April 20
Holy Jesus, as the prioress of her Dominican convent, Saint Agnes of Montepulciano served her sisters as if she were serving You personally. She believed that You—and not herself—was the one who was really in charge of the convent. In everything she did, she put You first and found great satisfaction in doing difficult penances and in humbling herself toward others. I ask her to pray for the right attitude in the way I treat people. Remind me that it is always You whom I serve, and give me eyes that can see You when I look at everyone else. Teach me how to put You in charge of my home, my job and my ministry. Saint Agnes of Montepulciano, pray for me. Amen.
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Jesus My Savior, Saint Elphege understood the Passion You suffered for love of us. During his ministry as an archbishop, his country was attacked by pagans, so he rushed to the gruesome battlefield and redirected the enemy’s attack away from the people. The offenders burned his cathedral, tortured him and imprisoned him. When he refused to pay for his release with the Church’s money, he sealed his death. I ask him to pray for me to gain a better understanding of what it means to make sacrifices for love of others. Use my faith in You, O Lord, as a shield for those who are vulnerable to the enemy. Saint Elphege, pray for me. Amen.
Dear God, when Saint Perfecto was stopped by Moors who asked his opinion of Jesus, Perfecto explained, “Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.” Even though they had promised that he would not be harmed for his answer, they arrested him for blasphemy, then tried him and executed him. Lord, help me to defend the Faith against non-Christian beliefs, professing Jesus as Your only Son, no matter what it might cost me. Give me courage with compassion to make use of every opportunity to speak the truth, and when I am deceived into believing I will not be persecuted, help me to forgive. Saint Perfecto, pray for me. Amen.
Lord Jesus, Saint Stephen Harding found great joy in imitating You through a life of poverty, praying, fasting, and working hard. When the other monks got tired of such a difficult life, Saint Stephen formed a new community, the Cistercians. I ask him to pray for me when life becomes a burden. Help me, O God, to discover the redemption that comes from doing what is not easy: giving up materialistic desires, spending more time in prayer, doing penance by making sacrifices and fasting, and completing work that is not pleasant. Overcome my laziness and my resistance to appreciating the difficult. Saint Stephen Harding, pray for me. Amen.
O Loving Jesus, Saint Benedict Joseph Labre paid close attention to how well his life compared to the holiness You described in the Gospels. To purify himself, he performed acts of penance every time he committed even the smallest sin. He loved the Bible so much that he carried it everywhere until the day he died. I ask him to pray for me to value the Word of God just as highly as he did. Dear Lord, use it to inspire me to grow in holiness. Encourage me with its promises. Direct my steps on the path to spiritual maturity by leading me through the verses that teach me how to live for You in everyday life. Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, pray for us. Amen.