Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of a saint is like?
Well, of course, they’re all different, but one thing that is shared amongst all the lives of the saints is a commitment to prayer and the Holy Mass.
Let’s take a closer look at how prayer and Mass formed the cornerstone of St. John Vianney’s life.
Often, St. John Vianney would begin his day around 1 or 2 a.m., spending hours in silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. He once said, “Private prayer is like straw scattered here and there: if you set it on fire, it makes a lot of little flames. But join these straws together in a bundle and light them, and you get a mighty fire, rising like a column into the sky.”
Unlike most of us, 6 in the morning was the highlight of St. John Vianney’s day. It was at this early morning hour that he would celebrate Mass. His love and intense reverence during the liturgy often moved people to tears.
We are only at breakfast time and St. John Vianney’s day has already been filled with more prayer than most of us get in throughout a whole week. And it doesn’t even stop there!
After Mass, St. John Vianney would spend up to 16 hours in the confessional. It was during these long, difficult hours that he gained a reputation as a powerful confessor. Fueled by the Mass and hours in prayer, his confessions were incredibly healing. Pilgrims from across France sought his counsel and absolution. He encouraged penitents with a reminder: “The good God will forgive you if you do not despair of His mercy.”
One can only imagine a weary St. John Vianney exiting the confessional after one of these long days spent bringing God’s mercy and absolution to hundreds. A normal person would take the night off after a day like his, but not St. John Vianney…he simply would turn his eyes up to heaven in gratitude for another day in the confessional and begin his additional ministries.
His evenings were filled with catechesis, teaching children and adults about the Faith, and visiting the sick.
Finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon and day began to close, St. John Vianney was ready to wind down his evening. He would end his day just as he began it: in peaceful prayer. He would pray the Rosary and reflect on the lives of the saints. As he closed his eyes at the end of his day, he would lay his head down on a hard bed, or even on the floor.
Whew, what a day.
Now, while we should all be inspired after reading about how St. John Vianney spent his days, we should not be discouraged if ours do not look like his! We all have different vocations, and our prayers and penances will look different depending on our roles and responsibilities. We can draw inspiration from St. John’s life and, according to our own abilities, apply his dedication, prayerfulness, and love to our own busy days.
You don’t need to wake up at 1 a.m. or spend hours in a confessional in order to fully give your day to God—but you do need discipline and a plan. The Saintmaker: 90 Planner and Journal is the perfect way to start modeling your life after the saints. Combining the science of positive psychology with ancient Catholic mystical tradition, The Saintmaker is a one-of-a-kind guided spiritual journal and life planning system to help you create the life you dream of, become a more fulfilled person, and deepen your faith. Available today from The Catholic Company!
