St. Colette of Corbie, Virgin (Memorial)

St. Colette was born 13 January 1381, at Corbie in Picardy, France. She was given the name Nicolette Boellet, but called Colette. Colette joined successively the Bequines, the Benedictines, and the Urbanist Poor Clares. She the second Holy Mother and reformer reformer of the Franciscan Order of the Colettine Poor Clares (Clarisses). she experienced the great visions which would move her to action. In her first vision, Colette witnessed the moral destruction of the world, a vision which left her frightened and moved. Later, had another vision in which she saw Saint Francis of Assisi come before the Lord, and kneeling down, he begged, “Lord, give me this woman for the reform of my Order”

Saint Colette, remembering the vision of the Lord depicting the moral decline of society and the Church, never ceased praying for the sanctity of the Church and it’s leaders. In response, she was continuously plagued by the Devil, who visited upon her torture and temptation. She was frequently surrounded by stinging insects, who swarmed around her, stinging her repeatedly. Decomposing corpses of criminals and heretics would miraculously appear in her cell, even while she was walled in. Saint Colette further would further undergo physical torture and the hands of demons, leaving her bruised, broken, and exhausted. St. Colette once complained to Our Lord that the demons prevented her from praying. "Cease, then," said the devil to her, "your prayers to the great Master of the Church, and we will cease to torment you; for you torment us more by your prayers than we do you."

She died at Ghent, Belgium on 6 March, 1447. She was beatified on 23 January, 1740, and later canonized on 24 May, 1807. She is known as St. Colette of Corbie. She was not only a woman of sincere piety, but also intelligent and energetic, and exercised a remarkable moral power over all her associates. She was very austere and mortified in her life, for which God rewarded her by supernatural favours and the gift of miracles.

Saint Colette serves as a reminder for us that times of struggle and suffering can lead to redemption and conversion. In her words, "If there be a true way that leads to the Everlasting Kingdom, it is most certainly that of suffering, patiently endured." These words, modelled after the life of Jesus Christ, His suffering for us, call us to patience in this world, and life everlasting in the next.

"We must faithfully keep what we have promised. 

If through human weakness we fail, 

we must always without delay arise again 

by means of holy penance, 

and give our attention to leading a good life 

and to dying a holy death. 

May the Father of all mercy, 

the Son by his holy passion, 

and the Holy Spirit, 

source of peace, sweetness and love, 

fill us with their consolation. 

Amen."

Friday, 7 February, 2014
St. Colette of Corbie, Virgin (Memorial)

Reading

Sirach 47: 2 - 11
2	As the fat is selected from the peace offering, so David was selected from the sons of Israel.
3	He played with lions as with young goats, and with bears as with lambs of the flock.
4	In his youth did he not kill a giant, and take away reproach from the people, when he lifted his hand with a stone in the sling and struck down the boasting of Goliath?
5	For he appealed to the Lord, the Most High, and he gave him strength in his right hand to slay a man mighty in war, to exalt the power of his people.
6	So they glorified him for his ten thousands, and praised him for the blessings of the Lord, when the glorious diadem was bestowed upon him.
7	For he wiped out his enemies on every side, and annihilated his adversaries the Philistines; he crushed their power even to this day.
8	In all that he did he gave thanks to the Holy One, the Most High, with ascriptions of glory; he sang praise with all his heart, and he loved his Maker.
9	He placed singers before the altar, to make sweet melody with their voices.
10	He gave beauty to the feasts, and arranged their times throughout the year, while they praised God's holy name, and the sanctuary resounded from early morning.
11	The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his power for ever; he gave him the covenant of kings and a throne of glory in Israel.

Psalm

Psalms 18: 31, 47, 50 - 51
31	For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? --
47	the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me;
50	Great triumphs he gives to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.

Gospel

Mark 6: 14 - 29
14	King Herod heard of it; for Jesus' name had become known. Some said, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him."
15	But others said, "It is Eli'jah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."
16	But when Herod heard of it he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised."
17	For Herod had sent and seized John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her.
18	For John said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
19	And Hero'di-as had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not,
20	for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he was much perplexed; and yet he heard him gladly.
21	But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and the leading men of Galilee.
22	For when Hero'di-as' daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it."
23	And he vowed to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom."
24	And she went out, and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the baptizer."
25	And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."
26	And the king was exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.
27	And immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison,
28	and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.
29	When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.