Today's Minute Meditations celebrates the holy life of St. Clare of Assisi! 🛐
August 9, 2024
Hello John,
In today's Saint of the Day, we learn of Edith Stein's compelling journey from a brilliant philosopher to a Catholic nun, and ultimately to martyrdom under the Nazi regime. Her pursuit of knowledge, her spiritual transformation, and her steadfast commitment to her faith in the face of persecution serve as a testament to the power of resilience and unwavering belief.
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With prayers and blessings,
Fr. Dan Kroger, OFM Franciscan Media CEO and St. Anthony Messenger Publisher
A brilliant philosopher who stopped believing in God when she was 14, Edith Stein was so captivated by reading the autobiography of Teresa of Avila that she began a spiritual journey that led to her baptism in 1922. Twelve years later she imitated Saint Teresa by becoming a Carmelite, taking the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
Born into a prominent Jewish family in Breslau, Germany—now Wroclaw, Poland—Edith abandoned Judaism in her teens. As a student at the University of Göttingen, she became fascinated by phenomenology–an approach to philosophy. Excelling as a protégé of Edmund Husserl, one of the leading phenomenologists, Edith earned a doctorate in philosophy in 1916. She continued as a university teacher until 1922, when she moved to a Dominican school in Speyer; her appointment as lecturer at the Educational Institute of Munich ended under pressure from the Nazis.
After living for four years in the Cologne Carmel, Sister Teresa Benedicta moved to the Carmelite monastery in Echt, Netherlands, in 1938. The Nazis occupied that country in 1940. In retaliation for being denounced by the Dutch bishops, the Nazis arrested all Dutch Jews who had become Christians. Teresa Benedicta and her sister Rosa, also a Catholic, died in a gas chamber in Auschwitz on August 9, 1942.
Pope John Paul II beatified Teresa Benedicta of the Cross in 1987 and canonized her 12 years later.
Reflection
The writings of Edith Stein fill 17 volumes, many of which have been translated into English. A woman of integrity, she followed the truth wherever it led her. After becoming a Catholic, Edith continued to honor her mother’s Jewish faith. Sister Josephine Koeppel, O.C.D., translator of several of Edith’s books, sums up this saint with the phrase, “Learn to live at God’s hands.”
Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross is a Patron Saint of:
Converts to Christianity Europe
Explore this timeless classic!
Murray Bodo’s heartfelt and honest reflections through the changing seasons of life help unlock the dynamism of prayer, awakening our hearts to sing and be lifted in flight by God’s grace.
Clare’s name means “light.” She is the bright, shining one who reflected God’s love into the world from a cloistered convent where she lived with her spiritual sisters. That light continues today to shine through the Poor Clares throughout the world as they pray for our world. Clare is also referred to as the “little plant” of Francis. One can visualize a branch plucked from a plant and stuck in the soil to take root to become a plant of its own. So was Clare’s spiritual being rooted in Francis. Both of them were the branches grown from the Lord who proclaimed, “I am the vine, you are the branches” (John 15:5).
Christ is the mirror of God. “Mirror of Perfection” is a term used to describe Francis. And Clare was indeed a mirror of Francis. She caught what he taught by his way of life and then sent it into the world through her sisters, her prayer, her writing, and the Order she established. You and I can become mirrors of Jesus, Francis, and Clare in our own ways, in our own times.
Perhaps the greatest gift we have been given is our physical body. That is why it can be confusing when we treat it with such disrespect either through our diets, our behavior, or our attitudes. Sometimes our bodies face challenges, such as injury and illness. When that happens, we work to restore ourselves to health. We should remember, therefore, in times of health to treat our bodies like the treasure that it is.
Pray
Lord, Thank you for the gift of this body. May I show my gratitude And appreciation by caring for it In the best way possible. Be with me when I encounter Andy physical challenges and accompany Me on my path back to wellness.
Act
Look at how you’re treating your body and see if you can find one way to help bring you closer to wellness.
Today's Pause+Pray was written by Susan Hines-Brigger. Learn more here!
