lord calls His servant by the name she hast often heard and the servant doth know the voice of her own Lord.

I think, or rather I am sure, that she responded to the gentle tone with which He wat accustomed to call, 'Mary'. What joy filled that voice, so gentle and full of love. He could not have put it more simply and clearly:

'I know who thou art and what thou wanteth; behold Me; do not weep, behold Me; I am He Whom Thou seekest.' At once the tears are changed; I do not believe that they stopped at once, but where once they were wrung from a heart broken and self-tormenting they flow now from a heart exulting. How different is, 'Master!' from 'If thou hast taken Him away, tell me'; and, 'They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him,' has a very different sound from, 'I have seen the Lord, and He hast spoken to me.'

But how should I, in misery and without love, dare to describe the love of God and the blessed friend of God? Such a flavour of goodness will make my heart sick if it has in itself nothing of that same virtue.

But in truth, Thou Who art very truth, Thou knowest me well and canst testify that I write this for the love of Thy love, my Lord, my most dear Jesus.

I want Thy love to burn in me as Thou commandest so that I may desire to love Thee alone and sacrifice to Thee a troubled spirit, 'a broken and a contrite heart'.

Give me, O Lord, in this exile, the bread of tears and sorrow for which I hunger more than for any choice delights.

Hear me, for Thy love, and for the dear merits of Thy beloved Mary, and Thy blessed Mother, the greater Mary.

Redeemer, my good Jesus, do not despise the prayers of one who hast sinned against Thee but strengthen the efforts of a weakling that loves Thee.

Shakest my heart out of its indolence, Lord, and in the ardour of Thy love bringest me to the everlasting sight of Thy glory where with the Father and the Holy Spirit Thou livest and reignest, God, for ever. Amen.

[indynerdgirl]

Happy Feast Day St. John Paul II

[mayday396]

Happy Belated Valentine's Day!

So everyone, I'm here to tell you about the Origins of Valentine's Day which uhm both Wholesome and Tragic

Okay there this Saint called Valentine, he was known for being the patron saint of Terni, a province in Italy, and Lesbos, an Island in Greece.

He is mostly identified as being affiliated with people with epilepsy and people who are beekeepers. He was martyred and his body buried on the Via Flaminia, a Roman Road and you can find this place at Carsulae, North of San Gemini, a small comune in the Province of Terni.

(He was also the Patron Saint of Mental Illnesses, Affianced couples and Marriages)

The Valentine's Day we all know today is from the Feast of Saint Valentine, the Origin of that is because he was Canonised as a Saint but however he also has another reason why, so the story for that is that he infiltrated a Roman Prison while simultaneously Preaching the Lord to Persecuted Christians and Gentiles while he was causing chaos in the Prison.

Julia, a Blind Daughter of the Jailer of said Prison, was infatuated by Valentine, or well start Admiring him, no one really knows if Julia was Romantically or Platonically attracted to Valentine, around this time he was captured by Roman Guards and brought to Roman Emperor Claudius II in Person.

Claudius being Impressed by the fact that Valentine managed to Infiltrate an entire Roman Complex, then thought he could sway his heart from the Lord to Roman Paganism, but in a Sassy and Chaotic UNO reverse, Valentine instead turned their conversations into about Christianity.Unable to cope with the fact he got verbally Rekt by Valentine, he orders his Execution.

But before his Execution, he bonded with his Jailer, Asterius, this bond turned into a friendship as Asterius asked for his Daughter to be healed by her BLINDNESS, if you didn't get by now the daughter is Julia, and so he performed a miracle on Julia for her eyes to healed and that she could see.

Okay there is an unknown period of time between that point and the time Valentine got Executed, but I'm sure that it was about more ministering while he and Julia bonded together which would Explain why and how all of sudden Asterius, Julia and the Rest of her Family Members in their Household got Baptized and also would explain what he did on the day he was going to be excecuted.

