Saints

**Just AnotherPerson** · 10-21-2019, 09:23 PM

The first Saint I will post on is St John of the Cross. He is one of my favorite Saints of all time. I do not have a religion but I have a love for the saints. They devoted their life and entire heart and Soul to God. I find them to be beautiful. They had a yearning to touch God and have complete union with God. They spent every waking moment in adoration and in love for others. I find that to be beautiful. I will list my favorite saint with some links.

St John of the Cross

st john of the cross.jpg

Here is a Wikipedia link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_the_Cross

Excerpt:

John of the Cross (Spanish: San Juan de la Cruz; 1542^[1] – 14 December 1591), Carmelite friar and priest of Marrano origin, is a major figure of the Spanish Counter-Reformation, a mystic and Roman Catholic saint. He is one of thirty-six Doctors of the Church.John of the Cross is known especially for his writings. He was mentored by and corresponded with the older Carmelite, Teresa of Avila. Both his poetry and his studies on the development of the soul are considered the summit of mystical Spanish literature as of all Spanish literature. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726.

Here is one of his greatest writings of his experience. It is the same as the one included in the video.
http://essene.com/B'nai-Amen/j-ecstasy.htm

I entered into unknowing,
and there I remained unknowing
transcending all knowledge.

1. I entered into unknowing,
yet when I saw myself there,
without knowing where I was,
I understood great things;
I will not say what I felt
for I remained in unknowing
transcending all knowledge.

2. That perfect knowledge
was of peace and holiness
held at no remove
in profound solitude;
it was something so secret
that I was left stammering,
transcending all knowledge.

3. I was so 'whelmed,
so absorbed and withdrawn,
that my senses were left
deprived of all their sensing,
and my spirit was given
an understanding while not understanding,
transcending all knowledge.

4. He who truly arrives there
cuts free from himself;
all that he knew before
now seems worthless,
and his knowledge so soars
that he is left in unknowing
transcending all knowledge.

5. The higher he ascends
the less he understands,
because the cloud is dark
which lit up the night;
whoever knows this
remains always in unknowing
transcending all knowledge.

6. This knowledge in unknowing
is so overwhelming
that wise men disputing
can never overthrow it,
for their knowledge does not reach
to the understanding of not
understanding,
transcending all knowledge.

7. And this supreme knowledge
is so exalted
that no power of man or learning
can grasp it;
he who masters himself
will, with knowledge in
unknowing,
always be transcending.

8. And if you should want to hear:
this highest knowledge lies
in the loftiest sense
of the essence of God;
this is a work of his mercy,
to leave one without
understanding,
transcending all knowledge.

**Just AnotherPerson** · 10-21-2019, 09:38 PM

st catherine.jpg

Here is a wikipedia on St Catherine of Sienna https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_of_Siena

Excerpt:

Catherine of Siena (25 March 1347 – 29 April 1380), a laywoman associated with the Dominican Order, was a mystic, activist, and author who had a great influence on Italian literature and the Catholic Church. Canonized in 1461, she is also a Doctor of the Church.She was born and raised in Siena, and at an early age wanted to devote herself to God, against the will of her parents. She joined the Dominican tertiaries. She made herself known very quickly by being marked by mystical phenomena such as invisible stigmata and a mystical marriage.^[3] Her influence with Pope Gregory XI played a role in his decision to leave Avignon for Rome. She was then sent by him to negotiate peace with Florence. After Gregory XI's death and peace concluded, she returned to Siena. She dictated to secretaries her set of spiritual treatises The Dialogue of Divine Providence. The Great Schism of the West led Catherine of Siena to go to Rome with the pope. She sent numerous letters to princes and cardinals to promote obedience to Pope Urban VI and defend what she calls the "vessel of the Church." She died on 29 April 1380, exhausted by her penances. Urban VI celebrated her funeral and burial in the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome.

