Weedy
2011-04-05 17:08:36 UTC
Meditation for troubled times:
Not what you do so much as what you are, that is the miracle-
working
power. You can be a force for good, with the help of God. God is here
to help you and to bless you,
here to company with you. You can be a worker with God. Changed by
God's grace, you shed one garment
of the spirit for a better one. In time, you throw that one aside for
a yet finer one. And so from character
to character, you are gradually transformed.
<<>><<>><<>>
April 5th - St. Crescentia Hoess
(1682-1744)
Crescentia was born in 1682 in a little town near Augsburg, the
daughter of a poor weaver. She spent play time praying in the parish
church, assisted those even poorer than herself and had so mastered
the truths of her religion that she was permitted to make her holy
Communion at the then unusually early age of seven. In the town she
was called "the little angel."
As she grew older she desired to enter the convent of the Tertiaries
of St. Francis. But the convent was poor and, because Crescentia had
no dowry, the superiors refused her admission. Her case was then
pleaded by the Protestant mayor of the town to whom the convent owed a
favor. The community felt it was forced into receiving her, and her
new life was made miserable. She was considered a burden and assigned
nothing other than menial tasks. Even her cheerful spirit was
misinterpreted as flattery or hypocrisy.
Conditions improved four years later when a new superior was elected
who realized her virtue. Crescentia herself was appointed mistress of
novices. She so won the love and respect of the sisters that, upon the
death of the superior, Crescentia herself was unanimously elected to
that position. Under her the financial state of the convent improved
and her reputation in spiritual matters spread. She was soon being
consulted by princes and princesses as well as by bishops and
cardinals seeking her advice. And yet, a true daughter of Francis, she
remained ever humble.
Bodily afflictions and pain were always with her. First it was
headaches and toothaches. Then she lost the ability to walk, her hands
and feet gradually becoming so crippled that her body curled up into a
fetal position. In the spirit of Francis she cried out, "Oh, you
bodily members, praise God that he has given you the capacity to
suffer." Despite her sufferings she was filled with peace and joy as
she died on Easter Sunday in 1744.
She was beatified in 1900 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
Comment:
Although she grew up in poverty and willingly embraced it in her
vocation, Crescentia had a good head for business. Under her able
administration, her convent regained financial stability. Too often we
think of good money management as, at best, a less-than-holy gift. But
Crescentia was wise enough to balance her worldly skills with such
acumen in spiritual matters that heads of State and Church both sought
her advice.
Saint Quote:
Stand fast, therefore, in this conduct and follow the example of the
Lord, 'firm and unchangeable in faith, lovers of the brotherhood,
loving each other, united in truth,' helping each other with the
mildness of the Lord, despising no man.
--Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, Letter to the Philippians
Bible Quote:
Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of
this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be
delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from hence. (John
18:37)
<><><><>
St. Alphonsus Liguori on St. Joseph,
Patron of a Happy Death
"The children of the world are ignorant regarding the privileges and
rights which the Most High has conferred on my holy spouse, and the
power of his intercession with the Divine Majesty and with me. But I
assure you, my daughter, that in Heaven he is most intimate with the
Lord, and has great power to avert the punishment of Divine Justice
from sinners. In all trials seek his intercession, because the
Heavenly Father will grant whatever my spouse asks."
"On the Day of Judgment, the condemned will weep bitterly for not
having realized how powerful and efficacious a means of salvation they
might have had in the intercession of St. Joseph, and for not having
done their utmost to gain the friendship of the Eternal Judge."
"Since we all must die, we should cherish a special devotion to St.
Joseph, that he may obtain for us a happy death. All Christians regard
him as the advocate of the dying who had honored him during their
life, and they do so for three reasons:
"First, because Jesus Christ loved him not only as a friend, but as a
father, and on this account his mediation is far more efficacious than
that of any other Saint.
"Second, because St. Joseph has obtained special power against the
evil spirits, who tempt us with redoubled vigor at the hour of death.
"Third, the assistance given St. Joseph at his death by Jesus and Mary
obtained for him the right to secure a holy and peaceful death for his
servants. Hence, if they invoke him at the hour of death he will not
only help them, but he will also obtain for them the assistance of
Jesus and Mary."
