S. Rita of Cascia| Daily Meditation| Daily Quote by S. Padre Pio| Divine Mercy Reflection
St. Rita of Cascia
(1381-1457)
Both Calendars
Like Elizabeth Ann Seton, Rita of Cascia was a wife, mother, widow and member of a religious community. Her holiness was reflected in each phase of her life.
Born at Roccaporena in central Italy, Rita wanted to become a nun but was pressured at a young age into marrying a harsh and cruel man. During her 18-year marriage, she bore and raised two sons. After her husband was killed in a brawl and her sons had died, Rita tried to join the Augustinian nuns in Cascia. Unsuccessful at first because she was a widow, Rita eventually succeeded.
Over the years, her austerity, prayerfulness and charity became legendary. When she developed wounds on her forehead, people quickly associated them with the wounds from Christ's crown of thorns. She meditated frequently on Christ's passion. Her care for the sick nuns was especially loving. She also counseled lay people who came to her monastery.
Beatified in 1626, Rita was not canonized until 1900. She has acquired the reputation, together with St. Jude, as a saint of impossible cases. Many people visit her tomb each year.
Comment:
Although we can easily imagine an ideal world in which to live out our baptismal vocation, such a world does not exist. An “If only ….” approach to holiness never quite gets underway, never produces the fruit that God has a right to expect.
Rita became holy because she made choices that reflected her Baptism and her growth as a disciple of Jesus. Her overarching, lifelong choice was to cooperate generously with God's grace, but many small choices were needed to make that happen. Few of those choices were made in ideal circumstances—not even when Rita became an Augustinian nun.
Quote:
For the Baptism of adults and for all the baptized at the Easter Vigil, three questions are asked: “Do you reject sin so as to live in the freedom of God's children? Do you reject the glamor of evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin? Do you reject Satan, father of sin and prince of darkness?”
Patron Saint of:
Difficult marriages
Impossible causes
Infertility
Parenthood
Daily Meditation
Cone On In:
Of all the things I do in the Church, the best assignment I have is being a greeter, because you get to say hello to someone and mean it, to smile at them and open the door for them and say, "Guess who is inside waiting for you?"
Quote by S. Padre Pio:
Hold everyone in esteem, and you will also show yourself to be a worthy (child) of the heavenly Father.
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 142: The Lord’s Peace Dispels Evil
It is important to recognize the existence of the evil one, satan. And it’s important to realize his anger and hatred. His hatred is of greater intensity than we may be able to understand. It is beyond his control to cease hating us and seeking to destroy us with all his powers. Why is it important to know this? Because when we receive some attack from the evil one, either directly or through the “inspired” anger of another, we tend to react with fear, scandal, or anger ourselves. We tend to want to fight back. But if we understand the intense hatred of the devil, we will realize that he desires to draw us into his hatred and anger. Therefore, the best response to any experience of his hatred is to turn from him and his attacks and to remain at peace with God. The peace of our soul will dispel him and all he seeks to do to us. His anger is not worth even a moment of our attention or engagement (see Diary #713).
How do you react to the evil one and his attacks? Do you recognize his insidious but vile ways? Can you discern his attempts to steal your peace and turn your focus to fear rather than faith? Reflect, today, upon the crucifix and turn your eyes to this saving act of perfect love given by our Savior. By turning to the Lord in all things, His peace remains and He will dispel the dark attacks of him who hates us.
Lord, I turn my eyes to You and give my mind, heart, feelings and passions to You and You alone. Free me from foolish fear and from all attacks from the evil one. May I discern his evil ways and reject their effects by trusting in You and You alone. Jesus, I do trust in You.