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.