Daily Saints

Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

First Century

Martha—Patron Saint of cooks, butlers, dieticians, homemakers, innkeepers, maids, single laywomen, servers, and travelers

Mary—Patron Saint of spiritual studies and lectors

Lazarus—Patron Saint of gravediggers Pre-Congregation canonization

“Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (John 11:5). This is how John’s Gospel describes Jesus’ relationship with these siblings whom we honor together today. Of course, Jesus loves all people equally with the perfection of divine charity. So why does John’s Gospel single these three out this way? In the Gospel passage, the word “love” does not only mean the perfect charity in the Heart of Christ for all people. It also implies that Jesus had a special relationship with them, perhaps throughout His life, but at least during the time of His public ministry. This fact is helpful to ponder since it gives us a glimpse into the authentic humanity of Jesus. He formed friendships. He enjoyed spending time with those friends. As both God and man, He ate with them, laughed with them, listened to them, and loved them. Now, from Heaven, Jesus wants to extend that human and divine love He perfectly offers to everyone.

In Luke’s Gospel, after Jesus begins His public ministry in Galilee, northern Israel, He travels with His disciples to Jerusalem and continues His ministry. It is on that journey that Martha and Mary are introduced. Luke 10:38–42 tells the familiar story of Jesus entering their home in Bethany, just several miles east of Jerusalem, where He is a guest for dinner. As Jesus reclines, Mary also reclines with Him, at His feet, listening to Him. Martha, busy preparing the meal, rebukes her sister by asking Jesus to tell Mary to help her with the meal preparation. “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” Jesus responds, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

This passage provides us with much to prayerfully ponder. First, it’s clear that Jesus is very familiar with Martha and Mary. Martha would not have spoken so bluntly, in an almost critical way toward Jesus, if she did not know Jesus well. Hence, this passage highlights the very real human friendships Jesus enjoyed. Second, Martha’s work of preparing the meal should be seen as a labor of love. Though she is frustrated, that doesn’t change the fact that her service is a service of love and is very important to the fostering of the siblings’ friendship with Jesus. Third, the image of Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet is often used as an image of the contemplative life in which we are all called to sit at His feet in adoration. This “better part” must remind us that nothing is better or more important than prayer. The activity and good works we do will always pale in comparison to the act of adoration of God. Furthermore, only when adoration and worship of God come first do good works follow.

Martha, Mary, and Lazarus appear for the first time in John’s Gospel toward the end of Jesus’ public ministry, just prior to the first Holy Week (see John 11:1–44). The context of the story makes it clear that Jesus and His apostles are all very familiar with these three siblings from Bethany. Lazarus is ill, at the point of death, and Martha and Mary summon Jesus. Jesus waits for two days until Lazarus dies before He journeys to Bethany, converses with Mary and Martha, and then raises Lazarus from the dead. In this passage, Martha emerges as the witness to faith, not Mary. In her conversation with Jesus, Martha proclaims, “I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.” This is true faith in the face of the painful situation of the death of her beloved brother.

In contrast to Martha who had run out to meet Jesus when He arrived, Mary stayed home, sorrowful, perhaps sulking. When Martha told Mary that Jesus wanted to see her, she went out to see Jesus in apparent despair. The Gospel says that Jesus became “perturbed” at the weeping of Mary and “the Jews who had come with her.” The Greek word literally means “He snorted in spirit,” which seems to be a response to Mary’s lack of hope. After this, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.

In the next chapter of John’s Gospel, John 12:1–8, Jesus is once again at dinner in Bethany with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, just six days before Passover, six days before His death. While there, Mary enters the room with a “liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard” and pours it on Jesus’ feet, drying them with her hair. Though some have associated this act with the sinful woman in Luke 7:36–39 who came crying at Jesus’ feet, the two people might or might not be the same. What is clear, however, is that the anointing of Jesus in Bethany is not the same as the anointing in the home of Simon the Pharisee in Luke 7, which took place in Galilee to the north. Was Mary of Bethany the sinful woman? Did she first anoint Him in Galilee and then later, again, in Bethany? We will never know for certain, but most scholars agree today that she is not the same person as Mary Magdalene. Hence, there might be two or even three women who have traditionally been confused as the same person: Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, and the unnamed sinful woman in Luke 7.

All three of today’s saints appeared in the 1749 (updated in 1916) Roman Martyrology, the Church’s official list of saints. Of them it says, “At Tarascon, in France, Saint Martha, virgin, the hostess of our Savior, and sister of blessed Mary Magdalene and Saint Lazarus.” However, only Saint Martha appeared on the General Roman Calendar as a memorial until 2021 when Pope Francis added Saint Mary and Saint Lazarus to the July 29 memorial, and clarified that Mary of Bethany was not the same person as Mary Magdalene, although either of them might be the sinful woman.

As we honor these sibling saints, ponder the real, personal, and human friendship that the Savior of the World had with them. He loved them as God and as a man, with a pure, perfect, and holy love. In so many ways, this is exactly what Jesus wants with you. He wants you to know Him, spend time with Him, converse with Him, worship Him, and trust Him in good times and bad. Today’s sibling saints are not much different than you. Seek to imitate them, learn from their holy witness, and even from their mistakes. Become a friend of our Lord by inviting Him to dine in the home of your soul.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/saints-martha-mary-and-lazarus/

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Saint Alphonsa of India

Daily Saints

Profile

Anna was born in a rural area to Joseph and Mary Muttathupadathu. She was baptized on 27 August 1910. Anna’s mother died when she was very young, and she was raised by her maternal aunt, and educated by her great-uncle Father Joseph Muttathupadathu. At age 3, she contracted an infected eczema from which she suffered for over a year. She made her first communion on 27 November 1917. She was badly burned on her feet when she accidentally fell into a pit of burning chaff, leaving her permanently partially disabled. She joined the Poor Clare convent at Bharananganam on 2 August 1928, taking the name Alphonsa, and making her vows on 12 August 1936.

