Deepertruth: You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace

Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time 1/16/2023,  Saint Berard and Companions

Though retired into the remote parts of a desert, S. Anthony of the desert often experienced the fiercest attacks of the devils: they would appear to him under a thousand frightful forms. The Saint laughed at their impotence, and to put them to flight, simply contented himself with making the Sign of the Cross, saying to his disciples: "Believe me, Satan fears prayer and humility and the love of Jesus Christ: the mere Sign of the Cross suffices to banish him."

St. Patrick and his companions appeared to walk through bolted doors to see the Pagan King.

Invited to sit down and parley, the Pagan priest, offered St. Patrick a drink laced with poison. Knowing this, St. Patrick did the Sign of the Cross over the cup and immediately the drink went from being hot to ice except the poison. Dumping out the poison,

St. Patrick again blessed the cup and the drink returned to normal. With everyone watching, the Pagan King Laoghaire was converted.

St. Martin of Tours  rising from a kneeling posture, he turned his eyes towards a deceased and said, "In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, arise, and stand upon thy feet." At the sound of this glorious word from the saint, the soul returned to the body, and the person that was dead opened his eyes and revived.

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.