Feast of Saint Bridget of Sweden

Good morning. It can be difficult to always be giving. We ask ourselves, “Why am I always the one that has to do this or that?” "I'm tired of being the one that's always giving!" “I’m not interested in that tonight.” Sometimes we decide to wait the other one out, and we wait, and we wait…. We wait for a sign from our partner that they’re as committed to this relationship; that they care as much as we do. I guess it is part of our nature to want proof, to look for signs of one another's commitment and love. We all want signs, it was no different when Jesus was walking about. In today’s Gospel Jesus is put-out by the Pharisees request for further signs, further proof of His divinity. We too find ourselves needing reassurance, sometimes it just isn’t enough to take it on faith, we want proof, and we want signs. Sometimes our partners need a little something special for that assurance that we are as dedicated and committed as they, this can be a real challenge sometimes, especially when it seems we’re already working overtime; but it can be quite rewarding. 

Real love, the love Jesus calls each one of us to, is shown through a daily commitment to serve each other, to give even when it seems we’re the only one giving. Real giving is not about what I want. We see in the lives of the saints many examples of self-giving love. This is seen in the life of Saint Bridget whose life we honor today. Michelle Weiner-Davis in her book The Sex-Starved Marriage says, “Real giving is when you give to your spouse not what you want or need but that which your spouse wants and needs.” That’s what real giving in all about.  And as an added bonus, when our spouse feels given to and loved in his/her way, he or she will want to give back the vast majority of the time. Make a great day!

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Bridget of Sweden.