Anna lost her aunt/foster-mother in 1930. She worked as a primary school teacher, and the children loved her for her gentleness and cheery way, but health problems often kept her from the classroom. In December 1936, she was miraculously cured from her ailments through the intervention of Saint Therese of Lisieux and Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara. However, in June 1939, she was struck by a severe attack of pneumonia, weakening her overall. On 18 October 1940, a thief stumbled into her room in the middle of the night; the shock of the event caused Alphonsa to suffer a loss of memory, and further weakened her. Her condition continued deteriorating for months, and she was given last rites on 29 September 1941; the next day, she regained her memory, but not her complete health. She enjoyed some improvement over the next few years, but in July 1945, she developed a stomach problem that eventually led to her death.

She was noted for her suffering, and suffering in silence. Incidents of her intervention began almost immediately upon her death, and often involved the children in the convent school. Hundreds of miraculous cures are claimed for her intervention, many of which involved straightening of clubbed-feet, possibly because of her having lived with deformed feet herself; two of these were submitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints as proof of her miraculous intervention. The continuing cures are chronicled in the magazine Passion Flower. Thousands converge on the small town of Bharananganam when they celebrate the feast of Saint Alphonsa from 19 to 28 July each year.

Born

19 August 1910 at Kudamalloor, Kerala, India

Died

28 July 1946 at Bharananganam, India, of natural causes
buried in the chapel connected with the cemetery of Saint Mary’s church, Bharananganam, India, which has become an important place of pilgrimage

Venerated

declared Servant of God, and her Cause began on 2 December 1953
declared Venerable on 9 July 1985 by Pope John Paul II

Beatified

8 February 1986 by Pope John Paul II

Canonized

Sunday 12 October 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI

Name Meaning

noble ready; battle ready

Patronage

against bodily ills
against illness
against sickness
against the death of parents
sick people
–
Bhadravathi, India, diocese of

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-alphonsa-of-india/

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Saint Pantaleon

Daily Saints

Profile

Raised by a Christian mother and pagan father, Pantaleon chose Christianity, and became a physician to emperor Maximian. He was a life-long layman and bachelor. At one point he abandoned his faith, and fell in with a worldly and idolatrous crowd. However, he was eventually overcome with grief, and with the help of the priest Hermolaus, he returned to the Church. Pantaleon brought his father to the faith. He gave his fortune to the poor, treated them medically, and never charged. Some of his cures were miraculous, being accomplished by prayer.

Pantaleon was denounced to the anti–Christian authorities by other doctors during the persecutions of Diocletian. At trial, he offered a contest to see whose prayers would cure the incurable – his or the pagan priests’. The pagans failed to help the man, a palsied paralytic, but Pantaleon cured the man by mentioning the name Jesus. Many of the witnesses converted.

The authorities tried to bribe him to denounce the faith, but failed. They then threatened him; that failed. They followed up the threats with torture. When that failed, he was executed. He was a martyr. He was one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

Died

nailed to a tree and beheaded c.305
a phial of his blood is preserved at Constantinople, and is reported to become liquid and bubble on his feast day
some relics enshrined at the church of Saint Denis in Paris, France
some relics enshrined at Lyons, France

Canonized

Pre-Congregation

Patronage

against consumption or tuberculosis
against fatigue
–
bachelors
doctors
midwives
nurses
physicians
surgeons
torture victims
—
in Italy

– Courmayeur
– Crema, city of
– Crema, diocese of
– Dolianova
– Gimillan
– Vallo della Lucania, diocese of

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-panteleon/

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Saints Joachim and Anne

Daily Saints

Late First Century BC–AD Early First Century

Saint Anne—Patron Saint of grandparents, grandmothers, mothers, roommakers, cabinetmakers, carpenters, dressmakers, equestrians, expectant mothers, homemakers, housewives, lace workers, seamstresses, miners, old-clothes dealers, Canada, and France; Invoked against sterility and poverty and to find lost articles

Saint Joachim—Patron Saint of grandparents, grandfathers, fathers, married couples, cabinetmakers, and linen traders; Pre-Congregation canonization

Today we honor the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandparents of Jesus. Their names are not recorded in the Gospels but first come to us from a mid-second-century apocryphal document called the Gospel of James. Though this “gospel” has been determined to be inauthentic, it is the earliest record we have of the Blessed Mother’s parents. At the very least, we can presume that their names are correct: Joachim and Anne. Other apocryphal literature, such as the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary and the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, also contain uncertain information about these holy parents and grandparents.

According to those traditions, Joachim was a very wealthy and generous man. He and his wife, Anne, however, were childless until they were advanced in years. One day, before Anne conceived the Blessed Virgin Mary, Joachim arrived at the Temple to make an offering. It was rejected by a man named Rubim, most likely a Levitical priest, because Joachim was childless. “It is not right for you first to bring your offerings, because you have not made seed in Israel.” Children were exceedingly important at that time; to be childless was understood as disfavor from God.

Distressed, Joachim left the Temple and studied the Scriptures to see if he could find anyone of importance who, like he and Anne, were childless. When he came upon Abraham, he recalled that Abraham was only given a child in his old age. Rather than returning home to Anne, Joachim embarked on a forty-day period of fasting and praying in the desert, beseeching God for a child.

