Enjoy today's prayer đ for the promised land!
Dear John, Pope Francis' recent health struggles have made me look to the wisdom of his predecessors. One of whom, I confess, is a favorite: Pope John XXIII, who said âBorn poor, but of honored and humble people, I am particularly proud to die poor.â
Meditate on those words for a moment. In our opulent culture, which tells us more is better, Pope John lived the alternative. Raised in a loving but financially challenged household, he found riches in God's grace. My prayer is that we look to the saints of the past to gives us directions for the future. Are you with me? âïž Peace! Christopher Heffron Editorial Director |
Saint of the Day for April 3:
Benedict the African (1526 â 1589) Listen to Saint Benedict the Africanâs Story Here Benedict held important posts in the Franciscan Order and gracefully adjusted to other work when his terms of office were up. His parents were slaves brought from Africa to Messina, Sicily. Freed at 18, Benedict did farm work for a wage and soon saved enough to buy a pair of oxen. He was very proud of those animals. In time, he joined a group of hermits around Palermo and was eventually recognized as their leader. Because these hermits followed the Rule of Saint Francis, Pope Pius IV ordered them to join the First Order. Benedict was eventually novice master and then guardian of the friars in Palermoâpositions rarely held in those days by a brother. In fact, Benedict was forced to accept his election as guardian. And when his term ended, he happily returned to his work in the friary kitchen. Benedict corrected the friars with humility and charity. Once he corrected a novice and assigned him a penance only to learn that the novice was not the guilty party. Benedict immediately knelt down before the novice and asked his pardon. In later life, Benedict was not possessive of the few things he used. He never referred to them as âmine,â but always called them âours.â His gifts for prayer and the guidance of souls earned him throughout Sicily a reputation for holiness. Following the example of Saint Francis, Benedict kept seven 40-day fasts throughout the year; he also slept only a few hours each night. After Benedictâs death, King Philip III of Spain paid for a special tomb for this holy friar. Canonized in 1807, he is honored as a patron saint by African Americans. The liturgical feast of Saint Benedict the African is celebrated on April 4. Reflection Among Franciscans, a position of leadership is limited in time. When the time expires, former leaders sometimes have trouble adjusting to their new position. The Church needs men and women ready to put their best energies into leadershipâbut also men and women who are gracefully willing to go on to other work when their time of leadership is over. Saint Benedict the African is a Patron Saint of: African Americans
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Promise of the Promised Land
It wasnât until Godâs people utilized the lesson from the desert that they made Jerichoâs walls fall to the ground. It wasnât until the apostles entered the upper room that the Holy Spirit fell upon them. And it could be that your period of desolation will ultimately strengthen you spiritually. Your prayers will fall to earth with a force more resounding than the crumbling of Jerichoâs walls, beginning the storming of the gates of heaven by a multitude greater than the population of Israel or the first converts on Pentecost. All this is to say: God could be using desolation in your spiritual life to prepare you for something great on earth, but we know for sure that his ultimate plan is to use it as a means to bring us to heaven. âfrom St. Anthony Messengerâs âYour Prayer Life: Looking at the Big Pictureâ
by Martin J.P. Gianotti |
Embrace the Franciscan Spirit! This inspiring reference book presents a comprehensive overview of the rich history, notable figures, and places, and essential texts that embody the Franciscan tradition. Franciscan Field Guide: People, Places, Practices, and Prayers |
Divine Flow of Life Reflect Poet John OâDonahue once wrote, âI would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.â May this prayer heighten your awareness of the divine flow of your life and your ongoing dance with the Trinity. Pray What a miracle it is
to be loved into existence,
even now, wherever I am,
still in this moment,
no matter what has led me here,
no matter my inner or outer state â
the length of the night,
the noise of the day â
I am reminded I am enough
as you fill my lungs
and bring me to life,
as you flow through my being
like a downward stream,
as you mysteriously ground me
like an ocean containing a ship. Trinity, help me flow as you flow
out of the infinite well of love within
as I am loved by You
into my bed or my chair
or the ground in which I stand
in this very moment,
this unfolding miracle,
this ever-flowing love. Act Take John OâDonahueâs words from his poem or a phrase from this prayer that resonated, and every time you catch yourself bored with life or going through the motions, consider reciting those words to heighten your awareness for the miracle of being loved into existence, just as you are. Today's Pause+Pray was written by Stephen Copeland. Learn more here! |
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