Not what you do so much as what you are, that is the miracle-
working
power. You can be a force for good, with the help of God. God is here
to help you and to bless you,
here to company with you. You can be a worker with God. Changed by
God's grace, you shed one garment
of the spirit for a better one. In time, you throw that one aside for
a yet finer one. And so from character
to character, you are gradually transformed.
<<>><<>><<>>
April 5th - St. Crescentia Hoess
(1682-1744)
Crescentia was born in 1682 in a little town near Augsburg, the
daughter of a poor weaver. She spent play time praying in the parish
church, assisted those even poorer than herself and had so mastered
the truths of her religion that she was permitted to make her holy
Communion at the then unusually early age of seven. In the town she
was called "the little angel."
As she grew older she desired to enter the convent of the Tertiaries
of St. Francis. But the convent was poor and, because Crescentia had
no dowry, the superiors refused her admission. Her case was then
pleaded by the Protestant mayor of the town to whom the convent owed a
favor. The community felt it was forced into receiving her, and her
new life was made miserable. She was considered a burden and assigned
nothing other than menial tasks. Even her cheerful spirit was
misinterpreted as flattery or hypocrisy.
Conditions improved four years later when a new superior was elected
who realized her virtue. Crescentia herself was appointed mistress of
novices. She so won the love and respect of the sisters that, upon the
death of the superior, Crescentia herself was unanimously elected to
that position. Under her the financial state of the convent improved
and her reputation in spiritual matters spread. She was soon being
consulted by princes and princesses as well as by bishops and
cardinals seeking her advice. And yet, a true daughter of Francis, she
remained ever humble.
Bodily afflictions and pain were always with her. First it was
headaches and toothaches. Then she lost the ability to walk, her hands
and feet gradually becoming so crippled that her body curled up into a
fetal position. In the spirit of Francis she cried out, "Oh, you
bodily members, praise God that he has given you the capacity to
suffer." Despite her sufferings she was filled with peace and joy as
she died on Easter Sunday in 1744.
She was beatified in 1900 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
Comment:
Although she grew up in poverty and willingly embraced it in her
vocation, Crescentia had a good head for business. Under her able
administration, her convent regained financial stability. Too often we
think of good money management as, at best, a less-than-holy gift. But
Crescentia was wise enough to balance her worldly skills with such
acumen in spiritual matters that heads of State and Church both sought
her advice.
Saint Quote:
Stand fast, therefore, in this conduct and follow the example of the
Lord, 'firm and unchangeable in faith, lovers of the brotherhood,
loving each other, united in truth,' helping each other with the
mildness of the Lord, despising no man.
--Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, Letter to the Philippians
Bible Quote:
Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of
this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be
delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from hence. (John
18:37)
<><><><>
St. Alphonsus Liguori on St. Joseph,
Patron of a Happy Death
"The children of the world are ignorant regarding the privileges and
rights which the Most High has conferred on my holy spouse, and the
power of his intercession with the Divine Majesty and with me. But I
assure you, my daughter, that in Heaven he is most intimate with the
Lord, and has great power to avert the punishment of Divine Justice
from sinners. In all trials seek his intercession, because the
Heavenly Father will grant whatever my spouse asks."
"On the Day of Judgment, the condemned will weep bitterly for not
having realized how powerful and efficacious a means of salvation they
might have had in the intercession of St. Joseph, and for not having
done their utmost to gain the friendship of the Eternal Judge."
"Since we all must die, we should cherish a special devotion to St.
Joseph, that he may obtain for us a happy death. All Christians regard
him as the advocate of the dying who had honored him during their
life, and they do so for three reasons:
"First, because Jesus Christ loved him not only as a friend, but as a
father, and on this account his mediation is far more efficacious than
that of any other Saint.
"Second, because St. Joseph has obtained special power against the
evil spirits, who tempt us with redoubled vigor at the hour of death.
"Third, the assistance given St. Joseph at his death by Jesus and Mary
obtained for him the right to secure a holy and peaceful death for his
servants. Hence, if they invoke him at the hour of death he will not
only help them, but he will also obtain for them the assistance of
Jesus and Mary."