Anne, for her part, also went to pray, asking God for a child. As she prayed, an angel appeared to her and said, “Anne, Anne, the Lord has heard your prayer, and you shall conceive, and shall bring forth; and your seed shall be spoken of in all the world.” An angel also appeared to Joachim and said, “Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God has heard your prayer. Go down hence; for, behold, your wife Anne shall conceive.” Nine months later, Anne bore a daughter, and the couple named her Mary. Because of a vow they had made, when Mary was only three, Joachim and Anne brought her to the Temple where she took up residence until it was time for her to be married. She was educated by the priests and holy women and spent her days in prayer and union with God.

Though the story of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s birth and presentation in the Temple comes from apocryphal sources, the Presentation of Mary in the Temple is a liturgical feast first celebrated in the Eastern Church as early as the sixth century and the Western Church in the eleventh century, giving credence to a lived faith and liturgical acceptance of her presentation by her parents. Interestingly, in the old city of Jerusalem, there is an ancient church that still stands next to the Temple Mount in which it is believed that the Blessed Virgin Mary was born and might have lived during her early days after being presented in the Temple.

Though not much more is known about Saints Joachim and Anne, devotion to them, especially to Saint Anne, began to grow as early as the sixth century. Churches were built in her honor, prayers were offered for her intercession, devotions were formulated, and patronages were attributed to her. It wasn’t until the sixteenth century that devotion to Saint Joachim began to grow when his feast day was placed on the General Roman Calendar.

Regardless of the authenticity of the legends about Saints Joachim and Anne, we know for certain that the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception, had parents. They loved her, raised her, and offered her to God. Today they are saints under the names of Joachim and Anne, and the faithful continue to seek their intercession. They are especially called upon for their intercession for grandparents. In fact, on a spiritual level, just as the Blessed Virgin Mary can be seen as our spiritual mother, so also Saint Joachim and Anne can be seen as our spiritual grandparents in the order of grace.

Pray to this holy couple today, especially asking their intercession for your grandparents or your grandchildren. Ponder what it would have been like to give birth to the Mother of the Son of God. Prayerfully imagine what it would have been like to watch their daughter, who was “full of grace,” grow and mature into adulthood. Though these holy parents might not have understood all of the mysteries that surrounded their daughter, they would have known, by a grace of spiritual intuition, that their daughter was chosen by God and given a singular grace that budded forth in an abundance of virtue for all to see, especially for her parents to see.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/july-26st-anne/

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Saint James, Apostle

Daily Saints

First Century–c. 44; Patron Saint of blacksmiths, druggists, equestrians, hatmakers, laborers, pilgrims, knights, soldiers, tanners, veterinarians, and several countries and cities, including Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Invoked against arthritis and rheumatism; Pre-Congregation canonization

Among the Twelve Apostles were two named James: James, the son of Zebedee and James, the son of Alpheus. The former is traditionally called James the Greater, and the latter is traditionally called James the Lesser, perhaps because the former was taller than the latter, or more likely because of the greater importance James the Greater played in the Gospel narrative.

James the Greater, whom we honor today, was the brother of John, the Gospel writer. Their mother is traditionally believed to be Salome, who is identified as the sister to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Hence, if Salome and Mary were siblings, then James and John were Jesus’ cousins.

In John’s Gospel (John 1:35–51), two of John the Baptist’s disciples were with John when he saw Jesus walking by. The Baptist said of Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” The two disciples then left the Baptist and followed Jesus. One of the disciples was Andrew, and the other is traditionally believed to be James the Greater. The Gospels of Matthew and Mark record James’ calling a bit differently. “[Jesus] walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him” (Mark 1:19–20). James and John most likely came from a family of means. Their father, Zebedee, most likely employed other fishermen alongside his sons. Their mother, Salome, is said to have been one of the women who supported Jesus and the disciples out of her own means. And John was entrusted with the care of Jesus’ mother, partly implying that he had the means to do so.

Among the Twelve Apostles, Peter, James, and John are recorded in the Gospels as being present at three special events that the others were not. First, when Jesus cured Jairus’ daughter, Jesus brought these three into the house with Him (see Mark 5:37). Second, it was only these three whom Jesus took with Him when He was transfigured in glory on top of a high mountain (see Matthew 17:1–9, Mark 9:2þ8, Luke 9:28–36). Finally, these three alone accompanied Jesus after the Last Supper during Jesus’ Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36–46, Mark 14:32–42). Though they fell asleep three times during our Lord’s agony, they were, nonetheless, privileged to be there with Him.

James and his brother John are also known for boldly asking Jesus that they sit at His left and right when He entered His Kingdom. In Matthew’s Gospel, the request is made on behalf of the brothers by their mother, Salome (see Matthew 20:20–28), and in Mark’s Gospel it is the brothers themselves who make the request (see Mark 10:35–45).

In Luke 9:51–56, we read that Jesus “resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem” where He knew He would suffer death. On His journey toward Jerusalem, Jesus sent disciples ahead of Him to a Samaritan town to prepare for his arrival. However, the Samaritans would not welcome Jesus and His disciples. As a result, James and John ask Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus rebuked them for this thought and they traveled on. It was on account of this excessive zeal and perhaps the quick tempers and boldness of James and John that they are referred to as the “Sons of Thunder” (see Mark 3:17).

One last mention of James is found in Acts 12:1–3. Herod Agrippa, who ruled Judea from 41–44, martyred James the Greater as a way of appeasing the Pharisaic Jews who were opposed to Jesus and His followers. According to an account by Eusebius, a fourth-century Bishop of Caesarea Maritima, James’ zeal for the faith led to his arrest, but the one who turned James in as his accuser ended up converting to the faith. As a result, his accuser was also martyred with James.

