January 22, 2024

Thank you for your ongoing patience as we overcome many technical difficulties. Monday through Friday your daily email will look like this, featuring materials from our popular Saint of the Day, Minute Meditations, and Pause+Pray. These are gentle reminders to center yourself, meditate on God's goodness, and begin the day with a peaceful heart.

Saint of the Day for January 22

(d. c. 304)

Most of what we know about this saint comes from the poet Prudentius. His Acts have been rather freely colored by the imagination of their compiler. But Saint Augustine, in one of his sermons on Saint Vincent, speaks of having the Acts of his martyrdom before him. We are at least sure of his name, his being a deacon, the place of his death and burial.

According to the story we have, the unusual devotion he inspired must have had a basis in a very heroic life. Vincent was ordained deacon by his friend Saint Valerius of Zaragossa in Spain. The Roman emperors had published their edicts against the clergy in 303, and the following year against the laity. Vincent and his bishop were imprisoned in Valencia. Hunger and torture failed to break them. Like the youths in the fiery furnace, they seemed to thrive on suffering.

Valerius was sent into exile, and Dacian, the Roman governor, now turned the full force of his fury on Vincent. Tortures that sound very modern were tried. But their main effect was the progressive disintegration of Dacian himself. He had the torturers beaten because they failed.

Finally he suggested a compromise: Would Vincent at least give up the sacred books to be burned according to the emperor’s edict? He would not. Torture on the gridiron continued, the prisoner remaining courageous, the torturer losing control of himself. Vincent was thrown into a filthy prison cell—and converted the jailer. Dacian wept with rage, but strangely enough, ordered the prisoner to be given some rest.

Friends among the faithful came to visit him, but he was to have no earthly rest. When they finally settled him on a comfortable bed, he went to his eternal rest.

Reflection

The martyrs are heroic examples of what God’s power can do. It is humanly impossible, we realize, for someone to go through tortures such as Vincent had and remain faithful. But it is equally true that by human power alone no one can remain faithful even without torture or suffering. God does not come to our rescue at isolated, “special” moments. God is supporting the super-cruisers as well as children’s toy boats.

Each Lent we go on a forty-day spiritual journey. This year, our companion is Saint Marianne Cope, whose journey eventually led her to a life of selflessness and service on the island of Molokai. Throughout her life, she stepped forward and answered calls for help. Her willing response can inspire us, too, to say yes to God’s call in very concrete ways.

Order your booklets today: Daily Reflections with Saint Marianne Cope

A Holy Path

Padre Pio’s letter to Erminia Gargani, 1917: Do we want to proceed in a good fashion? Then let us focus on walking the path that is closest to us. Remember well what I am about to tell you: Our imperfection will accompany us right to the grave. Nevertheless, it is not acceptable to become sleepy or to turn back just because we are like small chicks without wings. We are dying little by little in our physical lives, and that is an ordinary law of providence.

Similarly, we need to make our imperfections die day by day as well. We could exclaim, “Oh happy imperfections!” because they make us aware of our great poverty. They train us to be humble, to deny ourselves, to be patient, and to be diligent. Despite our imperfections, God looks on the preparations of our hearts.

—from the book Padre Pio’s Spiritual Direction for Every Day
by Gianluigi Pasquale and Marsha Daigle-Williamson Ph.D

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Spiritual Decluttering

Reflect

Francis and Clare of Assisi prized holy simplicity or put another way, spiritual poverty. They pruned away everything that stood between them and God. Although our situation differs in complexity and economics from our spiritual parents, we can still simplify and declutter our lives. We can seek first God’s realm in our daily lives and long-range plans. We can discard everything that keeps us from experiencing God’s peace and sharing God’s peace with others. We can move from clutter to calm and from stress to peace as we simplify our lives. 

Pray

Creative God,
I thank you for the gift of life.
I thank you for the bounty of creation.
Let me delight in your world,
Rejoicing in its beauty.
Help me to know what is truly important in life.
Keep my eyes on the prize of your loving presence
In every relationship and task, and
Let me prune away everything that keeps me from serving you and my neighbor.
Amen.

Act

Make an inventory of your life in terms of your schedule and possessions. What brings you joy? What awakens you to love and to God’s presence? What causes stress and stands in the way of your relationship to God, your neighbor, or kin? Begin to prune away all the clutter so that you might see God’s light shining in your life, and be God’s light to those around you.

Today's Pause+Pray was written by Bruce Epperly. Learn more here!

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