July 23rd - St. Bridget of Sweden
Bridget was born in Uppsala, Sweden. Her mother Ingeborg was a holy woman
and
her father Birger Persson, who had royal ancestors, was a rich landowner.
He was
also the governor and provincial judge of Uppland. From the time she was a
child, Bridget received visions of Jesus.
When she was only ten, she saw Jesus on the cross and hear him say, "Look
at me,
my daughter." "Who has treated you like this?" cried little Bridget. "They
who
despise me and refuse my love for them," answered Jesus. From then on,
Bridget
tried to stop people from offending Jesus.
Her mother died when she was twelve and she was brought up by her good
aunt.
When she was fourteen, she married eighteen-year-old prince Ulf of Nercia.
Like
Bridget, Ulf had set his heart on serving God. They had eight children, of
whom
one was St. Catherine of Sweden.
Bridget and Ulf served the Swedish court. Bridget was the chief
lady-in-waiting
to Queen Blanche of Namur and she tried to help and guide King Magnus and
the
queen lead better lives. All her life, Bridget had visions and received
special
messages from God. She obeyed God's commands and visited many rulers, two
popes,
priests and other im****tant people in the Church, humbly explaining what
God
wanted them to do.
After her husband died, Bridget put away her rich clothes and lived as a
poor
nun. This did not please the people at the king's court. Later, she
started the
order of the Most Holy Savior, also known as Bridgettines. She still kept
up her
own busy life, traveling about doing good everywhere. And Jesus continued
to
reveal many secrets to her which she received with all humility.
Before she died, Bridget went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. At the
shrines
there, she had visions of what Jesus had said and done in that place. She
encouraged all who would listen to meditate on the Passion of Jesus
Crucified.
All St. Bridget's revelations on the sufferings of Jesus were published
after
her death.
Saint Quote:
What a great benefit it would be to us if God would plant in our hearts a
holy aversion to our own satisfaction, to which nature attaches us so
strongly that we desire that others would adapt themselves to us/ and all
succeed well with us. Let us ask Him to teach us to place all our
happiness
in Him, to love all that He loves, and to be pleased only with what
pleases
Him.
--St. Vincent de Paul
Bible Quote
12 And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.
(2 Timothy 3:12)
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O Lord our God, grant us grace to desire you with a whole heart,
so that desiring you we may seek you with a whole heart,
so that desiring you we may seek and find you;
and so finding you, may love you; and loving you,
may hate those sins which separate us from you,
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
-St. Anselm (1033-1109)
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ABANDONMENT TO THE DIVINE WILL
Father, I abandon myself into Your hands; Do with me what
You will. Whatever You may do, I thank You: I am ready for
all, I accept all. Let only Your will be done in me, And in all
Your creatures- I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into Your
hands I commend my soul; I offer it to You with all the love of
my heart, For I love You, Lord, and so need to give myself to
surrender my self into Your hands without reserve, and with
boundless confidence, for You are my Father. Amen
(Brother Charles de Foucauld)
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