Lenten Meditations: Saturday April 13

Apr 13, 2019 by

Sat
April 13
am: 137, 144
pm: 42, 43
Jer 31:27-34 Rom 11:25-36 John 11:28-44

FIFTH SATURDAY OF LENT – St. Paternus, Hermit and Abbot, 5th Cent.

LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY:  This Paternus was born in Brittany to devout parents named Patran and Gwen. His father sought Gwen’s permission to go to live as a hermit in Ireland, and she brought up their son to be pious and godly. When he grew up he sailed with other monks to Wales to live as a hermit himself. He met the great Welsh saints, and humbly learned from them. One day Saint Samson (f.d. July 28) summoned Paternus when he had just put on one boot. Without delaying to put on the other boot the saint hastened to answer Samson’s summons. Instead of leading a solitary life, Paternus was called to found a great monastery. He chose a spot in Cardiganshire near Aberystwyth, Wales that was later known as Llanabarn (Llanbadarn) Fawr, which means, the church of the great Paternus. Over 120 monks joined Paternus at Llanbarn Fawr.

He was a bold opponent of the pagan kings of the region, never tiring of preaching in the hope of their conversion. Once the evil King Maelgun accused the saint of stealing much royal treasure. Paternus is said to have proved his innocence by plunging his hand into boiling water and taking it out completely unharmed

MEDITATION OF THE DAY: Just as the life of a deer depends upon water, so our lives depend upon God, If we seek him and long to understand him, we will  find a never-ending life. When we feel apart or separated from God, what do we do? Do we earnestly seek to reconnect? The psalmist make sit clear that he wouldn’t rest until he restored his relationship with  The Psalmist in Psalm 42 is expressing his deep longing for the presence of God. When we always seek the Lord, He transforms our desires and imbeds a beautiful habit deep within our being. Our thought patterns and speech patterns begin to change and pretty soon, our entire world view has been converted.

 

ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE:  “Stop comparing or boast at your victories. He was referring to enormous vitality and strength of God of Jesus seeking union with us. The living acts of a Christian become somehow the acts of Christ.”
— Brennan Manning, The Furious Longing of God.

 

PRAYER OF THE DAYMerciful Father, may our acts of submission bring us true penance and deep forgiveness. Please open our hearts to your love, and prepare us for the coming feast of your resurrection. Amen

 

 

Related Posts

Tags

Share This