Saint of the Day: The Prophet Zechariah

(6^th century BC)

His life

+ Zechariah was a Jewish prophet, traditionally considered to the be the author of the Book of Zechariah.

+ A prophet of the Kingdom of Judah, he was of the priestly class, which helps us to understand his emphasis on the Temple and on the city of Jerusalem in his writings.

+ The Book of Zechariah is characterized by a sense of hope that the God will bring to fulfillment the promises made in and through the previous prophets and that all nations will come to honor God as their King and Ruler.

For prayer and reflection

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Judge with true justice, and show kindness and compassion toward each other. Do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the resident alien or the poor; do not plot evil against one another in your heart.”—Zechariah 7:9-10

Spiritual bonus

On September 7, we also remember Saint Regina, a convert to the Christian Faith who was driven out of her family home after her conversion. She supported herself by working as a shepherdess until she was imprisoned and tortured by order of the Roman proconsul Olybrius for refusing to deny her faith and become his wife. Saint Regina died around the year 286 in Autun (in modern-day France).

Prayer

Almighty and eternal God, who by glorifying the Saints, bestow on us fresh proofs of your love, graciously grant that, commended by their intercession and spurred on by their example, we may be faithful in imitating your Only Begotten Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(from The Roman Missal: Common of Holy Men and Women)

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.