One later tradition states that James traveled to Spain to preach the Gospel before returning to Jerusalem to endure martyrdom. That same tradition states that after his martyrdom, his body was either miraculously transported to Spain, eventually arriving in Compostela where many believe he is buried, or that his body was taken to Spain by his followers. The exact site of his burial was lost for centuries. In the ninth century, a hermit named Pelagius observed a star or a cluster of stars that led him to Saint James’ burial site in Compostela. After the discovery, King Alfonso II ordered the construction of a church over his grave; the site is now referred to as Santiago (Saint James) of Compostela (field of stars). Since that time, the site has been a major pilgrimage site. The Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James) is a route traveled on foot from various starting points in France, Spain, and Portugal that all lead to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela where Saint James is believed to have been buried. The longest route begins on the French side of the Pyrenees and stretches almost 500 miles. Other routes are shorter than 100 miles.

Though not much is known about the life of Saint James with certainty, we do know that he was privileged to witness Jesus’ Transfiguration, His Agony in the Garden, and that Jesus prophesied that James would drink the cup that He drank, and be baptized with Jesus’ baptism (see Mark 10:39). This “cup” and “baptism” are clear references to Saint James’ martyrdom by which he would imitate his Lord. There is little doubt that his witnessing of Jesus being transfigured in glory and his presence with Jesus in the garden infused his natural temperament with grace, giving him courage to be the first of the Apostles to be martyred.

As we honor this holy Apostle, ponder his willingness to stand strong in the face of persecution and death. That courage must inspire us to have hope and strength in the face of anything we endure in life. In the end, courage and fidelity to Christ will radiate from the life of Saint James in Heaven. Pray that his example will also inspire you to have the courage he had so that you can give witness to Christ any way that you are called to do so.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/july-25—saint-james-apostle/

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Saint Sharbel (Charbel) Makhlūf, Priest, Hermit

Daily Saints

1828–1898; Patron Saint of Lebanon; Canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 9, 1977

Jousef Antoun Makhlouf was born in the village of Bekaa Kafra, North Lebanon. The youngest of five children, he was baptized into the Maronite Rite of the Catholic Church. The Makhlouf family lived in the highest mountain village in Lebanon and were peasant farmers. His father, who died when Jousef was only three, was a mule driver. After his father’s death, his mother remarried; his stepfather later was ordained a priest where he ministered at the local parish. It is the long-standing custom within the Maronite Catholic Church that married men may become priests.

From a young age, Jousef lived a holy and devout life. Two of his uncles were hermits, and Jousef was inspired by their example. As a youth, he tended the cattle and often spent long periods of prayer in the wilderness while his cattle grazed. He was especially devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary and set up a shrine to her in a nearby cave. From an early age, he knew God was calling him to the priesthood and the monastic life, especially as a hermit.

In 1851, at the age of twenty-three, Jousef left his family, never to return, and entered the Monastery of Our Lady in Mayfouq, of the Maronite Catholic Church. His mother later wrote to him saying, “If you weren’t to be a good religious, I would say to you: Come back home. But I know now that the Lord wants you in His service. And in my pain at being separated from you, I say to him, resigned: May He bless you, my child.” As a newly professed monk, Jousef took the name Sharbel, after Saint Charbel the Martyr, a second-century military officer who was martyred in Antioch during a persecution by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

As a monk, Brother Sharbel longed to be a hermit and made the request to his superiors many times. For the first twenty-four years of his religious life, his superiors required that he live in community with the other monks. He was first transferred to the Monastery of Saint Maroun in Annaya where he professed his vows, was then sent to the Monastery of Saints Cyprian and Justina where he studied theology and philosophy, was ordained a priest in 1859 at the age of thirty-one, and returned to the Monastery of Saint Maroun where he remained for the next sixteen years.

Though some monks lived as hermits, that vocation was reserved for those who proved themselves capable of such solitude and asceticism. In 1875, at the age of forty-seven, Father Sharbel was given permission to enter the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul to live as a hermit after a miraculous event took place. Some of his fellow monks decided to play a prank on him, filling his oil lamp with water. When he returned to his cell, he took his water-filled lamp, lit it, and it burned. When the superiors heard about this, they inspected the lamp and found it to be filled with water. Unable to explain the miracle, the superiors saw it as a sign of his sanctity and agreed to permit him to become a hermit, according to his desire. He was sent to the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul where he spent the next twenty-three years in solitude, embracing a strict regime of daily prayer, manual work, and severe asceticism. In 1898, at the age of seventy, Brother Sharbel suffered a stroke while offering Mass and died eight days later on Christmas Eve. He was buried in the ground without a coffin, according to the custom of his order.

Though Saint Sharbel lived a life of extraordinary holiness, it wasn’t until after his death that his holiness became well known beyond the walls of the monasteries. After his burial, light was seen shining forth from his grave. This phenomenon drew the attention of many villagers who braved the cold and snow to see this mysterious light. After four months, permission was granted by the Church authorities to exhume his body. To the wonderment of all, his body was found to be completely incorrupt. His skin and joints were like one who was sleeping, soft and flexible. He was cleaned of the dirt and mud from his gravesite and placed in a coffin in the monastery chapel. Then something else began to happen. Blood and sweat appeared to be coming forth from his pores, soaking his habit. It was so pronounced that his clothing needed to be changed twice a week. Finally, in 1927, his body was carefully examined by two physicians from Beiurut, placed in another coffin, and sealed in a tomb inside the monastery wall.

A little more than two decades later, a blood-like liquid was seen coming from the corner of the wall behind which Sharbel was buried. In the 1950’s, his tomb was opened three times. One of those times was broadcast on television and attended by high-ranking state officials, religious officials, medical doctors and scientists. In 1965 his body was found, once again, to be incorrupt and exuding the same blood and sweat. Finally, in 1976, the year before his canonization, his body was found to have finally decayed, only the bones remaining. Interestingly, the decay of Sharbel’s body coincided with the early days of the devastating civil war that broke out in Lebanon in 1975. In 1976, the Damour massacre took place. Palestinians attacked the Maronite Christian town. Many of Damour’s residents were killed in battle, massacred, or forced to flee.

