by Mary McEntee McGill
February is always a difficult month for me. The days pass slowly, making it a hard month in which to enjoy life and get energized about things. The holidays have ended; winter’s chill is present and the beauty of clean, white snow has changed to dirty grey slush. Springtime is weeks away.
As I was looking through a book of the saints hoping to find someone interesting who might inspire me through the long and dark days of February, I came upon a special saint—a person of charity, leadership, and courage.
Her name is Brigid of Kildare and her feast day is February 1.
Leader: Acts 2:1-4, 42-47 (the descent of the Holy Spirit; the power and faith of the early Church)
Reflection: Saint Brigid lived in the fifth century and was a nun—an abbess. In those days, nuns usually lived at home with their families, but Brigid believed that a better way to build the strength of vowed religious was to bring them together to share life as a community.
Saint Brigid’s charitable ministry was well known and she had many followers. She decided to build a home—a monastery—and form a community. She founded this monastery in Kildare for both nuns and monks.
Saint Brigid was known for her goodness. Even as a child, she would share bacon and bread with the poor. She had a warm heart and enjoyed charitable work all through her life.
As catechists, we can turn to St. Brigit as a model of leadership and courage. We can ask her to intercede on our behalf, that we might bring to our ministry her same strong sense of community and her immense generosity.
Litany: We seek St. Brigid’s intercession in our ministry. Our response is “St. Brigid, intercede for us.”
Leader: Saint Brigid, be with us as we seek to follow your example. R.
Leader: We ask God’s blessings on our churches and all places that bring inner warmth to our souls. R.
Leader: We ask for our hearts to be open and willing to help those confined to their homes by cold weather and disabilities. R.
Leader: We seek blessings on our commitment to share the Good News of Jesus with our students. R.
Leader: We seek blessings for our families, friends, and co-workers. R.
Leader: We seek blessings for all religious communities. R.
Leader: We seek blessings on the food and drink we share around our tables. R.
Leader: Saint Brigid, be with us as we patiently wait for the coming of spring, trusting in God’s grace and goodness present here, too, in the grip of winter’s dark and cold.
All: Amen.
Mary has professionally served parishes and dioceses for more than 40 years and continues to enjoy catechetics in Dallas, TX. She is the author of Stories to Invite Faith Sharing (Resource Publications).
Copyright 2012, Bayard, Inc. All rights reserved. This article is protected by United States copyright and other intellectual property laws and may not be reproduced, rewritten, distributed, redisseminated, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast, directly or indirectly, in any medium without the prior written permission of Bayard, Inc.
This article was written by the Catechist Staff and appeared in Catechist magazine, January 2012.
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