Tuesday, March 4, 2014

March 4 - St. Casimir - "To serve you is to reign"



St. Casimir was born in 1458 and was the son of the King of Poland.  Though he was in line to be king himself, he had no interest in succeeding his father. He himself lived simply, gave away his possessions in charity, and devoted hours to prayer and study and helping the poor and imprisoned.  Despite pressure to marry the Emperor’s daughter, Casimir vowed to remain celibate.  
He died of tuberculosis in 1483 at the age of 23.  Casimir is the patron saint of Lithuania, Poland, and Russia.

The Opening Prayer began with the phrase: “to serve you is to reign.”  The Son of God left his heavenly majesty to make himself as a ransom for many, to serve, not to be served.  The heart of Christ the King is a servant’s heart, for Christ served the Father’s will on earth, and claimed no earthly power.  Mary, too, whose Immaculate Heart burns in union with Her Son’s, is the obedient heart of a handmaid, and it is she who is crowned Queen of Heaven.  Today’s saint, Casimir always preferred to be counted among the meek and poor of spirit, among those who are promised the kingdom of heaven, rather than among the famous and powerful men of this world. 

On this final day of Ordinary Time before Lent, we do well to consider the Lenten practices which will help us to imitate Christ’s servant heart: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, that our hearts might become like His.  
Don’t wait until tomorrow to come up with a plan for lent.  God calls us to a radical transformation of our heart.  So spend time today thinking about what God is calling you to fast from, where is he calling you to give alms and perform extra acts of charity, and when he is calling you to greater and deeper prayer.


May St. Casimir help us to remember that our true King is Jesus Christ so that our hearts may continuously be a house of prayer, and our lives: our time, talent, and treasure is to be put at the service of the kingdom of God, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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