What is This Saint of the Year Devotion All About?


This isn't superstition. St. Faustina and her religious order did the same thing!

I would like to explain to you about the practice of picking a saint at random to be your “holy protector and intercessor” for the year. Actually, the saint is the one who chooses us though.The tradition of letting a saint “pick you,”is not a new one. St. Faustina wrote about it in her diary, "Divine Mercy in My Soul".
The excerpt is below. . .

“There is a custom among us of drawing by lot, on New Year's Day, special Patrons for ourselves for the whole year. In the morning, during meditation, there arose within me a secret desire that the Eucharistic Jesus be my special Patron for this year also, as in the past. But, hiding this desire from my Beloved, I spoke to Him about everything else but that. When we came to refectory for breakfast, we blessed ourselves and began drawing our patrons. When I approached the holy cards on which the names of the patrons were written, without hesitation I took one, but I didn't read the name immediately as I wanted to mortify myself for a few minutes. Suddenly, I heard a voice in my soul: ‘I am your patron. Read.’ I looked at once at the inscription and read, ‘Patron for the Year 1935 - the Most Blessed Eucharist.’ My heart leapt with joy, and I slipped quietly away from the sisters and went for a short visit before the Blessed Sacrament,where I poured out my heart. But Jesus sweetly admonished me that I should be at that moment together with the sisters. I went immediately in obedience to the rule.”

Excerpt from "Divine Mercy in My Soul, the Diary of St. Faustina"

Monday, February 25, 2013

St. Michael and the Archangels Gabriel and Raphael

I have spoken about the Archangels in an earlier post and have found more information on them that I wanted to share ... As revealed in scripture, these fiercely protective celestial beings far surpass anything that you or I could create in art or imagination. We need to give them thanks for their invisible yet holy tangible presence in our lives. And while we are at it, let's not forget our own personal guardian angels! They too certainly deserve our gratitude for all the protection that they have afforded us!
 
 
Angels are appointed messengers of God and St. Michael is considered the most powerful archangel among them. The Eastern Church, in fact, regards Michael as Prince of the Seraphim, the angel closest to God.
 
As the angel who stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac, the angel through whom God handed the Ten Commandments to Moses, and the angel who fought Satan for the body of Moses, Archangel Michael is the guardian of Israel as well as "Defender of the Catholic Church."
 
Archangel Michael reigns supreme among angelic warriors; charged with rescuing souls from evil, and leading the principalities and powers into battle against Satan - something to ponder the next time you invoke "the powers that be."
 
Finally, St. Michael escorts all souls to eternity. (I didn't know that!) The old funeral liturgy included this prayer: "May the standard-bearer Michael conduct the departed into the holy light which was promised to Abraham and his seed." Is it any wonder that his name means "Who is like God" and he's the first angel to rate a feast day?
 
Archangel Gabriel, "Hero of God," or "Strength of God", appears throughout scripture, petitioning God to part the Red Sea, informing the prophet Daniel when the Babylonian exile of the ancient Israelites would end. In the New Testament, he announces the birth of St. John the Baptist to Zechariah and greets Mary with the news that she has been blessed among women to bear the Christ. According to legend, Archangel Gabriel will herald the second coming of Christ with a trumpet.
 
Archangel Raphael (God has Healed) appears in the Book of Tobit. As divine medic, Archangel Raphael restored sight to Tobit, is said to have visited Abraham after his circumcision, and healed the world after it was defiled by the sins of the fallen angels.
 

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