January 23 - St. Marianne Cope

O lover of the least, the most wretched of society, whom you embraced when no one else would; how like St. Francis you were in your care for the lepers, in your living the Gospel as an image of Christ: He was hungry and you fed Him, thirsty and you gave Him drink, naked and you clothed Him and cared for Him when He was sick – pray our hearts will burn with the same sacrificial love you bore so well for those most abandoned, that truly we shall see Christ in them and welcome Him into our homes… may their suffering be our own. How else shall we become holy? How else shall we be welcomed into the kingdom with you?