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"

Friday, May 10, 2013

Ascension "Weekend?"
 
Some dioceses celebrate this Holy Day of Obligation on Thursday while others celebrate on the following Sunday ... I went to Mass yesterday and the priest told us that instead of people forgetting to go to Mass on Thursday and having to go to confession, that here, in our diocese,  we celebrate the Ascension on Sunday. I guess I can say that I will have celebrated twice!
 
This Holy Day has always been bittersweet for me ...
 
I love the fact that Jesus died and rose for us,
but now, He has gone to heaven and will no longer be with us in body, only in spirit.
 
He has, however, promised that He has not left us orphans,
that He has gone to prepare us a place
and that He will return for us.
 
In the meantime, He has remained with us in the Eucharist.
 
That, I can grasp.
 
Thank you, Jesus!
 
 
 
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