Ever since Sharbel’s burial, those who have visited his grave have attributed many miracles to his intercession. This was especially the case in the 1950’s when he was found incorrupt after fifty years. At that time, the monks started to keep track of miraculous cures that were attributed to Father Sharbel’s intercession. Within two years, they had a list of more than twelve thousand reported cures. Devotion to him and his incorrupt body spread rapidly. The devotion, coupled with reports of numerous miracles, led to a new evangelization across Lebanon.

God uses us all in varied ways. Saint Sharbel was used after his death to evangelize Lebanon and beyond. In life, he was deeply united to God. He responded to his vocation as a hermit, living a life of daily penance, sacrifice, deep prayer, and humble service as a priest. As a result, he became one of the most influential saints of the past century. Saint Sharbel did great things for the simple reason that he prayed and followed the will of God. Each of us is capable of doing the same. Ponder God’s will for your life today and resolve to fulfill that mission without any hesitation. Doing so will enable our divine Lord to do great things through you in ways that you might not ever even know until Heaven.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/july-24—saint-sharbel-makhluf-hermit/

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Saint Bridget of Sweden, Religious

Daily Saints

1303–1373; Patron Saint of Europe, Sweden, and widows; Canonized by Pope Boniface IX on October 7, 1391

Saint Bridget was born in Sweden into very comfortable circumstances. Her father was one of the wealthiest landowners in Sweden, and her mother came from a family of rulers, including kings of Sweden. Both were devout Catholics. After the death of her mother when Bridget was an infant, Bridget’s aunt played a central role in raising her. Bridget’s father greatly influenced her with his Friday devotions, by which he fasted and did penance, meditated on the Passion of Christ, received Holy Communion, and confessed his sins of the previous week. Her father’s devotion and her aunt’s faith had a profound impact upon Bridget, and she grew strong in faith from an early age.

It is said that Bridget never spoke a word until she was three years old. Once she began to speak, her words were directed to the praise of God, and never toward sinful conversation. When she was seven, she had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary who presented her with a crown. From that time on, Bridget’s seriousness about her spiritual life continued to deepen. At the age of ten, she heard a powerful sermon on the Passion of Christ; the next day she had a vision of Jesus crucified. When she saw Him, Jesus said to her, “Look at me, my daughter.” Bridget responded, “Oh, who has treated You this way?” Jesus responded, “Those who despise Me, and are insensible to My love for them.” As a result of this vision, Bridget became even more devoted to meditating on Christ’s Passion.

As was the custom of that time, when she was a young teenager, Bridget was given in marriage to a young man a few years older than her. Ulf Gudmarsson was a noble lord of Nericia, Sweden and a faith-filled Catholic. The couple’s first year of marriage was lived in prayerful abstinence, and they both might have even become lay Franciscans, making their home like a domestic monastery. Later, they had eight children together, two of whom died as infants. One of their children, Catherine, became a nun and was ultimately canonized a saint. Another one of their children, Charles, turned away from God, remaining indifferent to the faith. After the birth of their eight children, the couple once again lived in abstinence, opened their home to the care of the poor, and built a hospital. Around the year 1341, the holy couple and their children made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. During the return home, Ulf fell ill. He recovered well enough to return home but died in 1344 while convalescing in a Cistercian monastery.

After her husband’s death, Bridget devoted herself to a life of prayer and penance, and her visions of Jesus and Mary increased. These visions, often referred to as revelations, directed her life, instructed her to found a monastery, and revealed to her various mysteries and prophecies. She renounced her fine clothing, choosing instead a hairshirt and a religious’ outer garment of rough material. She distributed her wealth among her children and built a large monastery. The monastery was different from other monasteries in that it was for both men and women. Being a married woman, now widowed, she well understood the complementarity of men and women. Though the men and women lived in separate buildings, they came together for prayer. After it was built, the monastery had some sixty nuns, thirteen priests, four deacons, and eight lay brothers. They followed the Rule of Saint Augustine and embraced a mission of asceticism, devotion, and scholarship. The order began in 1346 and received final papal approval in 1370, just three years before Bridget died. It was at first called the Order of the Most Holy Savior, and later became known as the Bridgettines.

Shortly after founding the monastery, Bridget traveled to Rome for a pilgrimage and ended up staying there for the rest of her life. In Rome, she worked hard for the reform of the Church and offered counsel to popes and other clergy and nobility. She tirelessly urged the pope to return from Avignon, France, to Rome. Eventually, her influence, along with that of others—such as Saint Catherine of Siena—won out, and the pope returned to Rome in 1377, just a few years after Bridget’s death.

During her time in Rome, Bridget received numerous visions and began recording them. In the end, she filled eight volumes and hundreds of pages with descriptions of these visions and her conversations with Jesus. These writings have become known as “Celestial Revelations” or “Prophecies and Revelations.” They include details about the lives of Christ, the Blessed Mother, and the saints; an understanding of Heaven and hell; the mission of the Church; the Passion of Jesus; moral guidance; and prophecies about future events in both the world and the Church. For example, she foresaw the end of the Papal States and the creation of Vatican City in 1929. Her numerous visions and prophecies were widely disseminated in the Middle Ages in Europe, making Saint Bridget one of the most influential persons at that time. This is one of the reasons that she is one of the six patron saints of Europe.

