Who inspires you?

The word inspiration means “to breathe into.” It is the breath of inspiration that often moves us from inaction to action, from aimless wandering to purposeful intent. A single encounter with an amazingly inspiring person can change our whole lives. 

So, I’ll ask you again: Who inspires you? They can be living or dead. Do you spend enough time with those people? 

One amazing encounter with a saint inspired Saint John of God to change his whole life. 

Initially, John’s life was tumultuous. At the age of eight, he mysteriously disappeared, and was probably kidnapped. He turned up in Spain, away from his home in Portugal, and became a soldier in the war between Spain and France. He carried on this soldier’s life into his forties. Then came the encounter that changed everything.

John was in Granada, Spain, and decided to go to Mass. The priest celebrating that day happened to be Saint John of Ávila. And his homily set John of God’s heart on fire. We do not know what the homily is about, but we do know what happened next: John devoted his life to caring for the poor, and God worked so many miracles through him that he eventually became known as “Saint John of God.”

Saint John of God had his whole life changed by one inspiring homily, but he continued to get daily doses of inspiration from John of Ávila and others. We all need a daily dose of inspiration.

One of the great gifts of technology is the continuous access to amazing inspiration. There is nothing like live music, but being able to listen to music written centuries ago is extraordinary. And even before this wealth of music became accessible through technology, we could pick up a book and explore the greatest thinkers on any topic from any age. That too is extraordinary.

Are you getting your daily dose of inspiration?

Patron Saint of: Booksellers, Printers, Firefighters, Heart Patients, Hospitals, Nurses, The Sick, The Mentally Ill, and The Dying

Symbols: A Pomegranate and a Cross

Feast Day: March 8

Feast Day Shared By: Saint Senan of Scattery

Canonized: October 16, 1690

Canonized By: Pope Alexander VIII