Feast Day of Saint Lydwine Schiedam

IMPORTANT FACTS:

Saint Lydwine was filled with sorrow because she could not stand the pain but the pain increased
each day.She soon was frustrated and bitter.She wondered,"Why had God let this happen to her?
What did he want from her? And what could she still give to him anyway?" One day,the parish priest,
Father John, came to visit and pray with her.He saw that she needed help to gain her trust in Jesus
and to see through her sufferings the great glory that she is going to earn for having to suffer this way.
She began to realize the beautiful gift that she would give to Jesus: she would suffer for him.She
learned to offer her sufferings to console Jesus,who had suffered so much on the cross.Her suffering
became a beautiful prayer to God. Little by little, she began to understand her sufferings.

The Celestial Holy Hosts appeared before Lydwine and her family.All were shocked that they knelt down in amazement before her.

She soon learned that through her agony,she must remain devouted to Jesus.She prayed almost
constantly and continued experiencing visions, with a number of miracles being reported at her bedside.
This happen because the Lord was pleased with her offerings and He made her strong through her sufferings.For 38 years, Lydwine suffered. It seemed impossible that she could remain alive in such
serious condition but God comforted her in many ways. She was good to everyone who came to her
poor little room.She prayed to God and suffered for their special intentions.They knew God would
listen to her. Lydwine's special love was for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.For many years, she seemed
to live only on Holy Communion.

At the end of her life, Lidwina said,

"If I live to be healthy by Ave Maria again

 I would not want to." 

During final sufferings,Saint Lydwine was given the gift of visions.One of the visions was,she said she saw a rosebush and an inscription that read: "When this shall be in bloom, your suffering will be at an end." In the spring of 1433, she said  she saw the roses bloom in her vision.On Easter morning of that year, she had a vision of Jesus giving the Last Sacrament to her.She died on the 14th of April of that year.There were several miracles recorded by those that visited her in her bedroom during her suffering.Pope Leo XIII of the Roman Catholic Church canonized the skater and made her a saint. 


PRAYER TO SAINT LYDWINE:
O Glorious Saint Lydwine of Schiedam,you were chosen by Christ to suffer immense pain for poor sinners and to offer up all your sufferings to Him.Intercede on our behalf and help us through our small sufferings that cannot be compared to yours.Grant us the grace to trust completely in Jesus even during times of deep sorrow and confusions.Help us to always place our petitions in the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary who on our behalf will offer up our petitions to Jesus like how she did kindly for you.May we be given the grace to persevere in sufferings until the Lord calls us home to enjoy the Glory of Heaven.Amen.
Saint Lydwine, whose life was filled with intense sufferings for poor sinners,pray for us!