Today our Church honors the life of an Italian priest, St Paul of the Cross.  A unique way of being known, by the Cross of Jesus crucified, this man was born in 1694 and later, in 1775, died having traversed his native land preaching and teaching Jesus Christ and his passion.  His mission during his lifetime was, in the words of St. Paul the Apostle, "... but we preach Jesus crucified.

Another saint, Vincent Strambi, was the first to compose a biography of Paul of the Cross.  He witnessed the work of the Holy Spirit in Paul's life as one lifted up by the Spirit to "help people find God in their hearts."  Paul believed that the easiest way to "find God" in one's heart is through prayer and reflection on the Passion of Jesus Christ.  It is the Passion that is the "most overwhelming sign of God's love for us."  It was his through his prayers and countless sacrifices, especially the penances he imposed on himself, that Paul was to establish the religious congregation we know as the Passionists.  Interesting is the official titles of the congregation that eventually had two divisions, one for priests and the other for religious sisters, was titled the "Discalced Clerks of the Holy Cross and Passion of Our Lord."  Interesting because this St. Paul went about his preaching missions never wearing shoes, regardless of the weather.

He earned the appellation of "Paul of the Cross" because he always carried a large wooden crucifix of the crucified Jesus.  Even today Passionist priests carry a large crucifix tucked into the cincture (belt) of their habits.

For us today the passion of Jesus does not seem to be a facet of the Lord's life in the prayers of some Catholics.  We tend to be a people of the Resurrection and the daily missionary life of Jesus.  But it was Paul's ardent dedication to the passion as well as his outstanding devotion to the mother of Jesus, Mary, that brought about many, many conversions.  It was his lifestyle, which in today's world would be considered either extraordinarily severe or perhaps cynically as crazy that in fact gave much support and encouragement to the people in their efforts to make reparation for their sins.

St Paul of the Cross, pray for us.