SAINT INSPIRATIONS
John Baptist De La Salle, priest
Feast: April 7th
Patronage: School Teachers
Saint John was a young Frenchman in the 17th Century. Ordained a priest at 27, he was said to have ‘everything going for him’. Born of a noble family, it seemed St John Baptist De La Salle would rise to a dignified and high position.
God later revealed other plans.
John went on to work with deprived youths and started a school for the poor boys of Raven. Once convinced this was his divinely appointed mission, he threw himself wholeheartedly into the work, gave away his fortune and position and reduced himself to the level of poverty to which he devoted himself to work in his entire life.
He experienced many trials and resistance for his new but fruitful approach to education. He was afflicted with asthma and rheumatism in his last years and died on Good Friday at 68, he was canonized in 1900.
Complete dedication to what he saw was God’s will for him dominated his life. We can take much inspiration from this, whatever our calling may be in life. Jesus asked us to “love the Lord your God with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mk 12,30).
As mothers we can follow this advice by pouring all of ourselves into our daily duties for love of God. Rather than becoming discouraged by this task, we can make our goal to give a perfect outpouring of love in all our actions. A goal we are always striving for, tapping into our innate gift as women, to be nurtures of life and of love.
I will leave you with a quote:
“What is nobler than to mould the character of the young? I consider that he who knows how to form the youthful mind is truly greater than all painters, sculptors and all other of that sort” (St. John Chrysostum; from Breviary for Feast of St. John Baptist de LaSalle).
Sources:
“Saint of the Day” ~ Edited by Leonard Foley O.F.M, St Anthony Messenger Press
Originally posted 2015-04-09 04:48:43.