Saint Notburga was a cook in the family of Count Henry of Rothenburg and used to give food to the poor. But her mistress, Ottilia, ordered her to feed the swine with the leftover food. So, Saint Notburga saved some of her own food, especially on Fridays, and brought it to the poor. Once Ottila passed away, Notburga entered into the service of a peasant on a condition that would permit her to go to church evenings before Sundays and festivals. One evening, her old master urged her to continue working in his fields. She threw her sickle in the hair and said, “Let my sickle be the judge between me and you,” and the sickle remained suspended in the air. After some time, Saint Notburga could feel herself weakening. Shortly before her death, she told her master to place her corpse on a wagon drawn by two oxen, and to bury her wherever the oxen took her. They drew her wagon to the chapel of St. Rubert, where she was buried. Saint Notburga is the patroness of servants and peasants.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Heavenly Lord, Saint Notburga served as a maid for a nobleman, and then she went to work for a peasant family. She discovered that she preferred working for the poor and devoted the rest of her life to this. I ask her to pray for me when I have opportunities to work for those who cannot afford my services. Help me, O God, to consider people as a higher priority than money, not basing my services on what they can pay, but on whether or not I can supply what they’re needing. When I am the one who cannot afford others’ services, be generous with me, too, dear Lord. Saint Notburga, pray for me. Amen.
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Saint John Chrysostom was a monk in the desert for quite some time. When he was brought to Constantinople, he was made a bishop against his will. His body was weak from stomach ailments because of his desert days. Although his body wasn’t strong, his tongue was. Saint John’s sermons were high and mighty and sometimes lasted 2 hours. Many of his sermons called for sharing wealth with the poor. Whether intended or not, sermons mentioning the lurid Jezebel and impious Herodias were associated with the empress, who finally did manage to have John exiled. He died in exile in 407.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Saint John Chrysostom spread the Good News with courage and honesty. He continued preaching regardless of what anybody else would say. We pray today so that we may understand the Good News and spread the word effectively as he did, Amen. Saint Cyprian was highly educated and became a Christian as an adult. He distributed his goods to the poor, and amazed his fellow citizens by making a vow of chastity before his baptism. Within two years he had been ordained a priest and was chosen, against his will, as Bishop of Carthage. Cyprian complained that the peace the Church had enjoyed had weakened the spirit of many Christians and had opened the door to converts who did not have the true spirit of faith. During a plague in Carthage, Cyprian urged Christians to help everyone, including their enemies and persecutors. He was exiled by the emperor and then recalled for trial. He refused to leave the city, insisting that his people should have the witness of his martyrdom. Saint Cyprian was both cheerful and serious so much so that nobody knew what to think of him. He was a courageous and kind man.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Saint Cyprian, you were a strong man and you kept your faith in God through all your struggles. Strengthen us to do the same as we face many problems and temptations. Amen. Saint Thomas was from Spain and received a superior education at the University of Alcala, becoming a popular professor of philosophy there. After joining the Augustinian friars at Salamanca, Thomas was ordained and resumed his teaching despite a continuing absentmindedness and poor memory. He was nominated by the emperor to the archbishopric of Granada, but refused. When the spot again became vacant he was pressured to accept. The money his cathedral chapter gave him to furnish his house was given to a hospital instead. He took in orphans and paid his servants for every deserted child they brought to him. He encouraged the wealthy to imitate his example and be richer in mercy and charity than they were in earthly possessions. As he lay dying, Thomas commanded that all the money he possessed be distributed to the poor. In his lifetime Thomas of Villanova was called “the almsgiver” and “the father of the poor.”
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Pray for us that we will see the needs of others less fortunate than ourselves as our daily responsibility. Let us aid and pray for those in need, amen. Saint Peter Claver left his homeland, Spain, forever in 1610 to be a missionary in the colonies of the New World. He sailed into Cartagena, a rich port city washed by the Caribbean where he was ordained. By this time, the slave trade had been established in the Americas for nearly 100 years, and Cartagena was a chief center for it. Thousands of slaves would pour into the port each year under condition so foul that an estimated ⅓ of passengers died in transit. When Claver arrived, he declared himself “the slave of negroes forever”. He aided the incoming slaves with food and baptized about 300,000 of them. After four years of sickness, he was forced to rest and passed away on September 8, 1654. He is the worldwide patron of missionary work among black slaves.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER O God, who made Saint Peter Claver a slave of slaves and strengthened him with wonder charity and patience as he came to their help, grant, through his intercession, that, seeking the things of Jesus Christ, we may love our neighbor in deeds and in truth. Amen. Not much is known about Saint Adrian. According to legend, he was a pagan officer at the imperial court of Nicomedia. Impressed by the courage of a group of Christians who were being tortured, he became a Christian. Because of this, Saint Adrian was imprisoned with the other Christians and suffered excruciating tortures before he was put to death. He is the patron saint of butchers, guards, and soldiers.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Saint Adrian, we ask your intercession with our Heavenly Father for the grace of wisdom. Pray that we may continue to learn and grow in our faith. May we seek true wisdom which leads to knowledge in the ways of God and His will for our lives, Amen. Blessed Frederic was a very generous man; he aided the poor and drew others to do the same. Frederic was the fifth of 14 children in his family. He was one of three of his siblings who lived to adulthood. As a teenager, he had doubts about his religion. He organized a discussion club which sparked the turning point in his life. In this club, Catholics, atheists, and agnostics debated the issues of the day. Once, after Frederic spoke about /Christianity's role in civilization, a club member asked him, “What do you do besides talk to prove the faith you claim is in you?” This question shocked Frederic. He decided that his words needed a grounding in action. So he met with many preachers and started a newspaper, The New Era. This newspaper was dedicated to securing justice for the poor and the working classes. Blessed Frederic passed away due to poor health on September 8, 1853.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Blessed Frederic Ozanam, you respected the poor and offered your services time and time again. Teach us help others the same way in the name of the Lord, amen. Blessed Claudio Granzotto, youngest of nine children, was born near Venice. He was accustomed to hard work in the fields and lost his father at the age of 9. Six years later, he was drafted into the Italian army where he served more than three years. Claudio’s artistic ability, especially in sculpture, led him to his studies at Venice’s Academy of Fine Arts. He was awarded a diploma with the highest marks in 1929. Blessed Claudio was always interested in religious art and so he entered the Friars Minor four years after he graduated. His charitable life was cut short by a brain tumor and he passed away on the feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1947. Blessed Claudio Granzotto developed into an excellent sculptor, his work still turns people to the Lord. He is the patron saint of artists.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER Blessed Claudio Granzotto, you taught us that there are many different ways to spread the word of God. Help us preach about the Lord creatively as you did. Strengthen us to stay faithful, joyful, and generous like you were, amen. |