June 22: A Blessing in Disguise

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is June 22nd, and our story is A Blessing in Disguise. In 1915, Anna Zervas was only 15, much too young, as far as her family was concerned, to enter the convent. But Zervas knew what God wanted of her, and, with the help of her parish priest, convinced her parents to allow her to enter St. Benedict's Monastery in St. Joseph, Minnesota, that year. As a novice, she took the name Sister Mariana, and on June 22, 1922, professed her final vows.

All was unfolding as she believed it would. Then, God threw her a curveball. One year after she made her final vows, a rash started spreading across Sister Inella's skin. Soon, it covered her entire body. Her hair fell out, her immune system weakened, and secondary infections set in. But try as they might, the doctors couldn't diagnose her condition. Eventually, the Mayo Clinic recognized the rash as Pitiariasis Rubra Polaris, a skin disease so rare only six people in the United States suffered from it at the time.

With her superior's permission, Sister Anela returned home to Moorhead, Minnesota, where her mother could nurse her. In time, the rash receded, but Sister Anela feared she hadn't borne her sufferings well. So, she asked for another chance, telling God, if He wanted me to have it all over again, I would carry it as He wanted me to.

God gave her that opportunity the following summer. The rash returned, and no reprieve came. As death approached, Sister Anela wrote, What He has in store for me I do not know, but all He does is well, so there is no need to worry. God has given me the grace to be resigned, and I thank Him heartily for this, but also for all else He has given me with my illness. I often wonder what great harm of body or of soul I may have suffered had not God given me this blessing in disguise.

Sister Anela died on August 14, 1926. She was declared a servant of God the following year. Sister Inella's courage reminds us that grace is often revealed in endurance, and that our response to adversity shapes our character and witness.

Life will inevitably challenge us, but choosing to meet it with faith, patience, and charity transforms difficulty into an opportunity for growth, compassion, and spiritual maturity. Reflect today on a current challenge and consider how you might approach it with renewed trust and patience.

Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, June 23rd, for another story of faith and courage in America.