Devotions from August 2 to 8, 2021
“Whoever believes has eternal life,” we will read in the Gospel on Sunday. Let us set our steps according to these words of Jesus.
Pope Francis emphasizes: ““Whoever believes has eternal life.” This word of the Lord amazes us and makes us reflect. It introduces us to the dynamics of faith, which is a relationship: the relationship between the human person – all of us – and the Person of Jesus, in which the Father plays a decisive role, and naturally the Holy Spirit as well – who remains implicit here. It is not enough to encounter Jesus in order to believe in Him; it is not enough to read the Bible, the Gospel – this is important!, but it is not enough –; nor is it enough to witness a miracle, such as the multiplication of the loaves. Many people were in close contact with Jesus and did not believe in Him; indeed, they even despised and condemned Him. And I ask myself: why was this? Were they not attracted by the Father? No, this happened because their hearts were closed to the action of the Spirit of God. And if your heart is closed, faith cannot enter.” Let us allow these words of Pope Francis to challenge us, and let us look to the lives of the saints we commemorate this week. Let us move forward with determined steps on the path that leads us to God; let us learn to cultivate our relationship with Him!
MONDAY, AUGUST 2
Beginning of the Novena to Saint Clare of Assisi
“How vivid is the power of this light, and how strong is the radiance of this luminous source. Truly, this light remained enclosed in the seclusion of cloistered life, while outside it radiated luminous flashes; it gathered within a narrow monastery, while outside it spread as far as the world is wide. It was kept within and spread outward. For Clare hid herself; yet her life was revealed to all. Clare was silent, but her fame cried out.” Thus reads the Bull of Canonization of Saint Clare. In these days as we prepare for her feast, let us invoke her intercession so that we too, as she did, may radiate light and bring peace to the people we meet along our way.
To learn more:
• Pray, pray, pray
• Novena prayers to Saint Francis and Saint Clare
• Prayers of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
MONDAY, AUGUST 2
Pardon of Assisi
The indulgence granted by Pope Honorius III at the request of Saint Francis brought with it an extraordinary innovation: it was free, meaning that it did not entail any obligation to make a monetary payment. Confession of sins was required and, instead of the long pilgrimages to Rome, Santiago de Compostela, or the Holy Land, a visit to the church of the Porziuncola. Thus, in Saint Francis’s intentions, the indulgence of Assisi was the “Pardon of the Poor”.
This indulgence brings many spiritual benefits: the faithful are encouraged to approach Confession and Eucharistic Communion, thus making ever greater progress on the journey of faith, following in the footsteps of Saint Francis.
To learn more:
• The Pardon of Assisi
• “On Your Word” Booklet, July-August 2021
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4
Saint John Mary Vianney
“In his pastoral ministry, as simple as it was extraordinarily fruitful, Saint John Mary Vianney (1786-1859), this unknown parish priest of a remote village in southern France, identified so completely with his ministry that he became… ‘alter Christus,’ an image of the Good Shepherd… Following the example of the Good Shepherd, he gave his life throughout the decades of his priestly service. His existence was a living catechesis, which acquired a particularly powerful effectiveness when people saw him celebrating Mass, remaining in adoration before the tabernacle, or spending many hours in the confessional… He was ‘in love’ with Christ, and the true secret of his pastoral success was the love he bore for the Eucharistic mystery, proclaimed, celebrated, and lived” (Benedict XVI).
Let us imitate the example of Saint John Mary Vianney and invoke him to intercede, especially for all priests.
To learn more:
• The Holy Curé of Ars. I saw God in a man
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5
First day of the novena to Saint Maximilian Kolbe
“Hatred is not a creative force. Only love creates.” Father Kolbe spoke these words to those seeking a word of comfort amid the horror and absurdity of the Auschwitz extermination camp.
Saint Paul VI, who beatified him in 1975, called him a “martyr of love.” Later, Saint John Paul II, who canonized him in 1982, said that through his martyrdom he achieved “victory through love and faith in a place built for the denial of faith in God and in humanity.”
Let us invoke the intercession of Saint Maximilian Kolbe so that we may eliminate from our lives everything that prevents us from loving fully. May the Virgin Mary, so dearly loved by the holy martyr, assist us in this.
To learn more:
• In prayer with Saint Maximilian Kolbe
FRIDAY, AUGUST 6
The Transfiguration of the Lord
In the Transfiguration, Jesus reveals his glory to the Apostles. The Father’s call: “This is my Son, the Beloved: listen to him!” (Mk 9:7), is addressed not only to Peter, but to disciples of every age. To enter eternal life, we must listen to Jesus, following him on the way of the cross. Listening to him as Mary did, listening to him in his Word, preserved in Sacred Scripture; listening to him in the events of our lives, seeking to read in them the messages of providence. Finally, listening to him in our brothers and sisters, especially the little ones and the poor, through whom Jesus himself asks for our concrete love. Ultimately, Jesus’ Transfiguration was essentially an experience of prayer: by praying, he immersed himself in God, who is love, light, and life itself.
To learn more:
• “On Your Word” Booklet, July-August 2021
SUNDAY, AUGUST 8
Saint Dominic of Guzmán
It has been said of Saint Dominic’s personality that “it is entirely hidden in the light,” and although not many biographical details about him are known and almost none of his writings have survived, his luminous example shines through in his work: the Order of Preachers, founded at the beginning of the thirteenth century.
Dominic was born around 1175 in Caleruega, Castile. While still a student, during a famine in his region, he founded a hospice for the needy, even going so far as to sell his books to help the poor. At 20, he joined the chapter of Osma, whose canons lived according to the Rule of Saint Augustine.
Two initiatives that would leave their mark sprang from his love for the Church and the Gospel: near the church of Prouille, at the foot of the Pyrenees, he gathered a group of women who desired to devote themselves to a more perfect life and place themselves at the service of holy preaching, like the pious women of the Gospel. Dominic therefore founded a monastery for them where they could dedicate themselves to prayer and welcome missionaries in need of care or rest. The first seed of the Order began with its female branch. The other initiative concerned a small community of priests, drawn to the same evangelical ideal, whom the Saint inspired. Together they began to preach, traveling in poor clothing through the towns and cities of Provence and achieving good results.
An important role in the spirituality of the Dominican movement is accorded to devotion to the Most Holy Virgin Mary, to whom Dominic was deeply devoted. During his stay in Toulouse, as Blessed Alain de la Roche tells us, the Saint had a vision of the Virgin Mary, who indicated the Rosary to him as the most effective prayer for combating heresies without violence. It is precisely to Dominic that the great spread of the Rosary is owed, and he defined its practice.
He died in Bologna on August 6, 1221.
To learn more:
• “On Your Word” Booklet, July-August 2021
“If we knew how much Our Lord loves us, we would die of delight!” said Saint John Mary Vianney. God loves us, and the more we cultivate our relationship with him, the more convinced we become of this great truth and already breathe eternal life here. May this certainty accompany us in every step of our lives!
Have a good journey!