Here is one of the letters that St Catherine wrote. This link is also a really great study on her life and works. https://sites.nd.edu/manuscript-stud...mond-of-capua/

For when a soul sees not self for self’s sake, but self for God and God for God, inasmuch as he is supreme eternal Goodness, […] it finds in him the image of his creature, and in itself, that image, it finds him. That is, the love a man sees that God has for him, he, in turn, extends to all creatures, and so at once feels compelled to love his neighbour as himself, for he sees how supremely he himself is loved by God when he beholds himself in the wellspring of the sea of the divine Essence. He is then moved to love self in God and God in self, like a man who, on looking into the water, sees his image there and seeing himself, loves and delights in himself. If he is wise, he will be moved to love the water rather than himself, for had he not first seen himself, he could not have loved or been delighted by himself; nor removed the smudge on his face revealed to him in the well. Think of it like this […]: we see neither our dignity nor the defects that mar the beauty of our soul unless we go and look at ourselves in the still sea of the divine Essence wherein we are portrayed; for from it we came when God’s Wisdom created us to his image and likeness (171-172)

**Just AnotherPerson** · 10-21-2019, 09:55 PM

I will include St Padre Pio he is near and dear to me because I learned of him in a dream. I had never heard of him before. I dreamt of his life, I awoke from my sleep saying his name out loud. I immediately began to research to see if he was a real person. Come to find out yes, he was real. The story I dreamt was really his story.

st Padre Pio.jpg

Wikipedia link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padre_Pio

Excerpt:

Padre Pio, also known as Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Italian: Pio da Pietrelcina), (25 May 1887 – 23 September 1968), was a friar, priest, stigmatist and mystic,^[1] now venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. Born Francesco Forgione, he was given the name of Pius (Italian: Pio) when he joined the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.Padre Pio became famous for exhibiting stigmata for most of his life, thereby generating much interest and controversy. He was both beatified (1999) and canonized (2002) by Pope John Paul II.^[2]The Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina is located in San Giovanni Rotondo, Province of Foggia, Italy.

Here is a prayer he was said to have prayed every single day. Many claim to have had miracles with this prayer.
https://catholicreadings.org/catholi...re-pio-prayer/

The novena prayer was said every day by Padre Pio for all who asked for his prayers.

“I. My Lord Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, ask and it will
be given you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be
opened to you.’ Behold, I knock, I pursue and ask for the grace of (your request)Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

II. O my Lord Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, if you ask
anything of the Father in my name, He will give it to you.’
Behold, in Your name, I beg the Father for the grace of
(your request) Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

III. O my loving Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, heaven and
earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.’
Encouraged by Your unfailing words, I now ask for the grace of
(your request) Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.Blessed Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have
compassion on the afflicted, take pity on us poor sinners
and give us the grace which we ask of You, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your tender mother and ours as well.Hail, Holy Queen… St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us. Amen”

**Just AnotherPerson** · 10-21-2019, 10:11 PM

Kabir left behind some of the most beautiful writings ever written. He described the ultimate with poetry of the soul. I find it to be beautiful beyond words.

kabir.jpg

Here is the Wikipedia link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabir

Excerpt:

Kabir (IAST: Kabīr^[1]) was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, whose writings, according to some scholars, influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement. Many Hindu sects consider him as a reformer and great Bhakt. Kabir's verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib.^[2]^[3]^[4] His most famous writings include his dohas or couplets.Kabir is known for being critical of both Hinduism and Islam, questioning their meaningless rites of initiation such as the sacred thread and circumcision respectively.^[2]^[5] During his lifetime, he was threatened by both Hindus and Muslims for his views.^[6] When he died, both Hindus and Muslims had claimed him as theirs.^[3]^{[note 1]}Kabir suggested that True God is with the person who is on the path of righteousness, and thus considered all creatures on earth as his own self, and was passively detached from the affairs of the world.^[3] Kabir's legacy survives and continues through the Kabir panth ("Path of Kabir"), a religious community that recognises him as its founder and is one of the Sant Mat sects. Its members are known as Kabir panthis

Here is what I believe to be one of his most beautiful works https://selfdefinition.org/kabir/son...poems-1-25.htm

The light of the sun, the moon, and the stars shines bright; The melody of love swells forth, and the rhythm of love's detachment beats the time.

