March 4 2025 - St. Casimir - To serve God is to reign

On this final day of Ordinary Time before the great season of Lent, we celebrate the memorial of St. Casimir, son of the king of Poland. Here is a man who was line to be king, but followed a higher calling.

Casimir He gave away his possessions, lived simply, 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 young age of 23.  Casimir is the patron saint of Lithuania, Poland, and Russia.

The Collect Prayer this morning began with a powerful phrase: “Almighty God, to serve you is to reign”. Casimir could have ruled a kingdom, had his every whim satisfied. But he recognized this truth, to serve God is to reign. This echoes Paul’s words to Timothy: “If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him”

And what does it mean that to serve God is to reign? It’s an apparent paradox: in our worldly thinking, we associate “reigning” with having control, issuing commands, and enjoying every comfort. Yet in the Gospel, we find that true power is expressed through self-giving love, humility, and service. Christ the King Himself washes the feet of His disciples—turning our assumptions upside down. When we serve God by placing our lives, our talents, and our hearts completely at His disposal, we share in the dominion of His love and the glory of His Kingdom.

This is precisely what we witness in the life of St. Casimir. Though he was a prince and heir to an earthly crown, he chose the path of service: prayer, charity, and chastity. He relinquished a throne but gained far more. He discovered that giving everything to God sets us free from the demands of worldly greatness and grants a deeper authority—the authority of a disciple firmly rooted in Christ. 

That’s the real invitation of Lent, which we begin tomorrow too: by stripping away our attachments, by fasting and praying, by loving the poor, we begin to see that the only kingdom worth possessing is the one Christ offers. It is in humble service that we truly reign, for in serving God we already share in the victory of Christ. May we live our lives in this spirit, convinced—like St. Casimir—that we are never more royal than when we bend our knee to serve the Lord, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. 

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Confident that God hears our prayers, let us offer our petitions to the Lord:

For the Holy Father, Pope Francis in this time of serious illness, that he may know the grace, strength, consolation of our merciful Savior.

For leaders of nations and communities: That they may govern with integrity, justice, and compassion, placing the needs of the poor and marginalized before their own interests.

For young people discerning their vocation: That through St. Casimir’s intercession and example of celibacy, prayer, and self-giving, they may have the courage to follow God’s will wholeheartedly, whatever their calling may be.

That the poor, sick, downtrodden and marginalized may know the closeness of the Lord through the charity of the Church.

As we prepare to embark on the great campaign of Lent, may our fasting, prayer, and almsgiving may draw us closer to Christ, helping us recognize that to serve God is to reign, and leading us to deeper conversion.

For all who have died: That they may share fully in the eternal kingdom where Christ reigns, especially...

Almighty God, you called St. Casimir to forsake earthly crowns and discover the true greatness of serving you. Grant us the grace to follow his example by offering our whole lives in service to your will. Hear these prayers we bring before you and graciously answer them, through Christ our Lord. 

 

March 04 2019 - St. Casimir - "To Serve is to Reign"

St. Casimir was born in 1458 and was the son of the King of Poland.  He was in line to be king himself, but he followed a higher calling. He gave away his possessions, lived simply, 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 Collect Prayer begins with a powerful phrase: “Almighty God, to serve you is to reign”. Casimir could have ruled a kingdom, had his every whim satisfied. But he recognized this truth, to serve God is to reign. This echoes Paul’s words to Timothy: “If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him”

The Son of God left heavenly majesty to make a humble servant, who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. 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 preferred to be counted among not the famous and powerful men of this world, but the meek and poor of spirit to whom are promised the kingdom of heaven.

In these final days 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.

May St. Casimir help us to accept God’s invitation to radically transform our hearts, that we may serve God in holiness and justice, in union with the servant Son of God, to persevere in our Lenten commitments that we may reign with Christ eternally, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That the upcoming season of Lent may be a source of renewal and spiritual growth for the entire Christian Church.

For deliverance from any form of avarice or pride which has crept into the hearts of Church or government leaders.

That we may guard our hearts from all greed, and be free from everything which keeps us from loving and following Christ with undivided hearts.

Through the intercession of St. Casimir for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the people of Lithuania, Poland, and Russia and immigrants and their descendants in our country.

For all those who share in the sufferings of Christ—the sick, the sorrowful, and those who are afflicted or burdened in any way.  We pray to the Lord.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased clergy and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray to the Lord.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.