October 20: ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS: The School of the Cross

St. Paul of the Cross built an entire religious order around one conviction: that gazing at Jesus's suffering teaches us how loved we are.

After receiving the rule for his new congregation during forty days of prayer and fasting, Paul spent decades preaching so powerfully about Christ's Passion that hardened sinners wept and returned to confession after years away. Remarkably, he continued preaching that same love for forty-five years while experiencing almost no personal consolation in prayer himself, staying faithful through the driest, darkest stretch imaginable.

"You cannot gaze long at what God was willing to endure for you and remain unchanged."

Paul's challenge doesn't have to end when the episode does. Our free Family Pack has a saint calendar, feast-day activity pages, and family discussion questions to keep it going at home — free when you subscribe: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/pages/every-days-a-feast-day-follow-along