Cristy Li

Saint Joseph of Arimathea Asking Pilate for the Body of Jesus
Painting By: James Tissot –Image Courtesy: Pinterest

(Franciscan Media) The actions of these two influential Jewish leaders give insight to the charismatic power of Jesus, His teachings and the risks that may be involved in following our Blessed Redeemer.

Saint Joseph of Arimathea was a respected, wealthy civic leader who had become a disciple of Jesus–Following Jesus’ death, Joseph obtained Jesus’ body from Pilate, wrapped it in fine linen and buried Him in the tomb. —John 19:38-42 For these reasons Joseph is the ‘Patron Saint of Funeral Directors and Pallbearers’ — More importantly, is the courage Joseph showed in asking Pilate for Jesus’ body. Jesus who had been condemned a criminal was publicly executed.

Jesus and Nicodemus –Image: Wikipedia

Saint Nicodemus was a Pharisee and we know from Scripture that he was a ‘Member of the Jewish Ruling Council’ and that he went to Jesus secretly at night to better understand salvation and what is meant by being born again? —John 3:1-21

Later Nicodemus spoke up for Jesus when the Chief Priests and Pharisees were accusing Him of blasphemy —John 7:32-51 and subsequently assisted Saint Joseph of Arimathea in Jesus’ burial.

Related: More About St. Joseph of Arimathea here from EWTN and St. Nicodemus here from New Advent

Saint Monica (322-387) Image: Archbishop Jose Gomez

(CNA) Born of Christian parents in Souk Ahrus (modern day Algeria) one knows little of Monica’s childhood and youth according to EWTN other than than she was married early in life to Patritius (or Patricius) a pagan with a bad-temper, disdain for Christianity, who held an official position Thagaste a rather prominent municipality in its day.

Monica would strive to be patient with Paritius’ distressing behavior–which included infidelity of their marriage vows but experienced even greater grief when he would not permit their three children: Augustine, Nagivius and a daughter Perpetua to receive Baptism–When Augustine became ill and in danger of dying. Patritius gave consent for his Baptism but withdrew it when he recovered.

Following years of long suffering, prayers and penance by Monica, eventually Patritius did see the error in his ways and was Baptized into the Church one year prior to his death.

Unfortunately for Monica, Augustine would embrace a lifestyle that brought her further grief, fathering a child outside of marriage and a year later began to practice  Manichaeism a (now distinct) dualistic religion of Persian origin founded in the latter half of the 3rd century.

In her distress and grief, Monica initially shunned Augustine however after experiencing a mysterious vision in which a messenger assured her: “Your son is with you,” this strengthened her hope for Augustine, which she permitted back into her home as she begged God that he would seek forgiveness and conversion. –This however would not occur for 9 years, in the meantime Monica sought out the Counsel of the local Clergy, wondering what they would do to persuade her son away from the Manichaeism heresy? One Bishop who had once belonged to the cult himself, assured Monica that it was “impossible that the son of such tears should perish.”

Monica’s tears and prayers would intensify when Augustine at the age of 29 abandoned her without warning as she passed the night praying for him in a nearby Chapel. Without saying good-bye to his mother, Augustine boarded a ship bound for Rome–Yet even this painful event would serve God’s greater purpose, when Augustine left to become a teacher in the place where he was destined to become Catholic.

Under the influence of Bishop of St. Ambrose of Milan (Feast Day: 07 December) Augustine renounced the ‘Manichaeism Heresy’ around 384 — Monica subsequently went to Italy Milian and was encouraged by Augustine’s growing interest in the Saintly Bishop’s ministry. After three years of struggle against his own desires and perplexities, Augustine succumbed to God’s grace, converted and was Baptized in the Church of ‘St. John the Baptist’ in Milan

Shortly before Monica’s death, she shared a profound mystical experience of God with her sons Nagivius and Augustine who later became St. Augustine of Hippo (Feast Day: 28 August) chronicling the event in his book The Confessions penned as a result of the emotion he experienced.

Monica told Augustine: “Son, for myself I have no longer any pleasure in anything in this life. Now that my hopes in this world are satisfied, I do not know what more I want here or why I am here. — The only thing I ask of you both (Nagivius and Augustine) is that you make remembrance of me at the Alter of the Lord wherever you are.”

Saint Monica died in 387 in Italy — In modern times, she has become the inspiration for the ‘St. Monica Sodality’ which encourages prayer and penance among Catholics whose children have departed from the faith.

More here from Franciscan Media

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of St. Monica, Visit: -USCCB

Saint Joseph Calasanz (1556-1648) Image: Introibo

(Franciscan Media) Born in Spain Aragon, Joseph was the youngest of five children according to SQPN his mother and brother died while he was still in school. Joseph studied at Estadilla, at the University at Lereda Valencia where he would obtain degrees in Canon Law and Theology.

In 1583 Joseph was Ordained into the Priesthood — As a Priest trained both in Canon Law and Theology, he was well respected for his wisdom and administrative expertise but would put aside his career because of his concerns with the need of education of poor children.

When Fr. Joseph Calasanz was unable to get other institutes to accept poor children, many of them orphans and homeless into school according to SQPN he and several companions personally provided a ‘Free School’ for needy children.

So overwhelming was the response that Fr. Joseph Calasanz and his companions received, that there was a constant need for larger-and-larger facilities to house their free school.

