Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 4:13-19
Mass: Ex 14:21-15:1; Resp Ps (Ex 15); Mt 12:46-50


Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.

FOR WHOEVER DOES THE WILL OF MY HEAVENLY FATHER IS MY BROTHER, AND SISTER, AND MOTHER.

Bridget of Sweden was certainly about doing the will of Our heavenly Father. She was busy (summary from Universalis, "About Today" July 23, 2019): first, as the wife of a nobleman and mother of eight children; at the age of 30 the King of Sweden summoned her to serve the queen; not entirely successful, she tried "to moderate the riotous and indecent life of the royal court." After a pilgrimage on El Camino, she and her husband decided to spend the rest of their lives in monasteries. Bridget then founded a double monastery (she and St Hilda of Whitby are my heroines) as a start of a new monastic order, the Brigittines. 

Next came a trip to Rome for the Holy Year 1350. It was in Rome that Bridget spent the rest of her life caring for the poor and the sick, denouncing the excesses of the aristocracy, and robustly telling the Pope to return to Rome from Avignon! 

Bridget was not short on mystical visions which alarmed her. She feared that the Devil might be at work. A Cistercian monk came to the rescue and reassured her. Bridget went on to dictate and publish the revelations she received. 

May God be praised! 

Prayers of Saint Bridget:

Lord, show me your way and make me willing to follow it.
Lord God, for whom nothing is impossible, who can do everything, give me the power to do good and to persevere.
Mary, Mother of Peace, Light, and Love who gave birth to the Savior on earth, ask Jesus to show me the way on my pilgrimage to eternal life.
Amen.

SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN, PRAY FOR US.

No comments:

Post a Comment