September has arrived once again, the customary starting point after the summer break, during which not only our bodies but also our spirits have rested. We have probably managed to set aside longer and more intense periods for prayer. Let us carry with us the intense “moments with God” that we experienced, now that we resume our often hectic daily routines. At this new beginning, let us resolve not to neglect prayer, because “Prayer is the best weapon we have, a key that opens the heart of God” (Saint Pio of Pietrelcina).
TUESDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER
Beginning the novena to Saint Nicholas of Tolentino
“Devoted to strict abstinence and assiduous in prayer, he was severe with himself but lenient with others, and often imposed on himself the penances of others.” Thus the figure of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino is portrayed in the Roman Martyrology. Let us imitate the saint who was in love with poverty and humility, and may his constancy in prayer inspire us; in preparation for his feast (10 September), today we begin the novena.
For further reflection:
• Saint Nicholas of Tolentino. The smile of humility
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Saint Teresa of Calcutta
Today we remember a saint who made a masterpiece of her life. We are speaking of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, who liked to describe herself as “a little pencil in God’s hands.” Pope John Paul II said of her: “Her life is a testimony to the dignity and privilege of humble service. She had chosen not merely to be the smallest, but the servant of the smallest. As a true mother to the poor, she bent down toward those suffering from various forms of poverty. Her greatness lies in her ability to give without counting the cost, to give ‘until it hurts.’ Her life was a radical way of living and a bold proclamation of the Gospel. Jesus’ cry on the cross, ‘I thirst’ (Jn 19:28), which expresses the depth of God’s desire for man, penetrated Mother Teresa’s soul and found fertile ground in her heart. Quenching Jesus’ thirst for love and souls in union with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, had become the sole purpose of Mother Teresa’s existence, and the inner strength that enabled her to surpass herself and ‘go in haste’ from one part of the world to another in order to work for the salvation and sanctification of the poorest of the poor.” Let us offer our prayers to God through the intercession of Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
For further reflection:
• Mother Teresa. My Secret: I Pray. A Collection of Prayers
• Mother Teresa. A Thought for Every Day of the Year
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Beginning of the Novena for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
“‘When I am lifted up, I will draw everyone to myself.’ Jesus lifted up and Satan destroyed. Jesus’ cross must be our attraction: we must look at it, because it is the strength to keep moving forward.” Let us be guided by the words of Pope Francis and, in preparation for the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, begin the novena today.
For further reflection:
• “On Your Word” missal, September-October 2020
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
Annual Feast of the Infant Jesus of Prague in Arenzano
Today is a feast day in Arenzano! The annual solemnity of the Infant Jesus of Prague is celebrated. This is an ancient devotion, widespread in many countries around the world, which finds its most universal center of dissemination precisely in the Shrine of Arenzano.
The love for Jesus’ humanity and childhood marked the life and spirituality of Saint Teresa of Jesus (†1582) and Saint John of the Cross (†1591), who passed it on to the Order of Discalced Carmelites they founded. Saint Teresa always brought to the monasteries she founded some lovely, richly decorated statuette of the Child Jesus, as was the taste of the Baroque era. Among the countless testimonies to this veneration, the most famous is the statuette of the Infant Jesus of Prague, given to the Carmelites of that city in 1628 by Princess Polyxena Lobkowicz. It depicts the Child Jesus in royal robes and with the insignia of a sovereign, in the act of blessing, emphasizing, together with Christ’s true humanity, his divinity as well. The statuette, still preserved and venerated in Prague, comes from Spain and is very similar to those belonging to Saint Teresa and Saint John of the Cross. Before this image, an ever-growing number of people have offered their prayers, receiving comfort, graces, and miracles, and it quickly spread throughout the world, especially through the work of the Discalced Carmelites.
The venerable Father Cyril of the Mother of God (†1675) was a great apostle of this devotion; the Child Jesus promised him: «The more you honor me, the more I will favor you».
For further reflection:
• Prayers to the Child Jesus
• Devotion to the Child Jesus
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
Beginning of the novena to the Blessed Virgin Mary of Sorrows
«The Sorrowful Virgin, standing beside the Cross, speaks to us through the silent eloquence of her example about the meaning of suffering in the divine plan of Redemption. She was the first to know and desire to participate in the mystery of salvation, “uniting herself with a maternal heart to Christ’s sacrifice, lovingly consenting to the immolation of the victim born of her” (Lumen Gentium, 58). Intimately enriched by this ineffable experience, she draws close to those who suffer, takes them by the hand, invites them to climb Calvary with her, and to pause before the Crucified One». Let us meditate on these words of Saint John Paul II and invoke Our Lady of Sorrows as we begin today the novena dedicated to her.
For further reflection:
• Prayers for Our Lady’s sorrows and tears
How beautiful September is! Why? Because it is the month when everything starts over, such as school, even though this year there will be a little more anxiety because of the coronavirus! Every year, once the hot weather is over, a new September always arrives, full of hopes, challenges, new projects, and dreams. Just like in life… If we find ourselves at a standstill in our existence, we can always say: «Now I’ll start over from the beginning».
But what should we start over from? From good news. From Jesus Christ. From the experience of his mercy. «God always gives us new opportunities to begin loving again» (Pope Francis).
Do you also consider September a new beginning?
I’ll be waiting for you in the comments on the post!
Have a good journey!
