Today's saint experienced conversion while convalescing from an illness. 🤒
Dear John, Creativity, which Stephen Copeland writes about in today's Pause+Pray, is one of God's greatest gifts to us. Some may say that they "don't have any creativity" or that they're "not creative." If you peel back the layers to any number of our activities and habits in life, though, you will find some element of creative thinking. Whether you bake bread, write poetry, or simply appreciate a beautiful work of art for what it is, you are engaging with creativity. And, as Stephen writes, this activity, when linked to our spirituality, takes on a holy dimension that can prove transformative for both the artist and the audience. May your creative energy propel you into new and exciting places today! If you enjoy these daily inspirations sent to your inbox every morning, please help us customize our resources to suit your needs better by donating to Rebuilding God's Church.
Peace and all good!
Daniel Imwalle
Managing Editor |
Saint of the Day for January 30:
Mary Angela Truszkowska (May 16, 1825 – October 10, 1899) Listen to Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska’s Story Here Today we honor a woman who submitted to God’s will throughout her life—a life filled with pain and suffering. Born in 1825 in central Poland and baptized Sophia, she contracted tuberculosis as a young girl. The forced period of convalescence gave her ample time for reflection. Sophia felt called to serve God by working with the poor, including street children and the elderly homeless in Warsaw’s slums. In time, her cousin joined her in the work. In 1855, the two women made private vows and consecrated themselves to the Blessed Mother. New followers joined them. Within two years, they formed a new congregation, which came to be known as the Felician Sisters. As their numbers grew, so did their work, and so did the pressures on Mother Angela (the new name Sophia took in religious life). Mother Angela served as superior for many years until ill health forced her to resign at the age of 44. She watched the order grow and expand, including missions to the United States among the sons and daughters of Polish immigrants. Pope John Paul II beatified Mother Angela in 1993. Her liturgical feast is celebrated on October 10. Reflection Like Saints Francis of Assisi and Ignatius of Loyola, Blessed Mary Angela experienced a conversion while convalescing from an illness. The Lord can use sickness as well as other situations to speak to the heart of an individual. This does not imply that God caused the illness; just that he used the opportunity to speak to Mother Angela’s heart.
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Deepen your relationship with God, inspired by the spirit of Francis! Dating God: Live and Love in the Way of St. Francis |
Never Lose a Sense of Joy Joy sees the world as God intended; it is a reaction to all God is doing in our lives now and in the future. It is a choice we make based on the knowledge that God loves us and is with us through all our life experiences. One simple way to increase joy is to smile more. You may feel awkward at first, but it works. Start by imagining yourself smiling happily, like a child playing on a swing set or jumping in the ocean waves. Then practice it in the mirror—a great big toothy grin. A genuine smile involves the eyes and the mouth. It releases stress-lowering neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine into the bloodstream. This means that smiling begets more smiling. It reminds us that there is still joy in life. —from St. Anthony Messenger‘s “How to Grow in Holiness“
by Colleen Arnold, MD |
Partnering with God Reflect In episode 3 of Franciscan Media’s Off the Page podcast, Murray Bodo, OFM, discusses the creative action of partnering with God to make one’s soul, quoting poet John Keats’ notion of the world being a “vale of soul-making.” I remember visiting St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and being awed by its beauty, history, and the myriad stories woven into its art. Seeing a beautiful statue of St. Teresa of Avila near the entrance made me think of her metaphor of the soul being an “interior castle” and the opportunity to partner with God in making our own souls into a work of art. Pray Craft my soul like this, oh Lord, with the sacrifice of the saints always on my heart,
with the story of my faith always in my mind.
Is it gaudy, garish? No—all are free to enter here,
to gaze upon what God has done, and become more attuned
to beauty in one’s own soul, life, story.
St. Teresa of Avila greets us at the doors of the cathedral,
reminding us to partner with the one who crafts our own interior castle.
Lord, let us make a soul together. Act Consider journaling or contemplating these questions: If your soul were a basilica, what would it look like? What kind of art would line its walls? What stories would the architecture tell? What people would be sculptured? Today's Pause+Pray was written by Stephen Copeland. Learn more here! |
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