Seven Quick Takes



1. The saint of the day for March 13 is St. Euphrasia.

Saint Euphrasia (382-412), born in Constantinople, was the daughter of Antigonus, senator of Constantinople and related to Roman Emperor Theodosius I.  Her parents were pious people who gave generously to the poor. After her father died, she and her mother became wards of Emperor Theodosius.

When Euphrasia was only five years old, the emperor arranged a marriage for her to the son of a senator. Two years later, she and her mother moved to their estate in Egypt. There, at the age of seven, Euphrasia decided to enter a monastery. Her mother died soon afterward of natural causes, leaving her an orphan. At the age of twelve, Euphrasia was ordered by the Emperor Aracdius, successor to Theodosius, to marry the senator’s son as arranged. Euphrasia requested that she be relieved of the marriage arrangement, that the emperor sell off her family property, and that he use the money to feed the poor and buy the freedom of slaves. Arcadius agreed, and Euphrasia spent her life in the Egyptian monastery.

Euphrasia was blessed with the gift of healing. Through her prayers, she healed a deaf, dumb and crippled child, and she delivered a woman from possession by the devil.

Known for her strong prayer life, and her frequent fasting; she sometimes spent the day carrying heavy stones from one place to another to exhaust her body and to distract her mind from temptations.

St. Euphrasia died peacefully at the age of 30. She is held up as a model by Saint John Damascene.



2.  This week, I was busy preparing for the first part of my Lenten series at the Spiritual Life Center, Lent with Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcuttla. Next week, I will be giving part two, Lent with Pope St. John Paul II. These two saints are so special to me for many reasons and I am very excited about these presentations. Please join me in praying that they will be fruitful for those who attend.

3. This week it has been exceptionally warm for this time of year. Temperatures shot up to 78 today, so I have begun getting out my spring and summer clothes. Hopefully, there will be no more snow or cold weather!

4. What have you been cooking for Lent? Tomorrow, we are having gluten free fish sticks, veggie pizza, and a salad. It's been too hot in my kitchen to do much cooking and I am not quite ready to turn on the air conditioning in my house, though I have been tempted. These should cook up quickly. Esther at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii has been sharing new meatless recipes weekly. Check out her latest one -- it looks delicious!



5. This past week we celebrated the feasts of some wonderful women saints: Sts. Perpetua and Felicity: Mothers and Martyrs, St. Frances of Rome: Wife, Mother, Mystic,   St. Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart, and St. Serpahina: Patron of the Physically Challenged.

6. If you are like me, you probably aren't watching many secular movies this Lent, but this one attracted my attention, after I read the review at Decent Films and watched this:



7. Something to Ponder:




 Have a wonderful weekend!

 Jean

 For more Quick Takes, go visit This Ain't The Lyceum. 




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