Looking toward Lent with St. Ulrich

This month, Jen Fulwiler’s randomized saint assigner spun up St. Ulrich of Augsburg for me, who was apparently the first saint to be canonized.  That’s not the first saint to be recognized, but in 933, he was the first to be officially canonized by the pope, instead of having veneration root itself solely through the consensus of the laity.

St. Ulrich is the saint who will be ushering me into Lent, but I’ll confess I’m a little unsure what to do with him.  He served as a court retainer, a bishop, and a general, so he doesn’t have just one special kind of circumstance that I should keep in mind to call on him.  His special cares include certain parts of Germany, warding off birth complications, opposing fever and faintness, and happy death.  I can’t say there’s nothing that speaks to me, since he also apparently has a special love for weavers, and I’ve dabbled.

But there’s no obvious connection as there was for St. Zita, who I asked to specially watch over me at work, and to keep me from treating it as a time when I’m spiritually “off.”

I’m a little less sure what to do with St. Ulrich, and I’d appreciate your suggestions.  Since Lent is fast approaching, and I’m not so great at doing works of mercy, my best idea for the month is to ask St. Ulrich to open my eyes to people who need his intercession and ask for help joining my prayers and labors to his on their behalf.

And, at any rate, come April, I’ll be able to finish this aphorism, “Lent came in like St. Ulrich, but it went out like….”

DarwinCatholic is praying a novena for Ordering Lives Wisely by St. Thomas Aquinas, that will end on Ash Wednesday.  If you’d like to join her and me, you can find the prayers here.