Today in the book In Caelo et in Terra, we read about a very interesting saint named Kateri Takakwitha. She was a Native American from the Mohawk tribe. She and her parents contracted smallpox when she was very young, and were taken in and cared for by their relatives. Her mother was a Christian, and shared her faith with Kateri before she, her husband, and her son all died from smallpox. Kateri was scarred and partially blinded by the disease.
Then Jesuits came to her part of upstate New York and she was thrilled to hear more about the God that her mom had taught her about. She decided to devote her life to become a religious sister. She faced strong opposition from her Mohawk tribe, and she finally had to run away and join another community in order to practice her Christian faith. She started an order of religious sisters, and her spirituality was found in worshiping Jesus out in nature. She would carve crosses into trees and pray to God there. It was beautiful how she was able to take her Christian faith and transform her Mohawk culture and heritage into something beautiful. She was only 24 years old when she died, just like Therese of Lisieux.
You can read more about her here.
One great lesson we can learn from Kateri is to allow the truth and beauty of Jesus to permeate our culture and our lives. We need never worry that our culture will overpower the gospel - the goodness and truth of God will always overcome and transform when we allow it to shine brightly through us.
God, thanks for teaching us through this amazing young saint. St Kateri Takakwitha, pray for us.
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