| Minute Meditations
St. Louis of France At his coronation as king of France, Louis IX bound himself by oath to behave as God's anointed, as the father of his people and feudal lord of the King of Peace. Other kings had done the same, of course. Louis was different in that he actually interpreted his kingly duties in the light of faith. After the violence of two previous reigns, he brought peace and justice. He was crowned king at 12, at his father's death. His mother, Blanche of Castile, ruled during his minority. When he was 19 and his bride 12, he was married to Marguerite of Provence. It was a loving marriage, though not without challenge. They had 11 children. Louis "took the cross" for a Crusade when he was 30. His army seized Damietta ini Egypt but not long after, weakened by dysentery and without support, they were surrounded and captured. Louis obtained the release of the army by giving up the city of Damietta in addition to paying a ransom. He stayed in Syria four years. He deserves credit for extending justice in civil administration. His regulations for royal officials became the first of a series of reform laws. He replaced trial by battle with a form of examination of witnesses and encouraged the use of written records in court. Louis was always respectful of the papacy, but defended royal interests against the popes and refused to acknowledge Innocent IV's sentence against Emperor Frederick II. Louis was devoted to his people, founding hospitals, visiting the sick and, like his patron St. Francis (October 4), caring even for people with leprosy. (He is one of the patrons of the Secular Franciscan Order.) Louis united France—lords and townsfolk, peasants and priests and knights—by the force of his personality and holiness. For many years the nation was at peace. Every day Louis had 13 special guests from among the poor to eat with him, and a large number of poor were served meals near his palace. During Advent and Lent, all who presented themselves were given a meal, and Louis often served them in person. He kept lists of needy people, whom he regularly relieved, in every province of his dominion. Disturbed by new Muslim advances in Syria, he led another crusade in 1267, at the age of 41. His crusade was diverted to Tunis for his brother's sake. The army was decimated by disease within a month, and Louis himself died on foreign soil at the age of 44. He was canonized 27 years later. Stories: Every day Louis had thirteen special guests from among the poor to eat with him, and a large number of poor were served meals near his palace. During Advent and Lent, all who presented themselves were given a meal, and Louis often served them in person. He kept lists of needy people, whom he regularly relieved, in every province of his dominion. Comment: Louis was strong-willed, strong-minded. His word was trusted utterly, and his courage in action was remarkable. What is most remarkable was his sense of respect for anyone with whom he dealt, especially the "humble folk of the Lord." To care for his people he built cathedrals, churches, libraries, hospitals and orphanages. He dealt with princes honestly and equitably. He hoped to be treated the same way by the King of Kings, to whom he gave his life, his family and his country. Patron Saint of: Barbers Grooms Presence My soul longs for your presence, Lord.
Freedom Your death on the cross has set me free. How do I find myself today? Conversation Remembering that I am still in God's presence, I imagine Jesus himself standing or sitting beside me, and say whatever is on my mind, whatever is in my heart, speaking as one friend to another. Conclusion I thank God for these few moments we have spent alone together and for any insights I may have been given concerning the text. Saint Louis Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! (Matthew 23:13) Aah, the Pharisees! We are all familiar with the many times they publicly harassed Jesus. It's easy to let a quick reading of the Gospels give us a negative view of them. But who were they really? The Pharisees came into existence just after the Maccabean Revolt around 175 b.c., when Jews were under intense pressure to abandon their faith and adopt Greek practices. The Pharisees were lay people, many of whom loved God and tried to help their people hold fast to the Law of Moses. In fact, the word "Pharisee" comes from a Hebrew word meaning "separate," emphasizing their desire to stay pure. By the beginning of the first century a.d., the Pharisees were an educated group who studied the Scriptures and taught their fellow Jews how to follow God's laws. After the Temple was destroyed in a.d. 70, the Pharisees survived as the predominant Jewish religious group, and they are considered the precursors to modern Judaism. This doesn't sound too bad, does it? So what was the problem with the Pharisees? Some of them—not all—had a very hard time accepting the idea that Jesus could be the Messiah. He didn't fit into their expectations of ritual purity Saint Louisor adherence to Jewish traditions. Many of them saw Jesus as a revolutionary whose new teachings threatened their people's identity as the chosen race. Their zeal for the Law kept them from being open to the new thing God was doing through Jesus. We can all fall prey to the same challenges that trapped these Pharisees. We can balk in the face of something that upends our comfortable ways of looking at God or our faith. We can hold on to our traditions so tightly that we aren't open to God doing something new and exciting. So the next time you see the Pharisees in the Gospels, try not to look down on them right away. Remember their devotion and their love of God's Law. Remember their heroic efforts to preserve Judaism in a hostile culture. But remember, also, to keep your heart open to the eternal newness of God's plan! "Jesus, you loved the Pharisees just as much as you love everyone else—including me! Help me to put aside anything that keeps me from being open to you!"
2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12; Psalm 96:1-5 my2cents:
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