St. Catherine is also known as a patron saint for those suffering with illness. It is easy to see why she is considered in that way. She certainly suffered with illness in her short life. However, she remained devoted to Christ and continued to serve God regardless of her own health issues.
She lived in a difficult time. First, she was born during an outbreak of the plague in Italy so that many of her brothers and sisters, including her twin, didn’t survive childhood. It seems to me, that might be part of the reason she became ill at such a young age.
Furthermore, the Church she loved so dearly was fractured and struggling in her lifetime. She spent much of her short adult life working to reunite and heal the Church. Yet, through all the trials, she remained positive and dedicated to her cause.
She practiced the prayer of fasting regularly throughout her life. In fact, the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia says she went through periods where she barely consumed anything other than the Blessed Sacrament, even though that caused her to suffer. Yet she was always “radiantly happy and full of practical wisdom no less than the highest spiritual insight.” When things were looking bleak she even offered her own fasting and suffering as a prayer for healing the Church.
This calls to mind a couple prayer intentions for us today. First I am compelled to pray in thanksgiving that I have not been so tested in my lifetime. Thankfully, I am not concerned about the plague or other frightening illness, most of the time. In fact, all things considered, I am very lucky, health-wise. So let me start with a big prayer of thanksgiving for my good fortune.
Second, I am thinking a lot about people I know who have been recently ill or are currently suffering. When I started my prayer journal, I set up a section to record the prayer intentions I get from family and friends. For years I have seen messages about people who are suffering, and I’ve always responded with a promise of prayers. Am I the only one who had a bad habit of making the promise and then not actually stopping my busy life long enough to say the prayer?
Well this is one of the things I love about my prayer journal. Now, when I tell someone I will pray for them, I go right to my journal and record the intention. Then it becomes part of my lunchtime prayer break. I think this is one of the most fulfilling parts of my day. I feel like I stay connected with all of those people in a different way, and it reminds me to check in with them from time to time to see how they’re doing. It also illuminates just how lucky I am to be healthy right now, so it causes me to count my blessings. Why does it seem like that process is more beneficial for me than it is for the people for whom I am praying? Anyway, let’s say both kinds of prayer today.
Dear Lord, we come to you with hearts full of gratitude for Your many blessings in our lives but especially for the blessing of a healthy life. Thank you for all of the times that we have enjoyed bodies free of illness and pain. We also pray that you will provide Your healing grace to those of us who are suffering right now, as well as our suffering friends and family members. And guide us to find ways to comfort those around us who are in need.