Among her writings is a particular revelation and devotion that many continue to use today. Bridget prayed for a long time to learn from Jesus more about His Passion. Among her prayers was a request that Jesus reveal to her how many blows He suffered on His Body. Eventually, Jesus told her, saying, “I received 5,480 blows upon My Body. If you wish to honor them in some way, recite fifteen Our Fathers and fifteen Hail Marys with the following prayers, which I Myself shall teach you, for an entire year. When the year is finished, you will have honored each of My Wounds.” These prayers, which are commonly referred to as the “Fifteen Prayers of Saint Bridget,” have remained a popular daily devotion since the Middle Ages.

As we honor this girl of noble descent, this wife, mother, widow, religious, visionary, mystic, and saint, seek to imitate her by spending time pondering the Passion of our Lord. Our love for Jesus consoles His suffering Heart and wins us countless graces. Ponder Jesus’ Passion with Saint Bridget, especially by praying her fifteen prayers, and consider doing so for an entire year, so that you, too, will honor every blow Jesus’ body endured during His Passion.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/july-23—saint-birgitta-religious/

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Saint Mary Magdalene

Daily Saints

First Century; Patron Saint of pharmacists, contemplatives, converts, glovemakers, hairdressers, penitent sinners, people ridiculed for their piety, perfumers, reformed prostitutes, tanners, women; Invoked against sexual temptations; Pre-Congregation canonization

Saint Mary Magdalene, also known as Magdalene or Mary of Magdala, is most likely named after the bustling fishing village of Magdala on the western edge of the Sea of Galilee. All information about Mary comes from the Gospels. Luke 8:1–3 introduces her as one of the many women who accompanied Jesus and the Twelve, providing for them out of their own resources. These women are said to have been “cured of evil spirits and infirmities,” and Mary is specifically noted to have been delivered from “seven demons.”

Being delivered from seven demons carries significant implications. It could mean that Mary was genuinely possessed, obsessed, or oppressed by seven distinct demons. The number seven also symbolizes perfection, implying she may have been completely possessed or that her deliverance from these demons, and from a life of sin and evil, was a perfect deliverance. In other words, she never returned to the sins from which Jesus delivered her. Some suggest that the seven demons represent the seven capital sins, implying that Mary had committed grave violations of all seven capital sins and was delivered from each of these sinful habits.

In the previous chapter of Luke’s Gospel, Luke 7:35–50, we are given the story of an anonymous “sinful woman” who interrupts a dinner that Jesus was attending at the house of Simon the Pharisee. This woman’s sin is not named, but her repentance is clear. She brings with her an “alabaster flask of ointment,” and stands “behind him at his feet,” weeping, washing Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair, and anointing them with the ointment. After a discourse with the Pharisee who was judging her and Jesus in his heart, Jesus tells Simon, “her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love.” He then turns to her, forgives her, and sends her forth in peace.

Throughout the centuries, many have presumed that this sinful woman was Mary Magdalene. Though this is possible, and some say probable, there is no definitive way to know. This sinful woman might have been Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus and Martha. It could have been a different woman not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, or one of the other women who accompanied Jesus and provided for Him and the Twelve.

The second time that Mary Magdalene is explicitly mentioned in the Bible is at Jesus’ crucifixion. Matthew, Mark, and Luke state that she and other women were present and were looking on from a distance. John’s Gospel, however, states that she was standing close to the Cross next to Jesus’ mother and aunt: “Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala” (John 19:25).

The third time Mary Magdalene is mentioned is after the Resurrection. Matthew, Mark, and Luke state that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early on Sunday morning to anoint Jesus’ body and that she was accompanied by one or more other women. However, John’s Gospel states that she went alone, found the stone rolled away, and Jesus’ body missing. She then ran to tell Peter and John, who went to investigate and found the tomb empty, just as she had said. Peter and John left, but Mary sat by the tomb crying. Two angels appeared in the tomb and conversed with her. She then turned around and saw someone whom she mistook for the gardener and asked if he had taken Jesus’ body, but it was Jesus Himself. When Jesus said her name, “Mary!”, she recognized Him. Jesus told her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (John 20:17). Mary quickly went and informed the disciples that she had seen the Lord.

Because it was Mary who was first sent to announce the Resurrection of Christ to the other disciples, Saint Thomas Aquinas referred to her as the “Apostle to the Apostles.” Though it could be inferred from the Bible that Mary Magdalene was the first to see the risen Lord, others hold that Jesus appeared first to His own Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, even though this is not explicitly stated in the Gospels. Pope Saint John Paul II addressed this, saying, “Indeed, it is legitimate to think that the Mother was probably the first person to whom the risen Jesus appeared. Could not Mary’s absence from the group of women who went to the tomb at dawn (cf. Mark 16:1; Matthew 28:1) indicate that she had already met Jesus?” (General Audience, 3 April 1996). Nothing else is known about Mary Magdalene after this biblical account of Jesus’ Resurrection. One ancient tradition holds that she accompanied John and the Blessed Mother to Ephesus, where she spent the remainder of her days.

As we honor Saint Mary Magdalene, we especially celebrate God’s unlimited mercy. The encounter with Jesus changed Mary’s life forever. Jesus did not hesitate to associate Himself with this woman who was delivered from seven demons. Similarly, Jesus never hesitates to unite Himself with anyone who sincerely repents of their sins, regardless of their past actions. Mary’s life also tells us that there is hope for everyone. Before her transformation, many who knew her might have easily dismissed her as hopeless. Jesus didn’t do that with her, and He doesn’t do so with anyone. In 2016, Pope Francis elevated the memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene to the status of a Feast on the liturgical calendar. He did so during the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy as a way of highlighting the important role that Saint Mary Magdalene played in the Gospels, the depth of her love for Christ, and to highlight the Divine Mercy of God.

