Jan 24 John Grove d. 1679

Jack and Thom
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101214, 1154.

Today is the feast of St John of the Cross. Fr. Jim Kinn has written a couple of books about this saint and his invitation to contemplation. Fr. Kinn’s books are worth your perusal – there are two in the library here. Grandpa probably has all of them. Or, next time you visit/talk to Grandpa ask him to get you one or all of Fr. Kinn’s books. Or, better, pick up one of the books St John of the Cross wrote: Ascent of Mount Carmel, Dark Night of the Soul, A Spiritual Canticle of the Soul, or the Bridegroom Christ.

John of the Cross’s life of poverty and persecution could have produced a bitter cynic. Instead it gave birth to a compassionate mystic, who wrote: "Who has ever seen people persuaded to love God by harshness?" and "Where there is no love, put love -- and you will find love." Another John to emulate.


January 24

John Grove d. 1679

This English Martyr has a different story to tell than the usual priest martyr.

John Grove owned a house in London which he made into a
'safe house' for a handful of Jesuit priests. John Grove served as the manservant at the House in London. Think about that. In seventeenth century England a man worked for a house of priests who were wanted for treason because they were priests. John Grove chose to serve his faith, his God, his Church by serving these ‘outlaw’ priests – serving the servants of God. How far are you willing to go to serve?

John Grove literally put his life on the line. When the English’s 17th c. version of the Gestapo swooped in to arrest Jesuit priests for participation in the phony ‘Titus Oates Plot’ aka the Popish Plot, they took John Grove too.

John Grove was martyred along with William Ireland at Tyburn.

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