The first righteous man according to the ScripturesSaint Abel appears in the very first chapters of Genesis. He is the second son of Adam and Eve, younger brother of Cain. While Cain was a farmer, Abel was a shepherd. Both offer a sacrifice to God: Cain the produce of the land, Abel the firstborn of his flock.The text tells us that God looks favourably on Abel's offering, but not on Cain's. This divine preference provokes burning jealousy in Cain, who ends up killing his brother in a fit of hatred. This is the first murder in human history, and Abel thus becomes the first innocent to shed his blood.But Scripture tells us that Abel's blood cries out to God from the ground (Gen 4:10). This silent cry becomes a powerful symbol: Abel embodies the persecuted righteous man, the silent witness to scorned innocence. Read more...

A simple child with a burning heartJean-Marie Vianney was born on 8 May 1786 in Dardilly, near Lyon, into a deeply Christian peasant family. He grew up in an era troubled by the French Revolution, which banned masses and hunted down priests. It was in this clandestine context that he received the sacraments and developed a deep love for the Eucharist.From an early age, he felt the call to the priesthood. But his path was strewn with obstacles: he had great difficulty following the necessary studies, particularly in Latin. He was criticised for his lack of intelligence. However, his piety, determination and humility finally convinced his teachers. He was ordained a priest in 1815, at the age of 29. Read more...

A brilliant lawyer turned priestSaint Alphonsus was born in 1696 in Naples, into a noble and Christian family. A child prodigy, he obtained his doctorate in civil and ecclesiastical law at just 16. He soon became a renowned lawyer in Naples. Despite his success, however, a court case in which he was the victim of a profound injustice turned his life upside down. At the age of 27, he gave up his legal career and decided to devote himself to God.Against his father's advice, Alphonsus entered the seminary and was ordained a priest in 1726. He immediately set about serving the poor and forgotten in the working-class districts of Naples. He preached, confessed, visited the sick and wrote his first spiritual works. He wanted a pastoral ministry that was close to the people, clear, merciful and rooted in the Gospel. Read more...

A knight wounded in his prideIgnatius of Loyola was born in 1491 into a noble family in the Spanish Basque country. Initially a knight at court, he dreamt of glory, battles and exploits. But in 1521, during the siege of Pamplona, he was seriously wounded in the leg by a cannonball. Bedridden for many months, he suffered not only physical pain, but also a profound inner reappraisal.To pass the time, Ignatius asked for chivalric novels. But failing that, he is given a Life of Christ and Lives of Saints to read. Little by little, a transformation takes place: he discovers another form of heroism that of the saints and understands that the real battle is fought in the soul, not on the battlefield. He then decides to convert, to renounce the vanity of the world, and to follow Christ. Read more...

A close friend of JesusSt Martha is a central figure in the Gospels. She lives in Bethany, a village near Jerusalem, with her sister Mary and her brother Lazarus. This family was close to Christ: Jesus was received there with affection, and he loved to stay there, finding rest, welcome and privacy in their home.Marthe appears in several Gospel scenes. The best known is in the Gospel according to Saint Luke: Jesus comes to their home, and Martha busies herself with domestic chores while Mary, her sister, remains seated at the Master's feet to listen to him. Martha, annoyed, asked Jesus to intervene. He gently replies:"Martha, Martha, you worry and fuss about many things... Only one is necessary." (Lk 10:41-42)This word is not a harsh criticism, but an invitation to balance. Martha, a woman of service, is precious, but Jesus reminds her of the importance of listening, of contemplation, of being beyond doing. Read more...