Dear Friends in Christ,
January 7th is the feast day of St. Raymond of Peñafort, a model of a man born into nobility who seemed to make the most of his God-given talents.
Well educated, he was teaching philosophy by age 20. In his early 30s he earned doctorates in civil and Church law. And in his 40s, as a Dominican religious, he compiled the Decretals, a collection of Church laws that remained a key reference into the early 20th century.
At age 60 he was named an archbishop, an honor he didn’t relish. Two years, later he stepped down — only to be elected master general of the Dominicans.
Two years after that at age 65, he stepped down but kept busy with battling heresies. He died at age 100, in 1275.
Like the servant in the parable who received the five talents and doubled them (Matthew 25:14ff), Raymond used his talents and time effectively.
His example could be an inspiration for those of us still scrambling for a New Year’s resolution.
One suggestion would be to focus on the use of time in 2025. Irreplaceable and irretrievable, it’s one of the most valuable gifts we have. Yet it is easy to squander, especially in this age of social media and the Internet.
Now is as good a moment as ever to commit to a goal this year, maybe attending Mass or praying the rosary daily, or getting involved in volunteer work at the parish.
Above all, see 2025 as a time for spiritual growth. To that end, our Retreat Guide on such growth might be helpful: Seasons of Change: A Retreat Guide on Spiritual Growth.
There is no better time than now to make progress … since we can’t count on making it to age 100 like Raymond.
In Christ,
Father Edward McIlmail, LC
Ask a Priest contributor
