I don’t normally write about the saint a mission was named for, but today I’m finding solace in Santa (Saint) Barbara. She was a third century pagan who was beheaded for converting to Christianity. Her passion for her faith and her call to Christ was deeper than any fear of torture. She followed her cross.

Friday we celebrate the Feast of the Passion of John The Baptist, the first saint of the church was incarcerated for converting people to Christianity and then beheaded. He followed his cross.

Last week the world watched as terrorists behead the American journalist James Foley, and in the days following we all read about his passion for drawing attention to the suffering of people and for the comfort he found in prayer and faith. He was following his cross.

Not all of us will be called to die for what we believe in, but if we are carrying and embrace our cross we will suffer for it. Most of us will merely suffer humiliation and condemnation in the name of Christ, so today I find solace in the lives of Saint Barbara, John the Baptist and the American, James Foley. May the light of their lives shine in the dark places that we may find ourselves as we carry our cross.

I leave you with this prayer written by Mary Knoll Sister, Ita Ford

I hope you come to find that which gives life a deep meaning for you…
something worth living for, maybe even worth dying for…
something that energizes you, enthuses you, enables you to keep moving ahead. I can’t tell you what it might be — that’s for you to find, to choose, to love. I can just encourage you to start looking, and support you in the search.