St. John of the Cross Feast Day is December 14th. John was born in Spain in 1542 of very poor parents. At twenty-one, he became a lay brother at a Carmelite monastery, but his superiors sent him to study for the priesthood.

After his ordination, he met St. Teresa of Avila, who told him to take up the work of making his own Order more faithful to the teaching and example of Christ. He became the first friar of the Discalced or barefoot Carmelites, and took the name John of the Cross.

Some of the friars were not pleased with the changes John was making in the Order and they cast him into prison. After nine months of suffering, he escaped. He wrote, "Live in the world as if only God and your soul were in it, then your heart will never be made captive by any earthly thing."

John is a saint because his life was spent according to the words of Christ, "If anyone wishes to follow me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily."