Each day until Divine Mercy Sunday on April 7th, I will email you one thought from that day’s brief reading from Fr. Michael Gaitley’s fine book, 33 Days to Merciful Love. I render full credit for these thoughts, respecting copyright laws, to Fr. Gaitley. Each reading ends with a prayer, which I ask you to pray with me for this intention: the conversion of our parish.
Day Twelve
Happy and blessed St. Patrick’s Day, although we do not celebrate the liturgy of Ireland’s great missionary bishop on this Fifth Sunday of Lent. Born in Roman Britain around 387 (the year St. Augustine converted to Christianity in North Africa), Patrick was enslaved by Celtic pirates at age 15, herded animals for six years in cold and hunger, walked 120 miles out of slavery to Wicklow where he talked his way onto a ship back to England, got ordained a priest in France, and had a dream of Irish voices calling from over the sea: “we appeal to you, holy slave boy: come and walk among us.” Patrick got himself ordained a bishop, sailed the Irish Sea again, and spent the rest of his life walking among his dear Irish people. But he desired God more than anything else on this poor planet.
St. Patrick was a “great saint.” He thought big, converting an entire race to Jesus Christ, and building one of the great missionary engines in Church history. Over the next 16 centuries, Irish Catholics would bring their charming brand of Christianity to every nation on earth. Today’s reading in our book, however, focuses on a broken little French girl. But in her great desire for God she became “the greatest saint of modern times.”
Therese brought about “a revolution in Catholic spirituality,” in Fr. Gaitley’s words. She transformed the Catholic notion of “humility:” not to shrink back in self-abasement, but to press forward in the desire to “love God as He’s never been loved before.” As a little child claims all of her parents’ love, so Therese unashamedly claims all of God for herself. And she believes, quite simply, that God thirsts for her more than Therese thirsts for Him. She knew that it was her littleness that attracted God’s merciful love, and that is true humility: to know that I am not, and that He is, but that He longs to press my nothingness into His heart. It is this burning desire, received, given, and received again, that drove Patrick back across the Irish Sea.
Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. Though weak, broken, and sinful, help me to trust that I can become a great saint through the amazing power of Divine Mercy.
Novena Prayer to St. Joseph
O God, who in your ineffable providence, have chosen Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother and father to your Only Begotten Son. We beg that under his patronage our parish and school may flourish, teaching us to pray and leading us to heaven. To the glory of God the Father, through the grace of Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Day Twelve
Happy and blessed St. Patrick’s Day, although we do not celebrate the liturgy of Ireland’s great missionary bishop on this Fifth Sunday of Lent. Born in Roman Britain around 387 (the year St. Augustine converted to Christianity in North Africa), Patrick was enslaved by Celtic pirates at age 15, herded animals for six years in cold and hunger, walked 120 miles out of slavery to Wicklow where he talked his way onto a ship back to England, got ordained a priest in France, and had a dream of Irish voices calling from over the sea: “we appeal to you, holy slave boy: come and walk among us.” Patrick got himself ordained a bishop, sailed the Irish Sea again, and spent the rest of his life walking among his dear Irish people. But he desired God more than anything else on this poor planet.
St. Patrick was a “great saint.” He thought big, converting an entire race to Jesus Christ, and building one of the great missionary engines in Church history. Over the next 16 centuries, Irish Catholics would bring their charming brand of Christianity to every nation on earth. Today’s reading in our book, however, focuses on a broken little French girl. But in her great desire for God she became “the greatest saint of modern times.”
Therese brought about “a revolution in Catholic spirituality,” in Fr. Gaitley’s words. She transformed the Catholic notion of “humility:” not to shrink back in self-abasement, but to press forward in the desire to “love God as He’s never been loved before.” As a little child claims all of her parents’ love, so Therese unashamedly claims all of God for herself. And she believes, quite simply, that God thirsts for her more than Therese thirsts for Him. She knew that it was her littleness that attracted God’s merciful love, and that is true humility: to know that I am not, and that He is, but that He longs to press my nothingness into His heart. It is this burning desire, received, given, and received again, that drove Patrick back across the Irish Sea.
Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy. Though weak, broken, and sinful, help me to trust that I can become a great saint through the amazing power of Divine Mercy.
Novena Prayer to St. Joseph
O God, who in your ineffable providence, have chosen Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother and father to your Only Begotten Son. We beg that under his patronage our parish and school may flourish, teaching us to pray and leading us to heaven. To the glory of God the Father, through the grace of Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The ruins of Catholic Ireland
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