Reflect upon your own sins and the manifest sinfulness of others. For yourself, if you struggle with some habitual sin, know that freedom is possible. For others, if you have written anyone off, try to regain hope. Pray for that person and know that with Christ Jesus, all things are possible. Your prayers for and witness to those who are sinful can open the doors of Jesus’ mercy for them, giving them the chance they need to repent and to be bathed in the mercy of God.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/july-22—saint-mary-magdalene/

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Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and Doctor

Daily Saints

1559–1619; Patron Saint of Brindisi, Italy; Canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1881; Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959

Julius Caesar Russo was born in Brindisi, in the Kingdom of Naples, modern-day Italy, to a family of merchants. As a child, he studied under the Conventual Franciscans in Brindisi, impressing the friars with his oratory skills, which were often showcased during special events, such as Christmas. His father passed away when Julius was around seven years old. Later, he relocated to Venice, where he continued his education under the Capuchin Franciscans. It remains unclear whether he moved with his mother or if she had also died after entrusting his care to an uncle who was a priest.

In Venice, the Capuchins, a new branch of the Franciscans, aimed to adhere more strictly to the original Rule of Saint Francis, particularly in regard to poverty and simplicity. Under both the Conventuals and Capuchins, Julius demonstrated exceptional learning. In 1575, at the age of sixteen, he joined the Capuchins in Venice, adopting the name Brother Lawrence. He soon became recognized as an exceptional linguist, mastering Biblical languages such as Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Syriac, along with fluency in Italian, German, Spanish, French, and Czech. One legend states that he memorized the entire Bible in its original languages. After seven years with the Capuchins, Brother Lawrence was ordained a priest in 1582.

After his ordination, Father Lawrence’s linguistic gifts were put to extensive use. He had not only mastered the Bible in its original languages but was also well versed in ancient Jewish Rabbinic literature and prominent Catholic theology, such as the Summa Theologica of Saint Thomas Aquinas and the works of the Fathers of the Church. His deep knowledge, coupled with his prayerful life and manifest virtues, turned him into an eloquent and persuasive preacher, earning the respect of many, including several Jewish rabbis.

Father Lawrence was entrusted with a multitude of responsibilities after his ordination. He served as the superior of the Capuchins in the province of Tuscany, a general counselor to the Capuchins in Rome, and later as the Minister General of the entire order. His profound knowledge of Hebrew and Rabbinic literature led the Pope to appoint him to minister to the Jews of Rome. In 1601, at the behest of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, he became a chaplain to the army defending the empire against the Ottoman Turks in Hungary. Not only did Father Lawrence inspire the troops, but he also led them into the Battle of Székesfehérvár, carrying a crucifix while on horseback. His leadership resulted in a victory for the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1605, the Pope sent Father Lawrence to Germany to assist in countering the Protestant Reformation. He collaborated with princes and kings to establish the Catholic League, aimed at defending the rights of Catholics and later resisting the Turkish invasion. A devout Franciscan, his ultimate goal was always to achieve peace, a task at which he excelled. He also worked in Vienna, Prague, and Graz, Austria. During these years, he clearly articulated the Church’s stance on papal primacy and its origin in Saint Peter, the role of bishops, the Catholic view on justification, and the necessity of good works for salvation. His defense of the Church was always rooted in his profound understanding of Sacred Scripture and the deposit of faith, tracing its development from the early Church Fathers up to his own time.

Father Lawrence’s influence wasn’t limited to academic circles. His deep prayer life, prolonged and reverent celebration of the Mass, and his ability to engage with the laity in a convincing and transformative manner, endeared him to countless people. His prayer was one of continuous contemplation, and miracles accompanied his ministry. Despite his numerous duties, his personal prayer life was the catalyst for his transformation into a great saint. In addition to his devout celebration of the Mass, during which he often fell into ecstasy, he had a profound devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, often saying of her, “May the Virgin Mary bless us with her pious offspring.”

Besides his administrative, consultative, military, and preaching roles, Father Lawrence was a prolific writer. Most notably, he left behind significant works on Mariology, sermons, commentaries on Sacred Scripture, defenses against heresies, and commentaries on Catholic theology, particularly on the teachings of Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Father Lawrence died in Portugal on his sixtieth birthday. His intellect and influence were so profound that during his canonization process, it was stated, “He can truly be numbered among the holy doctors of the Church.” Indeed, in 1959, Pope John XXIII recognized him as one of the Doctors of the Church, making him one of eight Franciscan saints to receive this honor.

Saint Lawrence is inspirational not only because of his intelligence but also because of his holiness. His brilliance, intertwined with his humble life of prayer, transformed him into a remarkable preacher, administrator, peacemaker, theologian, and defender of the faith. As we venerate this great Franciscan saint, reflect on the fact that Saint Lawrence was precisely what the Church needed during his era. He addressed wars, theological errors, mass departures from the Church, and confusion among the laity. Saint Lawrence was the right man for the task.

Just as God positioned Saint Lawrence in a unique historical period that needed him the most, God has also placed you in this moment in history. While you may not be called to fulfill the same duties as Saint Lawrence, you are called by God to use your unique gifts for His glory and the salvation of souls. Do not hesitate to respond generously to God’s will so that He can use you in ways beyond your imagination.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/july-21—saint-lawrence-of-brindisi-priest-and-doctor/

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Saint Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr

Daily Saints

First Century–c. 79 (Or possibly died late Second Century); Patron Saint of Ravenna and Emilia-Romagna, Italy; Invoked against gout, venereal disease, and epilepsy; Pre-Congregation canonization

On May 9, 549, Bishop Maximian of Ravenna, located in modern-day Italy, dedicated a church to Saint Apollinaris. This church, one of the few Italian churches with a treasure of Byzantine art, still stands. Its greatest treasure, however, is the remains of the saint himself. Though little is certain about his life, he has been honored for centuries as the first bishop of Ravenna, and many have sought his intercession.

