"The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes." St. Teresa of Avila
Today's Meditation
“Meekness is spiritual; meekness is joy. And we should all strive to have in our hearts that joy that is contagiously cheerful. We need not think that we must be continually joking; nor should we believe that even-temperedness must express its happiness in laughter. We may and undoubtedly will have bothersome worries, but we can and should be even-tempered, retain our peace of heart, be meek in spite of them. We can at least bear with life’s small problems in such a way as not to allow them to rush upon others. Even temper is attractive, helps the community spirit, keeps down all that ends to anger for it seeks under varying circumstances to be pleasant, amiable, agreeable, mild, patient. It is, in fact, the practice of many virtues.”
—Matt Fradd, p.79
Daily Verse
"Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known." Jeremiah 33: 2-3
St. Januarius
Saint of the Day
St. Januarius (d. 305 A.D.), also known as San Gennaro, was the Bishop of Benevento, Italy. Little is known of his early life. He was arrested and imprisoned for his faith while visiting other Christians in jail during the persecution of Roman Emperor Diocletian. Many attempts were made to kill him, but one after another they failed. He was thrown into a fiery furnace, but he came out unscathed. He was then thrown to wild beasts in the amphitheater, but they did not attack. He was finally beheaded, and his blood was collected by Christians and kept in a sealed glass vial for veneration. The vial of blood is still kept today in the Naples cathedral, and it has continually demonstrated miraculous properties for which no scientific explanation has been offered. St. Januarius' blood liquefies and becomes fresh on particular occasions throughout the year, especially his feast day, for which the saint has become famous. This phenomenon has been occurring with regularity for centuries, and is one of the "blood miracles" that is historically well-documented among the relics of certain saints. He is the patron saint of blood banks and the city of Naples, Italy. St. Januarius's feast day is September 19th.
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