Prayer for Protection from Despair |by St. Claude de la Colombiere |Apostle of Love and Mercy
The saint of the day for February 15 is St. Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682), a Jesuit missionary, (1641-1682), a Jesuit missionary, who was the brilliant and pious spiritual director of St. Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. Claude de la Colombiere is best known for his association with St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and the devotion of the Sacred Heart, but his life has its own drama. He was sent to England after his spiritual direction of St. Margaret Mary was over and became entangled in the Titus Oates “Popish Plot,” was imprisoned, then exiled from England. His story is part of the history of the seventeenth century. “Lord, I am in this world to show Your mercy to others.Other people will glorify Youby making visible the power of Your graceby their fidelity and constancy to You.For my part I will glorify Youby making known how good You are to sinners,that Your mercy is boundlessand that no sinner no matter how great his offencesshould have reason to despair of pardon.If I have grievously offended You, My Redeemer,let me not offend You even moreby thinking that You are not kind enough to pardon me. Amen”