Today is the feast day of Saint Casimir Jagiellon. Known as the patron saint of Poland, Lithuania, and young people, his saintly life can be seen as a reminder to be true to your convictions toward God in the face of worldly pressures and allure.
Born in the mid-fifteenth century, he was the son of Poland’s King Casmir IV and was the third of thirteen children. Given the privilege into which he was born, he received excellent training in politics and was being groomed for the courtly life. The king had desires to expand his kingdom and power and thus put immense pressure on his son, placing him in positions which would accomplish this end.
In the end, the future saint persevered in his desires to pursue not the worldly designs for his life, but rather to serve those of his heavenly father. His love for God was exemplified by means of his life of prayer, his generosity to the poor, and he was known to be a man of compassion who empathized deeply with the suffering of others.
He accentuated his love for God by means of an ascetical life. He rejected the glamorous attire of his royal station, wearing plain clothes under which he even wore a hair shirt. He was known to sleep on the ground, and he spent long nights in prayer and meditation on the sufferings of Christ.
On the 500th anniversary of his death, Pope John Paul II lauded St. Casimir’s extraordinary life of heroic virtue toward the poor and needy.
May we all endeavor to remain true to the inspirations of God in our lives and to follow His call even in the face of opposition.
St. Casimir, pray for us!
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