St. Zdislava of Lemberk - A Woman After God's Own Heart

Zdislava Berka was born in 1220 in the land of Bohemia, which is now the Czech Republic. From a young age, Zdislava had a strong faith and a deep love for God. At the age of 7, she ran away to the woods, intending to live as a hermit. I'm sure we've all had moments when we wanted to do something similar as children. Of course, her parents found her and brought her home.

Zdislava had a typical upbringing, and when she came of age, she was married off to a noble chosen by her family. Yet, this did not stop her from following God's will. She endured many hardships with her husband but always remained kind, loving, and generous to all. She convinced her husband to allow her to give some of their wealth to the poor and founded the Dominican Priory of St. Laurence near her castle.

Another extraordinary thing she did was receive daily communion, which was uncommon at the time. Her life was a powerful witness to the faith, preaching through her actions to all who encountered her. Even by the example of her holy death, her husband was finally able to renounce his evil ways and repent.

Zdislava is a perfect example of how obedience to God is a path for everyone to follow. Our lives, in all walks of life, should be oriented toward love of God and love of neighbor. If we lose sight of this and only care about obeying our own wants, desires, and dreams, then we have lost the way. Let us always strive to imitate this obedience of love in our lives; with that, we, too, can become saints.