“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Is 12:3).
These words of the prophet convey to us the consolation that our Heavenly Father promises to His faithful people. They are taken from the so‑called “Song of Thanksgiving of the Rescued.” The fountains of salvation are overflowing.
“Be at peace! God loves you. If only the world could see the beauty of a soul in a state of grace! All sinners and unbelievers would convert on the spot.” (Padre Pio)
What would sinners and unbelievers see? They would surely see the incredible love with which God created and redeemed humanity, and how this love is revealed in a soul living in a state of grace. It would certainly be a light overflowing onto mankind, opening eyes.
The Catholic Church knows many saints and honors them in its feasts. I have decided to remember some lesser‑known saints. Today’s saint came from a noble family in France and was consecrated bishop of Lodève on February 4, 949. He served as bishop for 57 years and devoted himself entirely to the sanctification of his flock. He opposed vice, abolished abuses, and established the reign of godliness everywhere. His all‑embracing love always showed him ways to meet the needs of the sick and the poor in his diocese. Moved by the love he had for consecrated persons, he founded the monastery of St. Salvator, restored several others, and led all spiritual communities to discipline and order. He also did great good for churches and hospitals. God confirmed the people’s belief in His holiness through miracles performed at the tomb of His faithful servant. Around the year 1127, his body was exhumed and remained intact until 1572, when the Huguenots threw it into the fire.
“Everything that is given to us in this life is only for our use and is given to us on loan.” (St. Catherine of Siena)
“What status one has in this life is unimportant. In truth, we are only what we are in the eyes of God.” (St. Francis de Sales)
These are words meant to lead us into freedom—the freedom our Father has given us. How vain it is to rely on external things as though they determined our worth as persons! What dependencies we fall into when, instead of looking to God and letting Him determine our worth, we seek the praise of the world and adopt its standards. This applies to the religious sphere as well.
“Remain faithful and attentive to me even in the smallest things. This will strengthen your power!” (Interior word)
“Thou sparest all things, for they are thine, O Lord who lovest the living” (Wisdom 11:26).
If we consider all the atrocities that human beings commit on Earth, how many times could our Father have destroyed it! Both in the past and in the present…
“Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation” (Rom. 12:12).
The Apostle Saint Paul addresses this exhortation to the Christian community in Rome to strengthen them in the Spirit of the Lord. We must always keep the flame of hope alive. However, it should not be confused with human optimism, which is fleeting; rather, it is one of the three theological virtues that deeply unite us to our Heavenly Father. True hope is always directed toward God, for He Himself is our hope.
“The silent contempt with which one meets slander or injustice is usually a more salutary antidote than sensitivity, strife, or revenge.” —Francis de Sales
It is evil when people speak ill of one another. It can go so far that more sensitive souls suffer so deeply that their lives seem destroyed. In today’s world, with modern means of communication, slander can become a real plague.
“Don’t wait for a more opportune moment, because you can’t be sure you’ll live to see it. Time slips away without us noticing. Therefore, the prudent do not waste time or squander the present moment, which belongs to them, in exchange for a moment that is not yet in their hands” (St. Catherine of Siena).