Soon thereafter, Pope Clement VIII gave support to the school and this financial aid continued under Pope Paul V — Soon other schools were opened and other men attracted to their work joined them. — In 1621 Fr. Joseph Calasanz ‘Free School” received Papal recognition as a religious order called ‘Le Sciole Pie’ (Religious Schools) and became known as the Piarists — Fr. Joseph Calasanze was subsequently appointed Superior for life.

A combination of prejudices, political ambition and maneuvering caused Fr. Joseph Calasanz ‘Free School’ great turmoil. Some people did not favor educating poor children rationalizing that education would still leave them poor but likewise dissatisfied with their lowly opportunities in society. — Others were shocked that some students were being sent to Astronomer Galileo (a friend of Fr. Joseph Calasanz) for instruction.

Repeatedly investigated by Papal Commissions, Fr. Joseph Calasanz was demoted and when the political struggles persisted, ‘Le Sciole Pie’ were suppressed.

Only subsequent to Fr. Joseph Calasanz death, was ‘Le Sciole Pie’ or Piarists formally recognized as a religious community.

Fr. Joseph Calasanz was Beatified in 1748 by Pope Benedict XIV and Canonized in 1767 by Pope Clement XII

Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew
Image: Fr. Doyle.com

(CNA) Saint Bartholomew is one of Christ’s Twelve Apostles, mentioned sixth in the three Gospel lists: Matthew 10:2-3  Mark 3:18  Luke 6:14 and seventh in the lists of Acts 1:13

Besides being listed as an Apostle, Bartholomew is not otherwise mentioned in the New Testament at least not under the name Bartholomew. Many ancient writers and Catholic traditions have identified Bartholomew as Nathaniel in the Gospel of John: John 1:45-51 and John 21:2

The Gospel passage read at Mass on today’s ‘Feast of St. Bartholomew’ is precisely the passage from John 1:45-51 where Nathaniel is introduced to Jesus by his friend Phillip and Jesus says of him: “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.” –John 1:47

We are presented with the Apostle’s character in this brief and dialogue with the Lord Jesus: “Nathaniel said to him, ‘How do you know me?’ Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” —John 1:48 Nathaniel responded, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” —John 1:49

Being a true child of Israel, Nataniel was a man well read in the Scriptures, knew what they said of the Messiah and where He would come from. This is why he was skeptical of Philip’s claim that Jesus is the Messiah: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” —John 1:46  Nathaniel heart was undivided and his intentions pure–his openness to reality was always ready to recognize and surrender to the truth whenever he encountered it.

In encountering Jesus and hearing His words, Nathaniel found himself face-to-face with the Truth himself and like ‘John the Baptist’ leap in his mother’s womb at the Lord’s presence, Nathaniel’s words leaped out of his own heart in a clear and simple confession of faith: ” Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” —John 1:49

Jesus in Matthew 5:8 says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” In Nathaniel we have an example of a pure man who sees–recognizes God when confronted with Him and on seeing Him believes in Him and upon believing in Him, follows Him.

Nothing for certain is known of the life of Nathaniel/Bartholomew after the Ascension of Jesus but tradition holds that he ministered in the East and died a Martyrs death in Armenia Albanopolis being flayed alive and then crucified head downward by Order of Astyages, for having converted his brother Polymius to the Lord Jesus.

More here on Saint Bartholomew from EWTN

Saint Rose of Lima (1586-1617)
Image: Catholic Online

(EWTN) The child who became St. Rose has a special claim for she was the first person in the Western hemisphere to be Canonized by the Church–Only a little more than a half a century before Isabel’s birth, the fabulous land of Peru had been discovered and seized for Spain by the great explorer Francisco Pizaaro who would found Lima in 1535 where he would die just six years later.

Born in Peru, Lima and was one of ten children she was baptized ‘Isabel’ after her Aunt–her baptism occurred at home for as a baby, Isabel was just too weak–several weeks later, tiny Isabel was carried to San Sabastian a nearby Church for baptism by the Parish Priest, Fr. Don Antonio Polanco–by the time that the name ‘Isabel’ was confirmed by Archbishop Toribio of Lima, her name had been changed to ‘Rose’ and this name was bestowed on her.

As the years passed, Rose seemed to take as her roll-model St.Catherine of Siena (Feast Day: 29 April) and like the earlier Saint, Rose experienced an ardent love of God whenever she was in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, that exaltation completely filled her soul.

Rose who had become a practical young lady, when her family fell into financial trouble, she worked in the garden all day according to Franciscan Media raising beautiful flowers and sewed at night, selling her fine needlework in the local market. 

Ten years of struggle began for Rose when against her parents wishes, she refused to get married, finally to end the arguments and marriage proposals, Rose joined the ‘Third Order of St. Dominic’ donning a habit and took her perpetual vows of chastity. — So deep her desire to live her life pleasing to Christ, Rose would spend much of her time at home in prayer and solitude. 

During the final years of Rose’s life, she would care for the homeless children, the elderly and the sick in a little room in the house where she lived. — This was the beginning of ‘Social Services’ in Peru.

Not until after Rose’s death this month in 1617 was it known how widely her beneficent influence had extended and how deeply venerated she was by the everyday people of Peru Lima — Though secluded in life, her work was brought to the attention of government officials who could only say of Rose, that she was influenced by grace.

Rose was Beatified in 1668 by Pope Clement IX and Canonized in 1671 by Pope Clement X