S. Peter Canisius| Daily Meditation| Daily Quote by S. Padre Pio| Divine Mercy Reflection
St. Peter Canisius
(1521-1597)
Latin Calendar
The energetic life of Peter Canisius should demolish any stereotypes we may have of the life of a saint as dull or routine. Peter lived his 76 years at a pace which must be considered heroic, even in our time of rapid change. A man blessed with many talents, Peter is an excellent example of the scriptural man who develops his talents for the sake of the Lord’s work.
He was one of the most important figures in the Catholic Reformation in Germany. His was such a key role that he has often been called the “second apostle of Germany” in that his life parallels the earlier work of Boniface (June 5).
Although Peter once accused himself of idleness in his youth, he could not have been idle too long, for at the age of 19 he received a master’s degree from the university at Cologne. Soon afterwards he met Peter Faber, the first disciple of Ignatius Loyola (July 31), who influenced Peter so much that he joined the recently formed Society of Jesus.
At this early age Peter had already taken up a practice he continued throughout his life—a process of study, reflection, prayer and writing. After his ordination in 1546, he became widely known for his editions of the writings of St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Leo the Great.
Besides this reflective literary bent, Peter had a zeal for the apostolate. He could often be found visiting the sick or prisoners, even when his assigned duties in other areas were more than enough to keep most people fully occupied.
In 1547 Peter attended several sessions of the Council of Trent, whose decrees he was later assigned to implement. After a brief teaching assignment at the Jesuit college at Messina, Peter was entrusted with the mission to Germany—from that point on his life’s work. He taught in several universities and was instrumental in establishing many colleges and seminaries. He wrote a catechism that explained the Catholic faith in a way which common people could understand—a great need of that age.
Renowned as a popular preacher, Peter packed churches with those eager to hear his eloquent proclamation of the gospel. He had great diplomatic ability, often serving as a reconciler between disputing factions. In his letters (filling eight volumes) one finds words of wisdom and counsel to people in all walks of life. At times he wrote unprecedented letters of criticism to leaders of the Church—yet always in the context of a loving, sympathetic concern.
At 70 Peter suffered a paralytic seizure, but he continued to preach and write with the aid of a secretary until his death in his hometown (Nijmegen, Netherlands) on December 21, 1597.
Comment:
Peter’s untiring efforts are an apt example for those involved in the renewal of the Church or the growth of moral consciousness in business or government. He is regarded as one of the creators of the Catholic press, and can easily be a model for the Christian author or journalist. Teachers can see in his life a passion for the transmission of truth. Whether we have much to give, as Peter Canisius did, or whether we have only a little to give, as did the poor widow in the Gospel (see Luke 21:1–4), the important thing is to give our all. It is in this way that Peter is so exemplary for Christians in an age of rapid change when we are called to be in the world but not of the world.
Quote:
When asked if he felt overworked, Peter replied, "If you have too much to do, with God's help you will find time to do it all."
Patron Saint of:
Germany
Daily Meditation
A Dwelling Place:
By investing ourselves in and making our relationship with God the primary relationship of our lives, we begin our transformation from simply housing the Word of God to becoming a home, a dwelling place and full-blown expression of God's unity.
Quote by S. Padre Pio:
You will never complain about offenses, no matter where they come from, remembering that Jesus was saturated with ignominy from the malice of men He Himself aided.
Divine Mercy Reflection
Reflections on Notebook Two: 112-188
We now enter into Notebook Two of the six notebooks that make up the Diary of Saint Faustina. The reason for having more than one notebook is simply that when one notebook was filled by Saint Faustina she began with a new one. Therefore, there is nothing particularly different from one notebook to the other. However, for the purpose of this current book of daily reflections, each reflection will begin to be lengthened, starting here with Notebook Two, so as to help you, the reader, enter more deeply into the beautiful mysteries of faith and our shared spiritual life that have been revealed in these writings of Saint Faustina.
You are invited once again to take one reflection each day and to ponder it throughout the day. Try to pray the prayer for each reflection each morning, noon and evening. Allow each mystery reflected upon to become a source of wisdom and understanding for you.
Reflection 117: The Enclosure of Your Heart
Some religious sisters and monks live a cloistered life within the confines of an enclosure. No one may enter that enclosure without good reason, unless they are a member of that community of faith. Others may enter only with the permission of the superior. It may be that a sister is gravely ill and in need of the Sacrament of Anointing, or it may be that a workman must enter for a needed repair. The image of an enclosure is analogous to our soul. We must give the key to Jesus and allow Him to safeguard it. He will only allow those who belong to enter in (See Diary #554).
What is it that you allow into your soul? Do you allow the Lord to guard you and govern your inner thoughts and your heart? Too often, we allow many worldly things to enter. We open wide the door to the enticements of sin and filth. Give the key to your soul to our Lord. He will guard you and keep you safe. He will welcome all those with whom He desires you dwell, and open the door to those who come to heal and restore. But He will diligently protect this sacred space of your soul from that which does not belong, if you let Him.
Lord, I do give You the one and only key to my soul. I choose You as my guardian this day. Allow me to commune, freely, with those whom You have invited into my life and set before me. Help me to love them and to serve them with all my heart. As I give You this key, I thank You that You will protect me. May I trust You and never seek to welcome that which displeases You, and that which You do not welcome. Jesus, I trust in You.