Our Saint of the Day is honored in Spain as a doctor of the Church! 🎓
Hello John, In a world full of uncertainties, it's vital to live in the present moment and trust in God's plan. This means letting go of worries about the future and finding peace in God's constant care. This is an important message from the friars and Franciscan Media community. Today’s email inspires me to trust in God's grace and protection and helping me stay strong in my faith no matter what challenges I face in life. I pray it inspires you as much as it has me. If you are moved to act, please consider joining the friars’ work with a gift to Franciscan Media. Donate today! |
Christopher Meyer
Director of Development |
Saint of the Day for March 13: Saint Leander of Seville (c. 534 – March 13, 600 or 601) Saint Leander of Seville’s Story 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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God Is Close to Us Be at peace by living in the now. Only when we see the future as a positive reality does it become possible to live well in the present moment. St. Francis de Sales wrote that we should not worry about future events, but look forward to them “with perfect hope in the God to whom you belong. He will protect you. God has protected you thus far. Stay in God’s providential hands. And in those situations when you can’t walk (so to speak) God will carry you as a loving Father carries a small child.” He taught what Jesus taught: Trust that God is closer to us than we are to ourselves. —from the book Three Minutes with God: Reflections to Inspire, Encourage, and Motivateby Monsignor Frank Bognanno |
Reflect, Pray, Act! These simple directions make up the core of the Pause+Pray experience. Each of the dozens of prayers in this book includes a brief reflection and a simple action to make your everyday life more prayer-focused. The meditations in this book cover everything from gratitude to grief, from forgiveness to family troubles, from patience to joy. |
The Fiery Furnace Prayer Reflect “Fire and heat, bless the Lord.”—Daniel 3:66 While the Judeans Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were their Hebrew names) were in exile in Babylon, they were thrown into a white-hot furnace for not bowing down to a golden statue. While in the scorching furnace, they were visited by the angel of the Lord. They then began to pray in the midst of the blasting and massive fire blessing and praising the Lord for many things in life—including fire and heat! Pray Oh Lord,
Help me to also bless and praise you in all circumstances—
even the difficult ones.
Help me to know and trust that you are in everything
and that you will draw me towards you. Act What sort of problem do you have going on in your life right now? Brace yourself and thank God for it. Know that the problem will bring about some good in some way. Keep your heart focused on God. Maybe read the 39 praise verses found in Daniel 3:52–90. Do any of them snag your heart? Today's Pause+Pray was written by Theresa Doyle-Nelson. Learn more here! |
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