Aug 21 – Memorial for St. Pius X, pope
St. Pius X (1835-1914) encouraged frequent Holy Communion. He reformed the liturgy, promoted clear and simple homilies, and brought Gregorian chant back to services. He also reorganised the Roman curia, the administrative elements of the Church, and worked against the modern antagonism of the state against the Church. His other contributions to the Church included: initiating the codification of canon law, promoting Bible reading by all the faithful, and supporting foreign missions. His will read: “I was born poor; I lived poor; I wish to die poor.”
- Patron Saint Index
Eze 37:1-14
Mt 22:34-40
“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
As I train for my marathon, the first thing I listen to during my runs is Bishop Robert Barron’s meditation on the Rosary mysteries for that day. I am not sure why, but it always puts me in the right frame of mind, no matter how far I have to run.
In his reflection on Jesus carrying the Cross, Bishop Barron says that carrying our cross means learning to love what Jesus loved and to despise what He despised. Not to despise people, but to reject sin, pride, injustice and everything that draws us away from God.
That, to me, is what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind.
To love God with all my heart is to let Him shape what I desire — to learn to love mercy, truth, and goodness more than recognition, comfort, or control.
To love Him with all my soul is to remain faithful, even when it is difficult. Marathon training cannot depend on whether I feel motivated that day. In the same way, faith is not only about the moments when prayer feels easy. Sometimes, loving God simply means continuing to show up and placing one foot in front of the other.
To love Him with all my mind is to allow the Gospel to shape the way I think: how I understand success, how I judge others and how I respond when God’s will differs from my own.
Perhaps that is why I begin each run with the Rosary. My training plan tells me how far to go and what pace to keep, but prayer reminds me who God is calling me to become along the way. Following Christ is not simply about enduring what is difficult. It is allowing Him, step by step, to shape my heart, strengthen my soul and renew my mind, so that I learn to love what He loves and turn away from what draws me from Him.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Stacey Fernandez)
Prayer: Lord, teach me to love what You love and to turn away from what draws me from You. May I love You not only with my words, but with my whole heart, my whole soul and my whole mind. Amen.
Thanksgiving: Lord, thank You for Your love and for the strength to keep going. Amen.
OXYGEN 
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