Day 8:  Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

When she was just four years old, her parents and little brother died in a smallpox epidemic in upstate New York.  Kateri barely survived the virus, which left her face disfigured and her eyesight ruined.  Because of the epidemic, her tribe (the Mohawks) burnt down their entire village in attempts to stop the contagion from spreading further.  Kateri moved with them to a new area under the guidance of her uncle.  Since he was opposed to Christianity, Kateri had to wait until age 19 to be baptized.  She chose the name Catherine for her baptismal name, after Saint Catherine of Siena. 

While other members of her tribe ridiculed her for being Catholic, Kateri passionately lived her faith.  She found much peace praying in the solitude of the woods.  While her past had left her deeply scarred, both physically and emotionally, Kateri found comfort in time spent alone with God in prayer.  As hostile treatment by her family and neighbors verged towards violence, Kateri escaped to a Catholic community 200 miles away, near Montreal.  There she continued to actively practice her faith, teaching children how to pray, and caring for the infirm and elderly members of the community.  She died at age 24 in 1680, and was declared a saint in 2012.  Her feast day is July 14.

Questions for Reflection 

Saint Kateri lived her faith passionately even though she was not always supported by her friends and family members.  How is God calling you to practice your faith even when it might not be popular with your peers? 

Saint Kateri had to adjust to a “new normal” after the epidemic destroyed her family and her village.  How will you need to adjust to a new normal as the COVID-19 situation unfolds?  What virtues and spiritual practices will you need to adopt in order to embrace this new normal with patience?  How will you integrate prayer into your new routine to find inner peace like Saint Kateri?

Prayer

Lord God,

You gave Saint Kateri peace through her union with you in prayer.

Give us the same peace during these challenging days.

May the wounds we carry motivate us to seek you out more diligently in daily prayer.    

Grant us the grace to accept change patiently and to be open to your plan even when it is different than our own.  May we find stability in your unchanging truth and love, as we follow your will and obediently accept our vocation in the Church. 

We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son. Amen.

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, pray for us!