Our Saint of the Day was the nephew of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Find out who it is! 😇
February 29, 2024
Hello John,
As we prepare to celebrate Easter, we are reminded of the power of God's love to overcome sin and death. We are challenged to be witnesses of that love in our world today, especially to those who are most in need.
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The last acts in the life of today’s saint make for an amazing story. In truth, they merely underscore the holiness he exhibited throughout his life.
Born into a military family in 10th-century England, Oswald was a nephew of the archbishop of Canterbury, who raised him and played a crucial role in his early education. Oswald continued his studies abroad in France, where he became a Benedictine monk.
Following his appointment as bishop of Worcester, and later as archbishop of York, Oswald founded monasteries and introduced many reforms. He supported—and improved—scholarship at the abbeys he established, inviting leading thinkers in such fields as mathematics and astronomy to share their learning.
Oswald was widely known for his sanctity, especially his love for the poor. The final winter of his life was spent at the cathedral in Worcester that he so loved. At the start of Lent, he resumed his usual practice of washing the feet of 12 poor men each day. On Leap Year Day, February 29, he died after kissing the feet of the 12th man and giving a blessing.
The news of Oswald’s death brought an outpouring of grief throughout the city.
Reflection
Nepotism does not always lead to bad results proving that God can use even something quite negative to bring about some good. Oswald seemed to enjoy favors as a result of his uncle, the Archbishop of Canterbury, but he followed his own humble path and gained sanctity serving the poor.
Do you struggle with praying the rosary: finding time or fighting distractions? In Praying the Rosary Like Never Before, author Edward Sri offers practical suggestions that come from the rosary’s tradition and, especially, from St. John Paul II!
Francis loved the earth, but his motion was always up and away from it toward some intangible tug at his heart from above. He felt at times like a puppet caught in the middle of a tug-of-war between invisible forces he did not understand. And they were both pulling from inside his own heart. O the secret scars of those opposing ropes through his heart! O the release of the upward sweep of the arms!
The open palms of his hands, especially, released him from the knotted tangle within. The open palms. The attitude of Christ on the cross, vulnerable, open, pouring Himself out for us. The cross! God’s final pull of victory over the opposing forces in the heart. He clutched his small wooden cross to his heart and felt he was flying again.
Many of the things that affect us are out of our control. Today, let’s pray for radical acceptance to live in the grace of God, unattached to specific outcomes.
Pray
Creator of heaven and earth, nothing that happens escapes your knowledge. You know what makes me anxious, you know what fills me with fear and dread. You know, too, the desires of my heart. You know what I long for and what I work for. You know the outcomes for which I hope. Today, I rest in the truth that you knowing me is enough. I cannot control much, but I can choose to believe you will be with me come what may. So, today I pray for the ability to radically accept that which I am asked to accept, knowing I am never alone. And I am always loved. Amen.
Act
Sit still for a few moments with your palms turned upward in a gesture of freedom. Take three deep breaths, slowly inhaling and exhaling, and say this prayer, “Jesus, I trust in you.”
Today's Pause+Pray was written by Shannon K. Evans. Learn more here!
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