Day and night, the chorus of music fills the heavens; and Kabîr says "My Beloved One gleams like the lightning flash in the sky."

Do you know how the moments perform their adoration?

Waving its row of lamps, the universe sings in worship day and night; there are the hidden banner and the secret canopy; there the sound of the unseen bells is heard.

Kabîr says: "There adoration never ceases; there the Lord of the Universe sitteth on His throne."

The whole world does its works and commits its errors; but few are the lovers who know the Beloved.

The devout seeker is he who mingles in his heart the double currents of love and detachment, like the mingling of the streams of Ganges and Jumna; In his heart the sacred water flows day and night; and thus the round of births and deaths is brought to an end.

Behold what wonderful rest is in the Supreme Spirit! and he enjoys it, who makes himself meet for it.

Held by the cords of love, the swing of the Ocean of Joy sways to and fro; and a mighty sound breaks forth in song.

See what a lotus blooms there without water! and Kabîr says "My heart's bee drinks its nectar."

What a wonderful lotus it is, that blooms at the heart of the spinning wheel of the universe! Only a few pure souls know of its true delight. Music is all around it, and there the heart partakes of the joy of the Infinite Sea.

Kabîr says: "Dive thou into that Ocean of sweetness; thus let all errors of life and of death flee away."

Behold how the thirst of the five senses is quenched there! and the three forms of misery are no more!

Kabîr says: "It is the sport of the Unattainable One; look within, and behold how the moon-beams of that Hidden One shine in you."

There falls the rhythmic beat of life and death; Rapture wells forth, and all space is radiant with light.

There the Unstruck Music is sounded; it is the music of the love of the three worlds. There millions of lamps of sun and of moon are burning; There the drum beats, and the lover swings in play. There love-songs resound, and light rains in showers; and the worshipper is entranced in the taste of the heavenly nectar.

Look upon life and death; there is no separation between them, The right hand and the left hand are one and the same.

Kabîr says: "There the wise man is speechless; for this truth may never be found in Vadas or in books."

I have had my Seat on the Self-poised One, I have drunk of the Cup of the Ineffable, I have found the Key of the Mystery, I have reached the Root of Union.

Travelling by no track, I have come to the Sorrowless Land; very easily has the mercy of the great Lord come upon me.

They have sung of Him as infinite and unattainable; but I in my meditations have seen Him without sight.

That is indeed the sorrowless land, and none know the path that leads there; Only he who is on that path has surely transcended all sorrow.

Wonderful is that land of rest, to which no merit can win; It is the wise who has seen it, it is the wise who has sung of it.

This is the Ultimate Word; but can any express its marvellous savour? He who has savoured it once, he knows what joy it can give.

Kabîr says: "Knowing it, the ignorant man becomes wise, and the wise man becomes speechless and silent, The worshipper is utterly inebriated, His wisdom and his detachment are made perfect; He drinks from the cup of the inbreathings and the outbreathings of love."

There the whole sky is filled with sound, and there that music is made without fingers and without strings; There the game of pleasure and pain does not cease.

Kabîr says: "If you merge your life in the Ocean of Life, you will find your life in the Supreme Land of Bliss."

What a frenzy of ecstasy there is in every hour! and the worshipper is pressing out and drinking the essence of the hours; he lives in the life of Brahma.

I speak truth, for I have accepted truth in life; I am now attached to truth, I have swept all tinsel away.

Kabîr says: "Thus is the worshipper set free from fear; thus have all errors of life and of death left him."

There the sky is filled with music; There it rains nectar; There the harp-strings jingle, and there the drums beat.

