Devotions from February 21 to 27, 2022
Pope Francis reminds us that “God […] does not look at the time or the results, but at our willingness; he looks at the generosity with which we place ourselves at his service. His action is more than just, in the sense that it goes beyond justice and manifests itself in Grace. Everything is Grace. Our salvation is Grace. Our holiness is Grace. By giving us Grace, He bestows on us more than we deserve. And so, those who reason according to human logic, that is, the logic of merits acquired through their own ability, find themselves last when they were first.” Let us reflect on the words of Pope Francis and often repeat to ourselves during the week: “God does not look at how much, but at how,” seeking to see and do everything from another perspective.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22
The Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle
Today’s feast recalls the mission entrusted by Christ to Peter, established in his person and in his successors as the visible principle and foundation of the Church’s unity. Indeed, after Jesus’ death, Peter would take on the role of leader: he would preside over the election of Matthias and speak on behalf of everyone on the day of Pentecost and, later, before the Sanhedrin. “What Jesus had begun to do with his followers during three years of shared life is brought to completion by the gift of the Spirit. The Apostles’ faith was at first imperfect and wavering, but afterward it was firm and fruitful… Peter… now behaves like the ‘rock’ Jesus had intended (cf. Mt 16:18)” (Saint John Paul II).
To learn more:
• On Your Word - January-February 2022 Daily Missal
• With Living Water - Daily Liturgy of the Hours
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
Francesco Possenti (Assisi, 1838 – Isola del Gran Sasso, 1862) was a captivating, passionate, and exuberant young man who, with enthusiasm and freshness, knew how to offer every aspect of his daily life to God until he reached eternity. All it took was a small, ordinary, and courageous “yes” to allow the Lord to make him a splendid masterpiece of holiness. At the age of 18, he withdrew to the Passionist monastery, taking the name Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows and embracing a life of prayer, penance, and Christian devotion. After just six years of religious life, the Lord called him to Himself in the prime of his life, on the eve of his priestly ordination. Today, Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows is among the best-known, most prayed-to, and most loved saints in the world, known to his devotees as “the Saint of the young,” “the Saint of miracles,” and “the Saint of the smile.”
To learn more:
• Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. The Smile of God
• Make Your Life a Masterpiece. If you would like to learn more about this book, click here.
You may also be interested in:
• Gold-colored, plastic-coated aluminum Miraculous Medal with a holy card and prayer to Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
“My life is a continual joy,” Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows wrote to his father. May our lives also be like this: a hymn of joy in everything we do, without worrying too much about “how much” we manage to do, but giving priority to “how” we relate to God and to our brothers and sisters.
