Saint Helena (c. 246–330) was the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great and an early Christian convert. Late in life she made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where she supported the building of churches on sacred sites, and tradition holds that she discovered the True Cross in Jerusalem.
Helena shows that it is never too late to seek Christ, embracing the faith in her old age with wholehearted devotion. Her generosity to the poor and her zeal to honor the places of the Lord's life remind us to use whatever influence we have in service of God.
Lord Jesus Christ, who drew Saint Helena to seek the wood of your Cross, grant that we too may find in the Cross the way to eternal life. Amen.