Skip to main content

Saint John of the Cross

Saint John of the Cross: Feast Day Dec. 14th


Today we celebrate Saint John of the Cross, a Carmelite priest he knew Saint Teresa of Avila and is best known for his writings and poetry. During his life, he sought to embrace the “cross,” which he had chosen as part of his religious name. Through the various crosses he experienced during his life, Saint John’s faith only grew. He was a great theologian and is considered a “Doctor of the Church.” If you like poetry, Saint John of the Cross wrote the beautiful poem, “Spiritual Canticle,” a verse where he converses with the Lord. You can read his Spiritual Canticle here from the Poetry Foundation. Here also is an article from, Franciscan Media, if you would like further reading on Saint John of the Cross.

Celebrating Through Food:

To celebrate Saint John of the Cross, make “Johnny Cakes.” Here is a great recipe for these cornbread-style pancakes from “The Spruce Eats,” or if you’re a spur of the moment type of person like me, you can use a package of Jiffy corn muffin mix. Make the mix as directed, and then fry the batter up as pancakes on a griddle greased with butter. Serve these yummy corn cakes warm with drizzled honey and butter on top cut in the shape of a cross.


Celebrating Through a Craft and Activity:

To go along with Saint John’s religious name, make popsicle stick cross ornaments. Write Saint John’s name on the ornament and hang it on your tree.


Another activity you and your family can try doing today is writing a poem. Close your eyes and sit in silence for a while, reflecting upon the Lord, and then start writing the first words, phrases, etc. that come to mind. You can also use this handy-dandy template I’ve made below to help you.

My Lord, I reflect upon your wonder and feel____________. Your greatness is so ________ I can only _________. When I think of you I find I _______________ and can only _________.  Teach me Lord to ____________. Help me ___________ and _________. Keep me focused on _________. Be _____________, and my _________. Always be at my side. 


May you and your family have a truly blessed day celebrating Saint John of the Cross! Oh holy Saint John of the Cross, mystical poet and theologian, pray that my family and I may grow in faith and wisdom, drawing ever closer to the Lord. Amen. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Feast Day: Nov. 17th  Saint Elizabeth of Hungary has always held a special place in my heart since she is my confirmation saint. If I'm being honest, when I was reading about saints back in the eighth grade, trying to choose which saint I wanted to take as my patron, my requirements were as follows: (1) She couldn't die a horrible death, (2) She was married with kids, (3) and her life was pretty good allowing her to serve God and others through the blessings she'd been given. In hindsight, my list of "requirements" was probably a little superficial, but now as an adult I focus more on the virtues and saintly qualities of Saint Elizabeth, and find inspiration in how she lived. She was humble, a kind and loving wife and mother, and very generous to the poor. She also made plenty of time to pray and grow in her relationship with the Lord. On her wedding day, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, who was a princess, did not wear a crown. Instead she s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Study the Saints

Study the Saints: As I write this post, four days into the New Year, I’m called to reflect upon what New Year’s Resolution I can make that will be the most beneficial for my family and myself. A word that’s inspiring and that comes to mind is “Saints.” Celebrating the Saints on their feast days is wonderful and has been a blessing to my family. My children have learned about various holy men, women, and children from all places of the world and times in history, and they have been able to try foods from various cultures. I love how the Catholic Church is universal! Matthew Kelly wrote a book entitled Rediscover the Saints that I read last year, and I believe it has been part of a catalyst that has taken me to the next level of learning about the Saints. Celebrating saintly feast days is wonderful, but taking the time to read the actual writings of the Saints can be an even bigger game changer and blessing in your life and the lives of your family members. To date, I’ve only read the D...
Post a Comment
Read more

Saint John Neumann

Saint John Neumann: Feast Day Jan. 5th Saint John Neumann, the first American Bishop to be canonized and Patron Saint of Catholic Education, has a special place in my heart. My late grandfather’s name was John Neumann, and when my brother was confirmed, he selected our grandfather to be his sponsor and chose Saint John Neumann as his patron. I like to reflect on the reality that as our grandfather, John Neumann, stood beside him as his sponsor, Saint John Neumann prayed in Heaven for my brother at his Confirmation. Aside from this neat family name connection with a Saint, as a former teacher I also find Saint John Neumann to be inspiring, since he helped increase the number of Catholic schools while he was Bishop of Philadelphia and brought numerous religious sisters into the schools to teach. Faith instruction of children and young people was definitely important to Saint John Neumann. If you are interested in reading more about Saint John Neumann, check out this article from Francis...
Post a Comment
Read more