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THE PENNY
Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband
were
invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My
friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very
wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more
than her house.
The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to
have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's
employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest
restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to
indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself
immensely.
As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive
restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of
Arlene and her husband.
He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement
for a long, silent moment.
Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him.
There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that
someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts Still silent, the
man reached down and picked up the penny
He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket
as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this
man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to
stop and pick it up?
Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her.
Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that
her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny
he had found had been of some value.
A smile crept across the man's face as he reached
into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She
had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?
"Look at it." He said. "Read what
it says." She read the words " United States of America"
"No, not that; read further."
"One cent?" "No, keep reading."
"In God we Trust?" "Yes!" "And?"
"And if I trust in God, the name of God s holy, even on a coin.
Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on
every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it!
God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him?
Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see
if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response
to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish
it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation
with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!
When
I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped
and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting
in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In
God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.
It seems that I have been finding an inordinate
number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are
plentiful! And, God is patient... |
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| LIVES
OF THE SAINTS |
JULY 1
BLESSED JUNIPERO SERRA
Blessed Junipero Serra was born in Petra, Spain, on November 24, 1713. The boy became a student at the Franciscan school in Palma 
JULY 2
ST. OTTO.
St. Otto lived in the twelfth century. He was born in Swabia, present-day Bavaria.
JULY 3
ST. THOMAS
St. Thomas was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. His name in the Syriac language means "twin."
JULY 4
ST. ELIZABETH OF PORTUGAL
St. Elizabeth, a Spanish princess, was born in 1271. She married King Denis of Portugal at the age of twelve.
JULY 5
ST. ANTHONY MARY ZACCARIA
St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria was born in Italy in 1502. While he was still young, his father died.
JULY 6
ST. MARIA GORETTI
St. Maria Goretti was born in 1890. Her father died when she and the other five children in her family were small. At twelve, Maria was already very pretty.
JULY 7
BLESSED ROGER DICKENSON, BLESSED RALPH MILNER AND BLESSED LAWRENCE HUMPHREY
These three martyrs lived in England during the time of Church persecution by Queen Elizabeth I.
JULY 8
BLESSED EUGENE III
Blessed Eugene III was born near Pisa, Italy, in the twelfth century. He was baptized Peter.
JULY 10
ST. FELICITY AND HER SEVEN SONS.
St. Felicity was a noble Christian woman of Rome. She lived during the second century.
JULY 11
ST. BENEDICT
St. Benedict was born in 480. He was from a rich Italian family. His life was full of adventure and wonderful deeds.
JULY 12
ST. JOHN GAULBERT
St. John Gaulbert was born in Florence, Italy, at the end of the tenth century. He and his father were devastated when John's only brother, Hugh, was murdered.
JULY 13
ST. HENRY II.
St. Henry II was born in 972. He became the duke of Bavaria in 995. One night he had an unusual vision. St. Wolfgang, who had been his beloved teacher when he was a boy, appeared to him.
JULY 14
BLESSED KATERI TEKAKWITHA
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha was born in Auriesville, New York, in 1656. Her mother was a Christian Algonquin. Her father was a non-Christian Mohawk chief.
JULY 15
ST. BONAVENTURE.
St. was born in 1221 in Tuscany, Italy, and was baptized John.
JULY 16
FEAST OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL
This feast was instituted by the Carmelites between 1376 and 1386 under the title "Commemoratio B. Marif Virg.
JULY 17
ST. LEO IV.
St. Leo IV lived in the ninth century. He was a Roman by birth and spent his life in that city. Leo was educated in the Benedictine monastery near St. Peter's Basilica.
JULY 18
ST. FREDERICK.
St. Frederick lived in ninth-century Utrecht, in the central part of the Netherlands. When he was ordained a priest, Bishop Ricfried put him in charge of instructing converts.
JULY 19
ST. MACRINA.
St. Macrina was the first child of St. Basil the Elder and St. Emmelia.
JULY 20
SAINT CHARBEL.
St. Charbel was born to a poor Maronite Family on May 8, 1828 in a mountain village of Biqa-Kafra, Lebanon.
JULY 21
ST. LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI.
St. Lawrence was born Caesar Rossi in Brindisi, Italy, in 1559. Brindisi was part of the Kingdom of Naples, Italy.
JULY 22
ST. MARY MAGDALENE.
St. Mary Magdalene was from Magdala near the Sea of Galilee. Some people identify her as a well-known sinner when she first saw Our Lord.
JULY 23
ST. BRIDGET OF SWEDEN.
St. Bridget was born in Sweden in 1303. From the time she was a child, she was greatly devoted to the passion of Jesus.
JULY 24
ST. BORIS AND ST. GLEB
St. Boris and St. Gleb, the brothers, were born toward the end of the tenth century.
JULY 25
ST. JAMES THE GREATER
St. James was a fisherman like his father Zebedee and his brother John.
JULY 26
ST. JOACHIM AND ST. ANNE
St. Anne and St. Joachim are the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
JULY 27
ST. PANTALEON
St. Pantaleon came from Nicomedia, near the Black Sea, in Asia. He lived in the fourth century.
JULY 29
ST. MARTHA
St. Martha was the sister of Mary and Lazarus.
JULY 30
ST. PETER CHRYSOLOGUS
St. Peter Chrysologus was born in the small town of Imola, Italy.
JULY 31
ST. IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA
St. Ignatius, the famous founder of the Jesuits, was born in 1491.
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PHOTO OF THE MONTH |
Tour
of the Relics of the Passion
(International Center
for Holy Relics)
www.HolyRelics.org
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| REFLECTIONS |
 “Jesus’
Baptism”
Why did Jesus, the sinless one sent from the Father in heaven,
submit himself to John’s baptism? John preached a
baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke
3:3). In this humble submission we see a foreshadowing of
the “baptism” of Jesus bloody death upon the
cross. Jesus’ baptism is the acceptance and the beginning
of his mission as God’s suffering Servant (Isaiah
52:13-15; 53:1-12). He allowed himself to be numbered among
sinners. Jesus submitted himself entirely to his Father’s
will. Out of love he consented to this baptism of death
for the remission of our sins. Do you know the joy of trust
and submission to God?
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