Enjoy today's meditation on "the Good Pope." 🛐
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Deacon Matthew Halbach, PhD
President & Publisher, Franciscan Media
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Saint of the Day for December 20:
Saint Dominic of Silos (c. 1000 – December 20, 1073) Listen to Saint Dominic of Silos’ Story Here It’s not the founder of the Dominicans we honor today, but there’s a poignant story that connects both Dominics. Our saint today, Dominic of Silos, was born in Spain around the year 1000 into a peasant family. As a young boy he spent time in the fields, where he welcomed the solitude. He became a Benedictine priest and served in numerous leadership positions. Following a dispute with the king over property, Dominic and two other monks were exiled. They established a new monastery in what at first seemed an unpromising location. Under Dominic’s leadership, however, it became one of the most famous houses in Spain. Many healings were reported there. About 100 years after Dominic’s death, a young woman who experienced difficult pregnancies made a pilgrimage to his tomb. There Dominic of Silos appeared to her and assured her that she would bear another son. The woman was Joan of Aza, and the son she bore grew up to be the “other” Dominic—Dominic Guzman, the one who founded the Dominicans. For hundreds of years thereafter, the staff used by Saint Dominic of Silos was brought to the royal palace whenever a queen of Spain was in labor. That practice ended in 1931. Reflection Saint Dominic of Silos’ connection with the Saint Dominic who founded the Dominican Order brings to mind the film Six Degrees of Separation: We are all connected it seems. God’s providential care can bring people together in mysterious ways, but it all points to his love for each of us.
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Discover Franciscan solutions for modern ecological challenges in this updated classic by Keith Douglass Warner, OFM, Ilia Delio, OSF and Pamela Wood. Care for Creation: A Franciscan Spirituality of the Earth |
Advent with the Saints: John XXIII Outside a Franciscan church in Istanbul stands a bronze statue of Pope John XXIII. It is a testimony to his diplomatic service during World War II, when as Archbishop Angelo Roncalli, he helped save some twenty-four thousand Jews from Nazi clutches. He is still remembered fondly among the Turkish people of all faiths. Today’s First Reading from Isaiah declares, “Let not the foreigner say, when he would join himself to the Lord, ‘The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.’” To an Israel that regarded foreigners as unclean, this was a prophetic challenge. In our time, that challenge is retranslated into how the church approaches other religions. Angelo Roncalli brought an ecumenical vision to the papacy. He called the Second Vatican Council and opened the church to the world in dialogue. The council welcomed observers from other faiths and gave the church a social justice agenda, echoed by the pope in his encyclical “Peace on Earth.” In the Gospels Jesus praises John the Baptist as a messenger of God. In our day, “Good Pope John” carried the message of the Good News to the world with graciousness. May we imitate him as we encounter others in the name of Christ. —adapted from the book Advent with the Saints: Daily Reflections
by Greg Friedman, OFM |
Franciscan Hope Reflect Hope is a beacon that guides us through life’s darkest moments. St. Francis remained hopeful despite the challenges he faced, trusting in God’s providence. By cultivating hope, we can find light even in difficult times and inspire others to do the same. Pray God of hope,
Fill our hearts with the light of hope, even in the darkest times.
Help us to trust in your goodness and to find strength in your promises.
May we, like St. Francis, be beacons of hope to those around us.
Amen. Act Reflect on a challenging situation and seek signs of hope. Pray for the strength to remain hopeful and to trust in God’s plan. Share words of encouragement and hope with someone who is struggling. Today’s Pause+Pray was written by Paul Lipowski. Learn more here! |
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