What a secret splendour is there, in the mansion of the sky! There no mention is made of the rising and the setting of the sun; In the ocean of manifestation, which is the light of love, day and night are felt to be one. Joy for ever, no sorrow,—no struggle!

There have I seen joy filled to the brim, perfection of joy; No place for error is there.

Kabîr says: "There have I witnessed the sport of One Bliss!"

I have known in my body the sport of the universe; I have escaped from the error of this world. The inward and the outward are become as one sky, the Infinite and the finite are united; I am drunken with the sight of this All!

This Light of Thine fulfils the universe; the lamp of love that burns on the salver of knowledge.

Kabîr says: "There error cannot enter, and the conflict of life and death is felt no more."

**Just AnotherPerson** · 10-21-2019, 10:55 PM

I absolutley love St Francis. The greatest movie ever made of his life is called "Brother Sun Sister Moon". I will include a trailer below. It used to be available on YouTube for free but now you have to pay to watch it. I will include an alternate vid, but it does not do justice.

Assisi Francis Fresco sermon to the birds.jpg

Wikipedia link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi

Excerpt:

Saint Francis of Assisi (Italian: San Francesco d'Assisi, Latin: Sanctus Franciscus Assisiensis), born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, informally named as Francesco (1181/1182 – 3 October 1226),^[2] was an Italian Catholic friar, deacon and preacher. He founded the men's Order of Friars Minor, the women's Order of Saint Clare, the Third Order of Saint Francis and the Custody of the Holy Land. Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in history.^[3]Pope Gregory IX canonized Francis on 16 July 1228. Along with Saint Catherine of Siena, he was designated Patron saint of Italy. He later became associated with patronage of animals and the natural environment, and it became customary for churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on or near his feast day of 4 October. In 1219, he went to Egypt in an attempt to convert the Sultan to put an end to the conflict of the Crusades.^[10] By this point, the Franciscan Order had grown to such an extent that its primitive organizational structure was no longer sufficient. He returned to Italy to organize the Order. Once his community was authorized by the Pope, he withdrew increasingly from external affairs. Francis is also known for his love of the Eucharist.^[11] In 1223, Francis arranged for the first Christmas live nativity scene.^[12]^[13]^[2] According to Christian tradition, in 1224 he received the stigmata during the apparition of Seraphic angels in a religious ecstasy,^[14] which would make him the second person in Christian tradition after St. Paul (Galatians 6:17) to bear the wounds of Christ's Passion.^[15] He died during the evening hours of 3 October 1226, while listening to a reading he had requested of Psalm 142 (141).

Here is the trailer to the Brother Sun Sister Moon Movie. :)

**Common** · 10-22-2019, 02:58 AM

Interesting Thank You for posting, heres some of my favorites

Michael is the patron saint of the Military, Police officers, Firemen, death, and people who work in dangerous conditions. His feast day is celebrated on the 29th of September. St. Michael the Archangel has inspired artists, accompanied souls, and protected God's people throughout the ages as the leader of the angels and a true warrior of God.

https://catholicsaintmedals.com/sain...the-archangel/

**Common** · 10-22-2019, 02:59 AM

St Jude, the Patron Saint of Lost Causes and Impossible situations

https://catholicsaintmedals.com/saints/st-jude/

**Common** · 10-22-2019, 03:12 AM

My favorite of all is

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, who was the first American to be canonized and become a Saint, she is the favorite saint of immigrant and american Italians.

https://www.mothercabrini.org/what-w...e-new-york-ny/

She has a shrine in Upper Manhattan that contains her remains, I was brought there many times as a child, and my Aunt Anna, she had bought me a medal with a relic, a piece of Mother Cabrini's burial shroud, I have it around my neck 24hrs a day, I never remove it, the relic was bought for me when I was 7, it was kept in its box until I went in the military and before I deployed my Aunt Anna told me to put it on and never take it off and I never have. All the chrome or silver plating has long since worn off and its brass colored now.