In Spain, our Saint of the Day is honored as a Doctor of the Church! ✝️
Dear John, This week we are highlighting our second theme of Rebuilding God’s Church: Healing Our Relationships with God and Others. We are in the process of organizing our resources around these themes to better accompany you on your faith journey. Ephesians 1:18 calls us to “open the eyes of our hearts.” Seeing ourselves and others the way God sees us begins with addressing the spiritual “blockages” of our own hearts (e.g., “unforgiveness,” “vengeance,” “hate,” “fear,” etc.). Today is a great opportunity to start taking a spiritual inventory of how you feel toward yourself and others and why you feel the way you do and pray about it. If you enjoy these daily inspirations sent to your inbox every morning, we humbly ask you to consider donating to Franciscan Media today to help us in Rebuilding God's Church! |
Deacon Matthew Halbach, PhD
President & Publisher, Franciscan Media
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Saint of the Day for March 13:
Leander of Seville
(c. 534 – March 13, 600 or 601)
Listen to Saint Leander of Seville’s Story Here The next time you recite the Nicene Creed at Mass, think of today’s saint. For it was Leander of Seville who, as bishop, introduced the practice in the sixth century. He saw it as a way to help reinforce the faith of his people and as an antidote against the heresy of Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ. By the end of his life, Leander had helped Christianity flourish in Spain at a time of political and religious upheaval. Leander’s own family were staunch Christians: his brothers Isidore and Fulgentius were named bishops, and their sister Florentina became an abbess. Leander entered a monastery as a young man and spent three years in prayer and study. At the end of that tranquil period he was made a bishop. For the rest of his life he worked strenuously to fight against heresy. The death of the anti-Christian king in 586 helped Leander’s cause. He and the new king worked hand in hand to restore orthodoxy and a renewed sense of morality. Leander succeeded in persuading many Arian bishops to change their loyalties. Leander died around 600. In Spain, he is honored as a Doctor of the Church. Reflection As we pray the Nicene Creed every Sunday, we might reflect on the fact that that same prayer is not only being prayed by every Catholic throughout the world, but by many other Christians as well. Saint Leander introduced its recitation as a means of uniting the faithful. Let’s pray that the recitation may enhance that unity today.
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Breathe the Name, Jesus
A friend of mine suggests that we treat the name of Jesus in the Hail Mary like a speed bump: Slow down as you approach it, and speak it with care and attention. “Blessed is the fruit of thy womb … Jesus.” Let’s speak Jesus’s name with tender love at every Hail Mary in the rosary. Indeed, we should never neglect the power of Christ’s name—the only name under heaven by which we may hope in salvation. —from the book Praying the Rosary Like Never Before
by Edward Sri |
Embrace the spirit of Saint Clare! Margaret Carney weaves together the story of Clare and Francis and draws special attention to Clare’s significant contribution to the Franciscan world in the many years following Francis’s death. Light of Assisi: The Story of Saint Clare |
Stewardship and Sustainability
Reflect Stewardship and sustainability flourish in environments where simplicity guides our use of resources and care for creation. St. Francis revered all creation as a gift from God, advocating for responsible stewardship of the earth. Embracing simplicity allows us to live in harmony with nature and future generations. Pray Creator God,
Guide us in our stewardship of the earth and its resources.
Help us embrace simplicity and sustainability,
following St. Francis’ example of reverence for creation.
May we care for the environment with love and responsibility,
preserving its beauty for generations to come.
Amen. Act Reflect on ways to simplify your lifestyle for the sake of sustainability. Consider how you can reduce waste, conserve energy, and support environmentally friendly practices. Actively advocate for policies and behaviors that promote sustainability, with St. Francis’ profound respect for creation and commitment to simplicity as your source of inspiration. Today's Pause+Pray was written by Patricia Breen. Learn more here! |
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