Today we read about St Mary Euphrasia in the book In Caelo et in Terra. She was born in France during the French Revolution, which was a difficult time to be Catholic. All of the local priests had been hunted down and killed, so her father, a doctor, baptized her. Her father died when she was young and she was sent to boarding school. While there, she learned that her mother had also died and the funeral had already happened. She was devastated.
She joined a local convent and soon rose to be in charge. She founded an order of contemplative nuns, and used the deep sorrow in her heart to help her care for those who were hurting in her world. She said, "One person is of more value than a world."
This agrees with CS Lewis, who pointed out that a human being will exist forever, while a planet or a country will only exist for a short time.
You can read more about St Mary Euphrasia here.
This story brings up a challenge that I've been working on in my life. To realize the great value of every person, even the annoying or unpleasant ones. I'm trying to be more like St Therese of Liseux, who loved everyone so successfully that no one knew who she liked and who she didn't because she treated them all with sweet kindness and love.
I've got a long way to go.
God, thanks for the wonderful example of this French woman, who used her sorrow to help those who were hurting. St Mary Euphrasia, pray for us.
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