November 4: Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop—Memorial

Read entire reflection online >>>November 4: Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop—Memorial1538–1584Patron Saint of apple orchards, bishops, catechism writers, catechists, catechumens, seminarians, starchmakers, and spiritual directorsInvoked against abdominal pain, colic, stomach diseases, and ulcersCanonized by Pope Paul V on November 1, 1610Liturgical Color: WhiteQuote: Most dearly beloved brethren, If you should look diligently into what was written in the Old Law about the excellence and purity of priests and other ministers serving the altar, and what was written about external cleanliness of body, it will surely enough become clear to you how much more excellent and pure, and how much more free from all stain and blemish of body, and even more of soul, the ministers and priests of the Law of the Gospel must be. For if we compare the New Law’s most holy sacrifice of the immaculate Lamb, the sacrifice of the Son of our God and Lord offered daily on the altar to God the Father for our sins, with those irrational victims slaughtered in the Temple of Solomon on prescribed days, what else will that be, if not to compare shadow to reality, darkness to light, earth to heaven, or rather brute animals to the most high God of gods, our savior Jesus Christ? ~Saint Charles Borromeo to newly ordained priestsPrayer:Saint Charles Borromeo, you were born into privilege, but once ordained, you became a fervent follower of Christ and a holy shepherd of God’s people. Please pray for me, that I will follow your example of Church reform by applying the fervor you had to my own soul and family. May all I do always be done for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Saint Charles Borromeo, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: mycatholic.lifeCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Image from Lawrence OP, Flickr