Minute Meditations - Inbox Edition (Tuesday, April 29, 2014)

Tuesday, April 29, 2014
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Part of the Plan

God has a plan for us that we may not understand at the moment. As the day unfolds, however, we often come to see clearly His amazing grace. He tends to lead us on the paths we may never have journeyed on our own.

— from Visiting Mary

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Saint of the Day (Tuesday, April 29, 2014) - St. Catherine of Siena

Tuesday, April 29, 2014
St. Catherine of Siena
(1347-1380)

The value Catherine makes central in her short life and which sounds clearly and consistently through her experience is complete surrender to Christ. What is most impressive about her is that she learns to view her surrender to her Lord as a goal to be reached through time.

She was the 23rd child of Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa and grew up as an intelligent, cheerful and intensely religious person. Catherine disappointed her mother by cutting off her hair as a protest against being overly encouraged to improve her appearance in order to attract a husband. Her father ordered her to be left in peace, and she was given a room of her own for prayer and meditation.

She entered the Dominican Third Order at 18 and spent the next three years in seclusion, prayer and austerity. Gradually a group of followers gathered around her—men and women, priests and religious. An active public apostolate grew out of her contemplative life. Her letters, mostly for spiritual instruction and encouragement of her followers, began to take more and more note of public affairs. Opposition and slander resulted from her mixing fearlessly with the world and speaking with the candor and authority of one completely committed to Christ. She was cleared of all charges at the Dominican General Chapter of 1374.

Her public influence reached great heights because of her evident holiness, her membership in the Dominican Third Order, and the deep impression she made on the pope. She worked tirelessly for the crusade against the Turks and for peace between Florence and the pope

In 1378, the Great Schism began, splitting the allegiance of Christendom between two, then three, popes and putting even saints on opposing sides. Catherine spent the last two years of her life in Rome, in prayer and pleading on behalf of the cause of Urban VI and the unity of the Church. She offered herself as a victim for the Church in its agony. She died surrounded by her "children" and was canonized in 1461.

Catherine ranks high among the mystics and spiritual writers of the Church. In 1939, she and Francis of Assisi were declared co-patrons of Italy. Paul VI named her and Teresa of Avila doctors of the Church in 1970. Her spiritual testament is found in The Dialogue.

Comment:
Though she lived her life in a faith experience and spirituality far different from that of our own time, Catherine of Siena stands as a companion with us on the Christian journey in her undivided effort to invite the Lord to take flesh in her own life. Events which might make us wince or chuckle or even yawn fill her biographies: a mystical experience at six, childhood betrothal to Christ, stories of harsh asceticism, her frequent ecstatic visions. Still, Catherine lived in an age which did not know the rapid change of 21st-century mobile America. The value of her life for us today lies in her recognition of holiness as a goal to be sought over the course of a lifetime.

Quote:
Catherine's book Dialogue contains four treatises—her testament of faith to the spiritual world. She wrote: "No one should judge that he has greater perfection because he performs great penances and gives himself in excess to the staying of the body than he who does less, inasmuch as neither virtue nor merit consists therein; for otherwise he would be an evil case, who for some legitimate reason was unable to do actual penance. Merit consists in the virtue of love alone, flavored with the light of true discretion without which the soul is worth nothing."

(This entry appears in the print edition of Saint of the Day.)

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Pray for Us: Daily Prayer Requests

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Prayer Requests

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Philippians 4:6

Together, let us pray for the needs of our brothers and sisters. Please remember these intentions in your daily prayers.

pooja Monday, April 28, 2014

Dear all, First I would like to thank god for whatever he has given us. Please pray for my husband Nilesh as our hotel business is gone down these days ,we only incur losses and the owner of our hotel Steven wants the hotel back as he is getting some higher rent from others ,please pray that our business gives us good profit and and the owner changes his mind of taking back the hotel, Regards Pooja

John Monday, April 28, 2014

Pray for Anthony, he is 13 and is under a spiritual battle. Pray for strength wisdom, protection and guidance.

Sylvia Monday, April 28, 2014

Please I ask that you pray for John and I that we may continue to grow in unconditional love together. That we may learn to respect each other more and give yet greater emotional support. Help us to both understand the need to create time for each other as well. I ask for my prayers to be heard and granted in the Name of Sweet Baby Jesus. Amen

Arm Monday, April 28, 2014

Oh lord plz forgive my sins plz help us plz guide us plz bring peace in out lives plz take care of everything plz guide us n help us plz bless us plz see dat he picks d parcel I beg u oh lord plz take care of everything

Scott Monday, April 28, 2014

My company is forcing me to transfer to another country and this means I will need to pull my son out of the great Christian school he is currently in. I am currently looking for work locally to avoid this transfer and keep my son in this faith-based school. Please pray that I may find a new job soon. God bless

deepa Monday, April 28, 2014

Dear God, Please give strength,health to my uncle for his major surgery.God heal him of this cancer completely and help him recover speedily and with full strength.Be with him and give him courage to go through this.Please God heal him completely.

Josie Monday, April 28, 2014

Please pray for my daughter who has an interview tomorrow for a possible promotion. Grant her also a safe trip home.

Mom Monday, April 28, 2014

The Power of Prayer works and my family is in dire need. We have always been a very close family . Up until about 1year ago we have lost our once close family. Please pray for family restoration . Thank you

tricia Monday, April 28, 2014

Please pray for my elderly father Lonnie who has just been diagnosed with extreme dementia from alzheimers disease. He has diabetes type 1 that is uncontrollable, high blood pressure and started having numerous seizures today. He has been very ill for a long time. I understand that everything lies in God\'s hands, but i also know that he listens and he seems to listen more when a lot of people are praying together for the same thing. I would like to ask everyone to please pray for him and to pray for my family to be strong enough to take care of him.

Paula Monday, April 28, 2014

Please take control of the courtroom tomorrow when my daughter goes to court to divorce her abusive husband. They were not married in the church. Also, please protect my other two children when they are at work. A couple of drug dealing supervisors are giving them problems and trying to get them fired.

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