According to one tradition, Apollinaris was born in Antioch, in modern-day Turkey. Saints Paul and Barnabas preached in Antioch (Acts 11:26), and it was there that followers of Christ were first referred to as Christians. The Apostolic Constitutions, a document from the late fourth century, also notes that Saint Peter preached in Antioch and served as the town’s first bishop before becoming the first bishop of Rome. It’s possible that while in Antioch, Apollinaris was converted to the faith by Saint Peter, or even earlier by Jesus Himself, being one of the seventy-two sent out on mission by Jesus. Regardless, tradition states that Saint Peter ordained Apollinaris as a bishop and sent him to Ravenna to serve as that city’s first bishop.

In Ravenna, Bishop Apollinaris preached the Good News, attracting many converts. Like many early disciples, he was also a miracle worker. At that time, Ravenna was an important port city for the Roman Empire, replete with buildings, roads, aqueducts, bathhouses, and marketplaces. The predominant religion was that of the Roman Empire, honoring various pagan gods and goddesses with temples and rituals. Therefore, when Bishop Apollinaris arrived in Ravenna and began to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, many perceived Christianity as a direct threat to their way of life and beliefs. Citizens who opposed him beat him and drove him out of the city. Tradition holds that he was found close to death on the seashore, where fellow Christians rescued and hid him.

Despite this persecution and determined to complete his mission, Bishop Apollinaris returned to Ravenna. This time, he was captured, forced to walk on burning coals, and expelled from the city once again. He then traveled about sixty miles to the west to the town of modern-day Emilia-Romagna, where he continued his mission and won over many converts.

Undeterred from converting the people of Ravenna, Bishop Apollinaris returned for a third time, only to face great resistance again. This time, it is said that he was cut with knives and had scalding water poured on his wounds. After his persistent preaching of the Gospel, his abusers silenced him by beating his mouth with rocks. After several days chained in a dungeon, he was not only ejected from the city again but also placed on a ship to Greece, effectively ridding the citizens of Ravenna of him.

In Greece, Bishop Apollinaris continued his ministry of preaching and performing miracles. However, after winning over many converts, the local pagan priests complained that his presence was disrupting their communication with the gods and goddesses through their oracle. As a result, Bishop Apollinaris was placed on a ship and returned to Ravenna.

By the time Bishop Apollinaris returned to Ravenna, Vespasian was the Roman Emperor. While Emperor Vespasian did not engage in an empire-wide persecution of Christians, he was aware of the complaints against them. Legend has it that to address these new “pagans,” who were called Christians, Vespasian ordered the exile of certain Christians, including Bishop Apollinaris. After being dragged out of the city a fourth time, Apollinaris was beaten in Classis, just south of Ravenna, and again left for dead. Whether he died as a result of this final beating is unknown, but he is nonetheless honored as a martyr on the Church’s liturgical calendar. Saint Apollinaris is believed to have served as the first Bishop of Ravenna for twenty to twenty-six years. Other historical evidence from the seventh century suggests that he may have actually lived a century later, dying during the persecution of Emperor Septimius Severus in the late second century.

Though reliable data falls short in determining the historical accuracy of the legends attributed to Saint Apollinaris, the fact of his veneration has been well known at least since the sixth century, when the aforementioned Basilica in Ravenna was first dedicated. Popes in the sixth and seventh centuries encouraged his veneration. Other churches were built in his honor in Rome, Bologna, France, and Germany. Today, his intercession is still sought, and his relics are revered in the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna.

As we honor this early bishop of the Church, consider the fact that his work of sharing the Gospel continues to have an effect upon many people. First, the converts he made helped spread the Gospel in the early Church, and the Church is what it is today because of such heroic saints. Second, his witness to the Gospel continues to inspire many who hear his story and become inspired by his life. As you seek his intercession today, commit to following his example. When you face opposition to the Gospel or hostility from the modern secular world towards your faith, stand strong and strive to remain strong in the faith, bearing witness in every way you are called.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/july-20—saint-apollinaris-bishop-and-martyr/

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First Century

Martha—Patron Saint of cooks, butlers, dieticians, homemakers, innkeepers, maids, single laywomen, servers, and travelers

Mary—Patron Saint of spiritual studies and lectors

Lazarus—Patron Saint of gravediggers Pre-Congregation canonization

Late First Century BC–AD Early First Century

Saint Joachim—Patron Saint of grandparents, grandfathers, fathers, married couples, cabinetmakers, and linen traders; Pre-Congregation canonization

First Century–c. 44; Patron Saint of blacksmiths, druggists, equestrians, hatmakers, laborers, pilgrims, knights, soldiers, tanners, veterinarians, and several countries and cities, including Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Invoked against arthritis and rheumatism; Pre-Congregation canonization

1828–1898; Patron Saint of Lebanon; Canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 9, 1977

1303–1373; Patron Saint of Europe, Sweden, and widows; Canonized by Pope Boniface IX on October 7, 1391

First Century; Patron Saint of pharmacists, contemplatives, converts, glovemakers, hairdressers, penitent sinners, people ridiculed for their piety, perfumers, reformed prostitutes, tanners, women; Invoked against sexual temptations; Pre-Congregation canonization

1559–1619; Patron Saint of Brindisi, Italy; Canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1881; Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959

First Century–c. 79 (Or possibly died late Second Century); Patron Saint of Ravenna and Emilia-Romagna, Italy; Invoked against gout, venereal disease, and epilepsy; Pre-Congregation canonization

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