Saint of the Day for 1 April
Saint of the Day 1 April: Celebrating the Lives of the Church’s Saints
Every day, the Catholic Church honors a saint or blessed who stood out for their faith, dedication, and love for God. The Saint of the Day is an opportunity for the faithful to learn more about the history of the Church and be inspired by the witness of these men and women who lived according to Christ’s teachings.
The Meaning of the Saint of the Day
The celebration of the Saint of the Day is a Church tradition that helps us remember those who were examples of faith and holiness. Saints may have been martyrs who gave their lives defending their faith, missionaries who spread the Gospel, or ordinary people who lived in deep communion with God through simplicity.
Learning about each saint’s story inspires us to live with more love, patience, and hope. It also reminds us that we are all called to holiness.
Why Do We Celebrate the Saints?
Saints serve as models of Christian life. Their stories show us that, despite challenges, it is possible to live according to God’s will. Moreover, the faithful often seek the intercession of saints, believing that they are close to God and can pray for our needs.
Following the Saint of the Day is a way to strengthen our spiritual journey and learn from those who dedicated their lives to serving God. May we follow their examples and strive each day to live with greater love, faith, and hope!
🙏 May today’s Saint of the Day intercede for us and inspire us to live according to God’s will!
He wanted to be a monk, but for 50 years he governed the diocese of Grenoble. He was selected by Pope Gregory VII to restore the customs of the clergy and teach the people. He was also confirmed by the seven successive Popes, the last of whom, Innocent II, canonized him in 1134.
Bishop of the city of Salona, in present-day Croatia, St. Venantius, who lived between the 3rd and 4th centuries, is venerated together with Saints Anastasius, Maurus, Paulinianus, Telius, Aterius, Septimius, Antiochianus and Gaianus, his companions in martyrdom, like him from Dalmatia and Istria.
Liturgical Calendar
1 April: Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Today's Readings and Gospel
Reading 1 :
Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12
Verse Before the Gospel :
Psalm 51:12a, 14a
Gospel :
John 5:1-16
Liturgical vestments: Purple
“Let us be displeased with ourselves when we sin, because sins displeases God. And because we are not in fact without sin, let us at least be like God in this respect, that what displeases him displeases us.” (Saint Augustine)
“The Church's doors are always open. The Church is Jesus’ house and Jesus welcomes. And if the people are wounded, what does Jesus do? Does He rebuke them for being wounded? No, He comes and carries them on his shoulders. This is called mercy.” (Francis)
“Jesus performed acts, such as pardoning sins, that manifested him to be the Savior God himself. Certain Jews, who did not recognize God made man, saw in him only a man who made himself God (Jn 10:33), and judged him as a blasphemer.” (Catechism of The Catholic Church, Nº 594)
Jesus says to him: “Rise, take up your mat, and walk” (v. 8). “Immediately the man became well” (v. 9). That man’s attitude makes us think. Was he sick? Yes, perhaps he had some form of paralysis, but it seems he could walk a little. But his heart was sick, his soul was sick, he was sick with pessimism, he was sick with sadness, he was sick with apathy. This is the disease the man had: “Yes, I want to live, but…”, he was there. And his answer is not, “Yes, I want to be healed!” No, it was to complain: “The others arrive first, always the others”. His answer to Jesus’ offer to heal him is a complaint about others. And in this way, he spent thirty-eight years complaining about others. And he did nothing to heal himself. (…) And let us think also of ourselves, if any of us are in danger of slipping into that apathy, into that “neutral” sin: the neutral sin is this, neither white nor black, one does not know what it is. And this is a sin the devil uses to annihilate our spiritual life and also our life as people. May the Lord help us understand how bad and how evil this sin is. (Santa Marta, 24 March 2020)