It’s the Feast of Advent Feria, 2nd Class, with the color of Violet. In this episode: the meditation: “The O Antiphons: O Rex Gentium, Penance and Reconciliation”, today’s news from the Church: “Australian Ban on Social Media Access for People Under 16 Years of Age”, a preview of the Sermon: “A Man in Love”, and today’s thought from the Archbishop.
Blessed Jacopone da Todi lived one of the most dramatic conversions of the Middle Ages, moving from worldly success to radical poverty through suffering and grace. He was born around 1230 in Todi, Italy, and trained as a lawyer. Intelligent, ambitious, and well connected, Jacopone enjoyed the comforts and honors of public life. He married a noblewoman and seemed set for a prosperous future. All of that changed suddenly when his wife was killed in a tragic accident during a public celebration.
While grieving her death, Jacopone discovered that she had been secretly wearing a hair shirt as an act of penance. This revelation shattered him. He realized how little he had understood her interior life and how shallow his own priorities had been. For years afterward, he lived in deep sorrow and repentance, eventually renouncing his wealth and embracing a life of radical poverty. He joined the Franciscan Order as a lay brother, choosing humility, obscurity, and penance rather than status or recognition.
Jacopone became known for his sharp wit, fearless criticism of corruption, and passionate love for...