"In the world" yet "not of the world"

I've been reading about St. Kathine Drexel as some of my school work.  I wrote a small report from a question I was asked after reading about St. Katherine's life.  The question was: How did the Drexal famliy stay "in the world" yet remain "not of the world"?  Here's my answer:

There are many evils, like greed, anger, selfishness, laziness, jealousy and more that can overwhelm the good in a person, if that person allows.  St. Katherine Drexel and her family didn’t let the good in them be destroyed. By staying focused on God with lots of prayer and charity, the Drexel’s were “in the world” yet remained “not of the world”.

Francis Drexel  (the father of St. Katherine Drexel and the rest of the Drexel family) gave a strong example of prayer and its importance and his wife Emma Drexel (the mother) gave a strong example of charity and how to put it into action. With these lessons, St. Katharine Drexel went on to build schools and funded them for Native Americans and people of color.

Francis Drexel took prayer very seriously and kept his family focused in prayer.  He made sure that every evening was set aside for prayer, no matter how busy they were.  After work, Francis Drexel would go into solitude to pray for an hour each day.  His family knew not to bother him.

Francis Drexel’s wife Emma Drexel was just as determined to keep the family “in the world” yet remaining “not of the world”.  Emma Drexel believed in putting her faith into action. She also believed that the wealthy should help the poor, and the Drexel family was very wealthy. She ran an agency of her own three days a week; she found jobs for people, befriended the sick and supported the destitute.

With all this, it’s no surprise that Katherine Drexel became St. Katharine Drexel.  St. Katherine Drexel learned from the main virtues of her parents: prayer and charity.  With charity they conquered greed, selfishness and even laziness, and there is no evil that prayer cannot conquer. Emma Drexel died in Febuary of 1883.  Shortly after, Francis Drexel also died, in the year 1885. Although the Drexel parents died early and left their children early, their lessons and example did not.  Because of this, all of the Drexel children remaind “in the world’ yet “not of the world” until the end of their days.

And as for me, I've decided to try this myself.

 I already say my prayers, but I would like to begin praying more often for specific intentions.  I believe that I can really help by praying for:

• 
  
  my famliy.
• 
  
  my friends.
• 
  
  the end of abortion, that it comes SOON.
• 
  
  fallen-away Catholics, that they come back to the Church.
• 
  
  those who have no one to pray for them.
• 
  
  My "Mr. Right" (whoever he may be).

That's prayer, and as for charity, I'm also working on finding places to volunteer.  (I think the nursing home in our neighbourhood needs help getting the residents to Mass.)  I'll let you know.

Hope you liked this post!

If you have anything to say or know something else I can blog about or maybe have ideas for my "things to pray for" list or what I should volunteer for, tell me!  Address it to: Angele.

God Bless,

               Angele

 PS: If you wont to learn more about St. Kathine Drexel, here's a link : http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20001001_katharine-drexel_en.html.