S. Raymond of Penafort| Daily Meditation| Daily Quote by S. Padre Pio| Divine Mercy Reflection
St. Raymond of Peñafort
(1175-1275)
Ordinary Time
Since Raymond lived into his hundredth year, he had a chance to do many things. As a member of the Spanish nobility, he had the resources and the education to get a good start in life.
By the time he was 20, he was teaching philosophy. In his early 30s he earned a doctorate in both canon and civil law. At 41 he became a Dominican. Pope Gregory IX called him to Rome to work for him and to be his confessor. One of the things the pope asked him to do was to gather together all the decrees of popes and councils that had been made in 80 years since a similar collection by Gratian. Raymond compiled five books called the Decretals. They were looked upon as one of the best organized collections of Church law until the 1917 codification of canon law.
Earlier, Raymond had written for confessors a book of cases. It was called Summa de Casibus Poenitentiae. More than simply a list of sins and penances, it discussed pertinent doctrines and laws of the Church that pertained to the problem or case brought to the confessor.
At the age of 60, Raymond was appointed archbishop of Tarragona, the capital of Aragon. He didn’t like the honor at all and ended up getting sick and resigning in two years.
He didn’t get to enjoy his peace long, however, because when he was 63 he was elected by his fellow Dominicans to be the head of the whole Order, the successor of St. Dominic. Raymond worked hard, visited on foot all the Dominicans, reorganized their constitutions and managed to put through a provision that a master general be allowed to resign. When the new constitutions were accepted, Raymond, then 65, resigned.
He still had 35 years to oppose heresy and work for the conversion of the Moors in Spain. He convinced St. Thomas Aquinas to write his work Against the Gentiles.
In his 100th year the Lord let Raymond retire.
Comment:
Raymond was a lawyer, a canonist. Legalism can suck the life out of genuine religion if it becomes too great a preoccupation with the letter of the law to the neglect of the spirit and purpose of the law. The law can become an end in itself, so that the value the law was intended to promote is overlooked. But we must guard against going to the opposite extreme and seeing law as useless or something to be lightly regarded. Laws ideally state those things that are for the best interests of everyone and make sure the rights of all are safeguarded. From Raymond, we can learn a respect for law as a means of serving the common good.
Quote:
“He who hates the law is without wisdom,/and is tossed about like a boat in a storm” (Sirach 33:2).
Patron Saint of:
Attorneys
Lawyers
Daily Meditation
God's Eternal Love:
God knows all your regrets, hopes, secrets, and sins. And He loves you in spite of all that because He simply loves you. His love is like a mother's love, which never stops no matter how her child disappoints her.
Quote by S. Padre Pio:
...unworthiness prevents us from asking for more graces; I am becoming unworthy of heavenly favors...
Divine Mercy Reflection
Introductory Reflections: 1-10
We begin, today, reflecting upon an introduction to Diary of Divine Mercy of Saint Faustina. This treasure reveals Jesus’ own Heart. It reveals His infinite love and Mercy. Ponder each short daily reflection throughout the day so that, by the end of the Year, you will have pondered everything Jesus revealed to this great saint.
In the reflections that follow, you will discover many of the beautiful truths of God’s Mercy. Some may strike you to the heart, while others may not. Pay attention, especially, to those reflections that jump out at you. Some may be deeply convicting and be the cause for you to reexamine your life. Do not be afraid to let the Lord speak to you in a powerful way and do not resist His message of Mercy. If a particular message does strike you, and if this is the result of God speaking to you and challenging you, then listen. Pray over that reflection and let the Lord speak. Do not be offended and do not turn away.
This first section presents a basic introduction and overview of Saint Faustina’s Diary and the message of Divine Mercy in general. These first ten reflections are offered as a way of introducing you, by way of an overview, to the Heart of our Lord as revealed through the six notebooks Saint Faustina filled with her inspirations and private revelations. As you read through this initial section, allow yourself to be open to the newness of the concept of Divine Mercy and the devotion that flows from it. God deeply desires to pour out His Mercy in our day and age and the revelations given to Saint Faustina are a gift by which God is speaking to us in a special way.
Reflection 6: Image of Divine Mercy
The Diary of Saint Faustina calls us to a new form of devotion in various ways. The first way is through meditation on the sacred image of The Divine Mercy. Saint Faustina was asked by Jesus to have an image of His merciful love painted for all to see. It’s an image of Jesus with two rays shining forth from His Heart. The first ray is blue indicating the font of Mercy coming forth through Baptism and the second ray is red indicating the font of Mercy poured forth through the Blood of the Holy Eucharist. During this year discover this image, place it in your home and ponder its meaning.
Ponder, today, the image of The Divine Mercy. Ponder, especially, the fact that no image will even come close to expressing the full depth of love pouring forth from the Heart of our Saviour. Grow in a desire for that Mercy as you ponder this sacred image.
Lord, You have poured out upon the world Your infinite Mercy coming forth from Your divine Heart. May I bask in that Mercy now and always. Jesus, I trust in You.