Welcome to the traditional Catholic daily devotional.

Today's Friday, March 28th, 2025, the Friday of the third week of Lend, third class with the color of violet.

In this episode, The Meditation, 40 Steps to Easter.

A preview of this week's episode of the Catholic Mass, number 29, the splendor and controversy of sacred art.

News from the Vatican, has the Vatican aligned itself

with the dominant liberal ideology and today's thought from Archbishop Marcel Lefev.

But first the collect of today's Mass. Oh Lord, graciously be with us during this fast.

And we beseech thee, help our spirit to abstain from sin as our body fasts from food.

Today let's look at the life of a saint who could have been a high-powered lawyer or a king's right-hand man,

but chose something radically different. St. John of Capistrana was born in Italy in 1385.

He was brilliant in law, became governor of Perugia,

and was even married briefly, although the marriage was never consummated. But during a political

conflict, he was thrown into prison, and that's where everything changed. A dream of St. Francis

convinced him to give up everything and become a Franciscan friar. After joining the order in 1416,

he became a fiery preacher, known for his powerful voice and magnetic presence. Huge crowds,

sometimes numbering over 100,000, would pack city squares just to hear him speak. He worked tirelessly

across Italy and beyond, preaching, healing the sick,

fighting heresies, and helping reform the Franciscan order alongside St. Bernardine of Siena. But John

wasn't just a preacher. He was also a warrior for the faith. At the age of 70, he led troops

in the Battle of Belgrade to stop the Turkish advance into Europe.

Yes, a 70-year-old friar leading the charge.

He died shortly after that battle in 1456 and was canonized in 1724.

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