S. Catherine of Alexandria| Daily Meditation| Daily Quote by S. Padre Pio| Divine Mercy Reflection
St. Catherine of Alexandria
(c. 310)
Both Calendars
According to the Legend of St. Catherine, this young woman converted to Christianity after receiving a vision. At the age of 18, she debated 50 pagan philosophers. Amazed at her wisdom and debating skills, they became Christians—as did about 200 soldiers and members of the emperor’s family. All of them were martyred.
Sentenced to be executed on a spiked wheel, Catherine touched the wheel and it shattered. She was beheaded. Centuries later, angels are said to have carried the body of St. Catherine to a monastery at the foot of Mt. Sinai.
Devotion to her spread as a result of the Crusades. She was invoked as the patroness of students, teachers, librarians and lawyers. Catherine is one of the 14 Holy Helpers, venerated especially in Germany and Hungary.
COMMENT:
The pursuit of God's wisdom may not lead to riches or earthly honors. In Catherine's case, this pursuit contributed to her martyrdom. She was not, however, foolish in preferring to die for Jesus rather than live only by denying him. All the rewards that her tormenters offered her would rust, lose their beauty or in some other way become a poor exchange for Catherine's honesty and integrity in following Jesus Christ.
QUOTE:
“Therefore I [King Solomon] prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her, nor did I liken any priceless gem to her; Because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand, and before her, silver is to be accounted mire. Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep. Yet all good things together came to me in her company, and countless riches at her hands; and I rejoiced in them all, because Wisdom is their leader, though I had not known that she is the mother of these” (Wisdom 7:7-12).
Daily Meditation
Engine of Faith:
It never dawned on me that the voices of the nuns should carry less weight or that their commitment to the salvation of my soul was any less important than the commitment of the village priest's or the diocesan bishop's. It seemed to me that the Sisters are the engine of faith in the Holy Roman Church, and without them, we would not be a community at all.
Quote by S. Padre Pio:
Humble yourself and pray. In this way you will surely find God.
Divine Mercy Reflection
Reflections on Notebook Six: 327-365
We enter, now, the last of the six notebooks that Saint Faustina filled with revelations from our Lord about His unfathomable and perfect Mercy. At this point, the Message of Mercy should be clear and evoking of a deep trust in the incomprehensible love of God. All that has been shared to this point reveals that God is relentless in His pursuit of you, seeking only to love you unconditionally and to draw you into His glorious life for all eternity.
The greatest obstacle to this call to holiness is sin. But it is abundantly clear that sin is no match for the Mercy of God. His Mercy dispels your sin in an instant, disposing of your past errors forever. God’s only desire is the present moment, for in this present moment He comes to you, descending from the heights of Heaven, entering into the inner core of your soul so as to form a perfect communion with you, lifting you up to share in His divine life.
This final notebook will be reflected upon as a summary of all that has been reflected upon thus far. Just like the reflections on the first notebook, the reflections for this notebook will be short and to the point. Once you finish this chapter you are invited to return to it often as a way of quickly and easily reminding yourself of the abundant Mercy of God. The Lord’s love is perfect in every way. Allow Him to speak this truth to you with clarity and conviction.
Reflection 329: Confessing with Delight
Why do you fear Confession? This glorious Sacrament is offered to you from the tender Heart of our Lord. Through this glorious gift Jesus lifts the burdens you carry so that you can more fully share in His Mercy. If you understood this, there would be no hesitation in running to Confession on a regular basis. You would desire it not because it reveals your misery, but because it heals it and removes it forever (See Diary #1602).
Try to spend time looking at your attitude toward the gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If you see hesitancy within you, examine the reason. Is it fear of facing your sin? Is it fear of facing the priest? Fear should never be a factor. Let go of any fear you have by putting your eyes on the end result. That end result is freedom and union with God. This is a Mercy you need and will never regret receiving.
Lord, please free me from the fear of this glorious Sacrament. Help me to see my sins honestly but only as I also gaze upon Your infinite Mercy. Give my heart a burning desire for this Mercy and a longing for the freedom it brings. I love You, dear Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.