On the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he wrote on a Piece of Paper which was a Letter to Julia, and signed as "Your Valentine" he probably at this point knew of Julia's Admiration or possible Feelings for him but due to fact that he was going to die and was on a Sigma grindset to the Lord, he probably just wanted to tie up any loose Threads, he gave that letter to Asterius to give to his daughter.

Valentine passed away but Julia would always come to his Burial Site to take care of a pink-blossomed almond tree that she planted beside his Grave.

Today the almond tree is a symbol of Abiding Love and Friendship, the Valentine Cards that people write today is Valentine's letter to Julia and the whole love thing is well about Couple that want to be together but know they aren't destined to be with one another.

Now if you excuse me, I'm going to be emotionally devastated for a few days.

[innocentn]

A man sees a snake dying in flames and decides to free it from the fire. As soon as he catches it, the snake bites him causing excruciating pain. The man immediately drops the snake and the reptile falls back into the burning flames.

At this point the man, looking around, finds a metal pole and uses it to take the snake from the flames again, saving his life.

Another man, who had seen what happen, approaches the man and asks him: "This snake bit you! Why are you trying to save his life?"

The man replies: "The snake's nature is to bite, but that won't change my nature, which is to help."

Don't change your nature just because someone has hurt you. Don't lose your goodness of mind, but learn to act carefully.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (April 1)

April 1 is the feast of a little-known saint whose story demonstrates the power of the Church as the home of forgiveness, redemption and mercy.

St. Mary of Egypt was a prostitute for 17 years before she received the Eucharist and chose the life of a hermit.

Born in 344 A.D., Mary of Egypt moved to the city of Alexandria when she was 12 years old and worked as a prostitute.

With the intention of continuing her trade, she joined a large group that was making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

On the feast day itself, she joined the crowd as it was headed to the church in order to venerate the relic of the True Cross, again with the intention of luring others into sin.

When she got to the door of the church, she was unable to enter. A miraculous force propelled her away from the door each time she approached.

After trying to get in three or four times, Mary of Egypt moved to a corner of the churchyard and began to cry tears of remorse.

She then saw a statue of the Blessed Virgin. She prayed to the Holy Mother for permission to enter the church for the purposes of venerating the relic.

She promised the Virgin Mother that if she were allowed to enter the church, she would renounce the world and its ways.

Mary of Egypt entered the church, venerated the relic, and returned to the statue outside to pray for guidance.

She heard a voice telling her to cross the Jordan River and find rest.

She set out and in the evening, she arrived at the Jordan and received communion in a church dedicated to St. John the Baptist.

The next day, she crossed the river and went into the desert, where she lived alone for 47 years.

Then, while making his Lenten retreat, a priest named Zosimus found the hermitess.

She asked him to return to the banks of the Jordan on Holy Thursday of the following year and to bring her Communion.

The priest was true to his word and returned bearing the Eucharist.

Mary told him to come back again the next year but to the place where he had originally met her.

When Zosimus returned in a year’s time, he found Mary’s corpse.

On the ground beside it was a written request that she be buried accompanied by a statement that she had died one year ago, in 421 A.D., on the very night she had received Holy Communion.

[lord-here-i-am]

Hl. Eberhard von Obermarchtal

Gefeiert Am 17. April

Hl. Eberhard Propst in Obermarchtal * 1. Hälfte des 12. Jahrhunderts in Schwaben † 17. April 1183 in Obermarchtal in Baden-Württemberg

Eberhard, Edler von Wolfeck, war Prämonstratensermönch im Stift von Rot bei Memmingen und wurde Propst in Obermarchtal.

[catholicsaintquotes33ad]

" Profit by the little trials that come to you, for through them we make real progress." - St. Rose Philippine Duchesne

[joeywhisperz]

Bl. Maria Gabriella Sagheddu

Blessed Maria Gabriella Sagheddu April 22nd

[catholics-world]

Check out this post… "Saint Albert the Great, Celebrated on November 15th".

http://marianne346.blogspot.com/2023/11/saint-albert-great-celebrated-on.html

[catholicdailyreflections]

Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs

May 12: Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs—Optional Memorial

Died c. 98

Pre-Congregation canonization