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Saint Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes was a Secular Franciscan who lived a life of quiet prayer and penance. She established a clinic where she helped to nurse plague patients, but seems to have succumbed to the disease herself.
“They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served” (Jn 12:2a). I had always sort of assumed that Martha learned a lesson about letting go of housework after her complaint to Jesus about Mary not helping out (Lk 10:38-42).
Saint John Joseph of the Cross entered the Franciscan community at the age of 16. A humble man, he was asked to serve his community in a number of leadership roles, including provincial minister. Yet he retained his simplicity throughout and retired to the quiet service of confessor.
In response to Jesus’ call, Levi gave up everything he had. We are all spiritually infirm. To a greater or lesser extent we all need to be converted to Jesus as Levi was.
Now that we are in the midst of the Lenten season, parishes will be offering several opportunities to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
God asks us to return to him with our whole heart, whole mind, and whole soul. He asks us to return to him with fasting, mourning, and weeping. It is in the challenges that God is most present.
While Saint Casimir was born into a noble family, and was himself in line to be king, he opted instead for a life of prayer, and as a youth vowed perpetual chastity.
Part of the process of conversion is to look into our hearts and see to what extent we are possessed by Christ, and to what extent we are still called to open ourselves to a deeper relationship with him.
Saint Katharine Drexel founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament to minister primarily to Native Americans and African Americans in the United States. She used much of her inherited wealth to support both the sisters and the ministry.
Jesus tells his disciples that conversion involves giving up our personal agenda and buying into his agenda. He tells us to take up his cross and follow him.
