January 7 | Saint Raymond of Pinafort

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Instead, imagine you are trapped on an island. You have no boat. You have no raft. You have no plane. And, to make matters worse, the king himself has forbidden anyone from helping you leave. Most people would panic. Most people would give up.

But the man we are talking about today didn't do either of those things. Saint Raymond of Penafort. Now, when you hear the word saint, You might picture someone sitting quietly in a garden or kneeling in a church for hours. And sure, Raymond did plenty of praying. But this guy was also an adventurer, a genius scholar, and a man who wasn't afraid to stand up to royalty.

Raymond was born way back in the year 1175, near Barcelona in Spain, and was actually a relative of the King of Aragon. Raymond became a teacher when he was only 20 years old. As a young teacher, Raymond didn't just memorize facts. He worked hard to bring logic and faith together. The sources tell us he worked to harmonize reason with the profession and practice of Catholic faith and morals. He also had a huge heart, showing a notable concern for the poor and suffering.

But Raymond wasn't done learning. When he turned 30, he moved to Italy to study both government law and church law. He got his doctorate and kept teaching until he was 47 years old. That is when he made a huge life change. He joined the Dominican order, giving up his regular life to serve God as a priest. Now this is where his life got really busy.

Raymond, along with St. Peter Nalasco and King James of Aragon, started a group called the Order of Our Lady of Mercy. This wasn't a social club. These were men dedicated to ransoming Christians who had been captured in the Holy Land by Muslims.

Raymond was helping to organize rescue missions. Because of his incredible brain for rules and logic, Raymond is the patron saint of lawyers and canonists. Why is he the patron of lawyers? Well, in 1230, Pope Gregory IX called Raymond to Rome for a massive homework assignment. At that time, the laws of the church were a mess. They weren't organized in one book. They were just a confusing pile of independent decisions. The pope asked Raymond to fix it. It was a monumental task, involving records going back to the very beginning of the church.

Raymond successfully organized everything into five books, creating the first codification of canon law. These books were so well done that the church used them for centuries. But let's get back to the drama. Raymond was traveling with King James of Aragon, Now, Raymond was a holy man, and he noticed that the king was keeping company with working women at his island camp, which Raymond knew was sinful. Raymond told the king to send the women away. The king refused, so Raymond threatened to leave, but the king, perhaps not wanting to be embarrassed, would not allow Raymond to leave the island.

Raymond was stuck. No ships would take him because they feared the king. But Raymond looked at the sea and placed his trust entirely in God. According to the accounts, Raymond took his walking staff and fashioned a cross out of sticks.

He attached this makeshift cross to his own cloak. After a short prayer, he tossed the cloak onto the water and stepped on it. He didn't sink. He stood on that cloak and sailed across the sea for six hours, all the way back to Barcelona.

Imagine the sight of a Dominican friar standing on a black cloak, wind in his habit, surfing the Mediterranean Sea. When King James found out what happened, he was justifiably astonished. The miracle was so undeniable that the king actually repented of his sins. Raymond eventually served as the Master General of the Dominican Order, but he had to resign after just two years because of his health and old age. However, he lived for almost three more decades.

The man was unstoppable. St. Raymond of Penafort finally passed away at the incredible age of 100 on January 6, 1275, and was canonized a saint in 1601 by Pope Clement VIII. Saint Raymond teaches us that following God requires both our brains and our bravery. He used his intellect to organize the church's laws, and he used his courage to stand up to a king when things weren't right. This week, if you see a rule that seems unfair or wrong, don't just ignore it.

Use your reason. Think about why it's wrong, and then have the courage to speak up or make a change, just like Raymond did. And if you ever feel stuck, remember Raymond on the shore. Trust in God can get you through even the deepest waters. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.