Monday, July 23, 2018
ST. BRIDGET OF SWEDEN
1 Corinthians, chapter 9, Verse 27
No, I drive my body and train it, for fear
that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.
Paul is
telling us that as Christians we must set the example and be all things to
all. We must as is sometimes attributed to the sayings of St. Francis,
“preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.”
This is
the first premise of leadership. As leaders, especially Christian leaders, we
must demonstrate the Be, Know and Do attitudes of Christ. That is, we must
become an “Alter Christus” or another Christ. We must BE to others as Christ
would. We must KNOW spiritual principals as Christ does and we must act or DO
in the world as Christ would.
Bridget
was born in Sweden of noble and pious parents and led a most holy life. While
she was yet unborn, her mother was saved from shipwreck for her sake. At ten
years of age, Bridget heard a sermon on the Passion of our Lord; and the next
night she saw Jesus on the cross, covered with fresh blood, and speaking to her
about his Passion. Thenceforward meditation on that subject affected her to
such a degree, that she could never think of our Lord's sufferings without
tears. She was given in marriage to Ulfo prince of Nericia; and won him, by
example and persuasion, to a life of piety. She devoted herself with maternal
love to the education of her children. She was most zealous in serving the
poor, especially the sick; and set apart a house for their reception, where she
would often wash and kiss their feet. Together with her husband, she went on
pilgrimage to Compostella, to visit the tomb of the apostle St. James. On their
return journey, Ulfo fell dangerously ill at Arras; but St. Dionysius,
appearing to Bridget at night, foretold the restoration of her husband's
health, and other future events. Ulfo became a Cistercian monk but died soon
afterwards. Whereupon Bridget, having heard the voice of Christ calling her in
a dream, embraced a more austere manner of life. Many secrets were then
revealed to her by God. She founded the monastery of Vadstena under the rule of
our Savior, which was given her by our Lord himself. At his command, she went
to Rome, where she kindled the love of God in very many hearts. She made a
pilgrimage to Jerusalem; but on her return to Rome she was attacked by fever
and suffered severely from sickness during a whole year. On the day she had
foretold, she passed to heaven, laden with merits. Her body was translated to
her monastery of Vadstena; and becoming illustrious for miracles, she was
enrolled among the saints by Boniface IX. Excerpted from the Liturgical Year,
Abbot Gueranger O.S.B
Things to do
·
St.
Bridget was a member of the Franciscan Third Order. If you have never
considered joining one of the Church's order's for lay people today might be a
good time to think about it. Learn more about becoming a secular
Franciscan.
Daily Prayer to Saint Ann
O glorious St. Ann, you are filled with compassion for those
who invoke you and with love for those who suffer! Heavily burdened with the
weight of my troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take
the present intention which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and place it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted. But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day to see my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the saints to praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen.
Please recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and place it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted. But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day to see my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the saints to praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen.
Our Father, . . . Hail
Mary . . .
O Jesus, Holy Mary, St.
Ann, help me now and at the hour of my death. Good St. Ann, intercede for me.
SEVENTH DAY
Once again, Good St.
Ann, I choose you for my advocate before the throne of God. By the power and
grace that God has placed in you, extend to me your helping hand. Renew my mind
and my heart.
Dear St. Ann, I have
unbounded confidence in your prayers. To your blessed hands I entrust my soul,
my body and all my hopes for this world and the next. Direct my actions
according to your goodness and wisdom. I place myself under your motherly care.
Receive me, good mother. Cover me with the mantle of your love. Look kindly on
me. By your powerful intercession, may I obtain from God grace and mercy.
Obtain for me remission for sin and release from the punishment my offenses
have deserved. Pray that I may receive grace to lead a devout life on earth and
that I may obtain the everlasting reward of heaven.
As
Christians we should be grateful beyond words for the gift of our redemption.
We believe that Christ’s action on the cross has changed all things, for all
time. We should seek to relate every aspect of our lives to how Christ has
redeemed us and our world. When we consider the mystery and contemporary
confusion of human sexuality, it is even more urgent for Christians to ask, ―How
has Christ redeemed human sexuality? Today our media features topics that not
long ago would have been labeled science fiction, or pornography. Cloning, ―casual
sex, getting pregnant by means of reproductive technologies, frozen embryos,
adultery — the list goes on. Does anyone in the public square relate these
issues to the spiritual? When those of us try to bring God into the equation,
we are often told that ―individual morality must not be ―imposed on the public.
But that should not deter the Christian. Christ’s work on the cross has restored
all of human life, even human sexuality. That means that human sexuality is not
―tinged with sin, nor is it morally neutral. Although we can misuse even the
best of God’s gifts, that does not change the fact that sex is God’s gift of
life and love to us. Specifically, sexual intercourse was never meant to be
directed to the individual. It’s not a sport or game to be enjoyed on its own.
Sexual intercourse is a powerful event of interpersonal communion — it is a
sacramental event. This makes more sense when we realize that Christian
marriage is a sign of Christ’s presence in the world. As Christians we accept
on faith that human sexuality is caught up in Christ, uniting a man and woman
in a union which reflects God’s love in the world and is directed to others.
With that starting point, it makes excellent sense to keep sex in marriage. The
redeemed nature of marriage was understood by the Church from our earliest
history. Following up on Jesus’ own words on the indissolubility of marriage,
St. Paul likened Christian marriage to Christ’s relationship with His Church. ―As
Christ loved the Church . . . so the husband should love and cherish his wife
as he cherishes his own body; for husband and wife are one body, as Christ and
the Church are one body. This is a great mystery. St. John Chrysostom (347-407)
taught that the ―one flesh of the spouses is ―not an empty symbol. ―They have
not become the image of anything on earth, but of God Himself‖ (Homily 12). ―The
love of spouses, says the Catechism, ―requires of its very nature, the unity
and indissolubility of the spouses’ community of persons, which embraces their
entire life‖ (#1644). The root of this indissolubility is found in God Himself,
who taught us of His fidelity through His covenant with Abraham. It is found
finally in Christ, who united Himself with His Church. In this age of
continuous assaults on God’s design for life and love, it would do the world
good if Christians reclaimed our rich heritage. Before we can do this we need
to return to the mystery of our faith and meditate on who Jesus is, what He did
for us, and how this has changed all life for all ages.
"Read
these counsels slowly. Pause to meditate on these thoughts. They are things
that I whisper in your ear-confiding them-as a friend, as a brother, as a
father. And they are being heard by God. I won't tell you anything new. I will
only stir your memory, so that some thought will arise and strike you; and so
you will better your life and set out along ways of prayer and of Love. And in
the end you will be a more worthy soul."
29. The limited, miserable happiness of the egoist — who withdraws
into his ivory tower, into his shell — is not difficult to attain in this
world. But the happiness of the egoist is not lasting. For this false semblance
of heaven, are you going to forsake the happiness which will have no end?
Daily Devotions
·
Please
pray for me and this ministry
·
Please
Pray for Senator
McCain and our country; asking Our Lady of Beauraing to
intercede.
[1]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2016-07-23
[4]http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way-point-1.htm
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