Friday, November 12, 2021

SAINT JOSAPHAT

Psalm 145, Verse 19

He fulfills the desire of those who FEAR him; he hears their cry and saves them.

In this psalm the singer invites all to praise God. The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise; they climax in a confession. God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship, a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity.[1]

I would like to focus on the word desire from verse 19 above. I like to hike and pray. One day I was hiking in the Fay Canyon area of Sedona, Arizona and I was reflecting on the seven deadly sins and the opposing virtues of our Lord sermon on the mount. As I was hiking and musing over the words that are associated with the deadly sin of lust: such words as long for, hanker for, hunger for, yearn, crave, and desire. In my mind I repeated desire, desire, desire and I asked our Lord what do you want me to desire? As I asked that question, I looked up at the canyon and spied a rock formation in the shape of a chalice. Yes Lord, I exclaimed. I shall desire to receive you in the Holy Mass. Today would be a good day to rest in the Lord and go to Confession and Mass-receiving true health, His body and blood. As we receive realize that He has heard our cry’s and has saved us. Such is the love of our God!

1465 When he celebrates the sacrament of Penance, the priest is fulfilling the ministry of the Good Shepherd who seeks the lost sheep, of the Good Samaritan who binds up wounds, of the Father who awaits the prodigal son and welcomes him on his return, and of the just and impartial judge whose judgment is both just and merciful. The priest is the sign and the instrument of God's merciful love for the sinner.

Saint Josaphat[2]

Josaphat Kuncewitcz was born about the year 1580 at Vladimir, Volhynia, [part of the Polish province of Lithuania at the time] and given the name John at baptism. While being instructed as a child on the sufferings of our Savior, his heart is said to have been wounded by an arrow from the sacred side of the Crucified. In 1604 he joined the Ukrainian Order of Saint Basil (Basilians), lived as a monk in a very mortified life, went barefoot even in winter, refrained from the use of wine and flesh-meat, and always wore a penitential garb. In 1614 he was appointed archimandrite of Vilna, Russia and four years later archbishop of Polotzk; in this position he worked untiringly for Church reunion. He was a great friend of the poor, once even pledged his archepiscopal omophorion (pallium) to support a poor widow. The foes of union decided to assassinate him. In a sermon, he himself spoke of his death as imminent. When he visited Vitebsk (now in Russia), his enemies attacked his lodging and murdered a number of his companions. Meekly the man of God hastened toward the mob and, full of love, cried, "My children, what are you doing? If you have something against me, see, here I am." With furious cries of "Kill the papist!", they rushed upon him with gun and sword. Josaphat's body was thrown into the river but emerged, surrounded by rays of light, and was recovered. His murderers, when sentenced to death, repented their crime and became Catholics.

Things to Do:[3]

· Pray to St. Josaphat for the reunion of the separated Eastern Churches.

· Read Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter on the Eastern Churches, Orientale Lumen.

· Read more about St. Josaphat from

o The Basilica of St. Josaphat

o Saints Alive

o Catholic Online

o Patron Saints Index

· Read Pius XI's Encyclical Ecclesiam Dei on St. Josaphat and Pius XII's encyclical Orientales Omnes Ecclesias (On The Reunion Of The Ruthenian Church With Rome) .

· Learn more about the different Eastern Rites which are in union with the Pope.

· Josaphat is the patron saint of Ukraine, but his life has Russian, Polish and Lithuanian influences.

Daily Devotions