Day 299 -- Blessed Raymond Lull

When I saw where our blessed today was born, it brought a smile to my heart. Blessed Raymond Lull was born in Majorca, Spain in 1234. The Cursillo Movement was born in Majorca. I would love to make a pilgrimage there too!

Blessed Raymond Lull was a courtier in the court of King James of Aragon. He married Blanca Picany in 1257. In 1263 he received a vision of Christ crucified and was converted on the spot. He became a Franciscan tertiary. He worked to convert Muslims in the Iberian peninsula and North Africa. He tried to get the Vatican to take interest in this work, and he traveled throughout Italy, France, England and Germany, but came up empty handed. He learned Arabic and founded a school for Arabic study in 1276. He wrote over 300 works in Latin, Arabic, and Catalan on theology, logic, and philosophy. He also wrote poetry. Some people said he was martyred by being stoned in 1315, but there is no evidence to support this. When he died he had some devoted followers known as the Lullists. He is buried in the Church of San Francisco in Majorca. He was beatifed on February 25, 1750.

The Holy Spirit can give more grace through understanding than through believing, because believing serves to promote understanding. Believing is an instrument for understanding, whereas understanding is not an instrument for believing. This is what the prophet Isaiah meant when he said: ‘Unless you believe, you will not understand’ (Is. 7: 9).

Day 298 -- Saint Peter and Saint Paul

Today the Church celebrates the feast day of two of our first saints...Peter and Paul.

Saint Peter was born around the year 1 in Bethsaida as Simon. He was a fisherman by trade. He was the brother of Saint Andrew who led him to Christ. Jesus renamed him Peter which means "rock" to indicate that Peter would be the rock on which Jesus would build his Church. He is considered the first pope of the Catholic Church. He was martyred around the year 64 in Rome. He was crucified with his head down becuase he said he was not worthy to die in the same way as Christ.

Prayer to Saint Peter
O Glorious Saint Peter, because of your vibrant and generous faith, sincere humility and flaming love our Lord honored you with singular privileges and especially leadership of the whole Church. Obtain for us the grace of a living faith, a sincere loyalty to the Church, acceptance of all her teaching, and obedience to all her precepts. Let us thus enjoy an undisturbed peace on earth and everlasting happiness in heaven.


Saint Paul was born around the year 3 in Tarsus (modren day Turkey) as Saul. He was a Jewish Talmudic student and was a Pharisee. He was a tent-maker by trade. Saul persecuted Christians and even assisting in the stoning of Saint Stephen the Martyr. When he was on his way to Damascus, but he was knocked to the ground and was struck blind and was giving a message that he was persecuting Christ. This experience had a profound effect on his and caused his conversion to Christianity. He was baptized and changed his name to Paul. He began traveling and preaching in Jesus' name. He wrote letters to the churches to help and encourage them. They make up a large part of the New Testament. He was beheaded around the year 65 in Rome.


Prayer to Saint Paul
Great convert and Apostle of the Gentiles, you became Christlike and knew only Christ Crucified. Though extremely learned, you relied completely on the Wisdom received from the Spirit and taught from the abundance of your heart. Instruct modern evangelists - those who preach Christ to others. Let them realize that their actions speak louder than any words they may use. Teach them to use their talents in conveying their God-given message but to rely above all on the promptings of the Spirit. Amen.


Saint Peter and Saint Paul are patron of many dioceses, cities, ailments, and occupations, but I know Saint Paul as the Patron of the Cursillo Movement.

Saint Peter, a fisherman of Bethsaida, was chosen by Christ to be the foundation stone of his Church. Saint Paul, struck down on the road to Damascus, went from being a persecutor of Christians to the Apostle of the Gentiles. They both ended their life with martyrdom in the city of Rome. Through them the Lord “gave the Church the first fruits of the Christian faith. - Blessed Pope John Paul II, on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Day 297 -- Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

"The glory of God is the human person fully alive."

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons was born around 130 in Smyrna in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). He worked and wrote against Gnosticism and he based his arguments from Saint John the Apostle. He is considered the first great Western ecclesiastical writer and theologian. He stressed the unity of the Old and New Testaments. He also stressed Christ's human and divine nature. He is a Father of the Church. He died a martyr for the Church in the year 202 in Lyons, France. His tomb and relics were destroyed in 1562 by Calvinists.


Prayer for Various Types of Christians
Father, give perfection to beginners, understanding to the little ones, and help to those who are running their course. Give sorrow to the negligent, fervor to the lukewarm, and a good consummation to the perfect.

Day 296 -- Saint Cyril of Alexandria

Saint Cyril of Alexandria was born in the year 376 and lived as a monk and priest. He was made bishop of Alexandria, Egypt in 412. He worked at the Council of Ephesus, which says that Mary is the Mother of God (hence the prayer below that he wrote). Saint Cyril fought against the heresy that there were two persons in Christ. He was a catechetical writer. Our saint today died in the year 444 in Alexandria and his relics are in Alexandria. He was proclaimed as a Doctor of the Church.

Prayer in Honor of Mary, Mother of God
Hail, Mary, Mother of God, venerable treasure of the whole universe, lamp that is never extinguished, crown of virginity, support of the true faith, indestructible temple, dwelling of him whom no place can contain, O Mother and Virgin! Through you all the holy Gospels call blessed the one whom comes in the name of the Lord. Hail, Mother of God. You enclosed under your heart the infinite God whom no space can contain. Through you the Most Holy Trinity is adored and glorified, the priceless cross is venerated throughout the universe. Through you the heavens rejoice, and the angels and archangels are filled with gladness. Through you the demons are banished, and the tempter fell from heaven. Through you the fallen human race is admitted to heaven. Hail, Mother of God. Through you kings rule, and the only-begotten Son of God has become a star of light to those who were sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death.

QUOTES

"One builds the Church either as a teacher of the sacred mysteries, as one set over the house of God, or as one who works for his own good by setting himself forth as a living and spiritual stone in the holy temple, God’s dwelling place in the Spirit. The results of these efforts will profit such men so that each will be able to gain his own salvation without difficulty."

"By nature, each one of us is enclosed in his own personality, but supernaturally, we are all one. We are made one body in Christ, because we are nourished by one flesh. As Christ is indivisible, we are all one in him. Therefore, He asked His Father “that they may all be One as We also are one.”

Day 295 -- Blessed Jane Gerard

Blessed Jane Gerard was a Sister of Charity in Arras, France. She was imprisoned in 1792. In 1794, she was martyred by guillotine with Blessed Teresa Fantou, Blessed Francoise Lanel, and Blessed Madeleine Fontaine in Cambrai, France. She was beatified in June 1920 by Pope Benedict XV and awaits canonization.