Lenten thoughts

We all like taking time from our busy schedules to refresh, renew and recharge ourselves. Our Mother Church also provides us time to rejuvenate spiritually during the Lenten period every year. Lent is a beautiful time for a spiritual rejuvenation for each of us. By closely walking with Jesus in those Stations of the Cross, we all can reflect and realize the sinful nature of our life and make plans for appropriate corrections in our earthly pilgrimage.

We can consider Lent as a period of introspection, correction and resolution; similar to what many does close to each New Year. We all can take some time from our daily activities during the Lenten season-walking with Jesus in fasting and praying to improve and stimulate our spiritual muscles for a long journey. While these acts may be acts of inward conversion, we all can also look outward for spiritual and personal growth in this phase. These can be in the form of reaching out to many by way of good words, good deeds or witnessing Jesus through our life.

As said in Mathew 28:19-20 that; “Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age”; each of us has a mission to accomplish and lent is one such occasion to witness ourselves and offer Jesus to others.

We can see in the story of Samaritan woman (John 4:5-42; gospel reading during Lent); how an ordinary Samaritan woman who recognizes Jesus and brings transformation to the entire village. It was said that ‘she abandons her water jar and returns to town to tell everyone about Jesus’; can we also ‘throw away’ our dispositions like that Samaritan woman to witness Jesus? Can we become an evangelist like the Samaritan woman in our own ways?

Yes possible; dear Brothers and Sisters. Answer is in John 13:34-35: “A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”. We can reach out to many people around us and spread the fragrance of Jesus’ love in numerous ways. The second Vatican Council and all Popes since teach that all Catholics are called to evangelize in both deed and words.

Let us use the example of the simple ‘Samaritan woman’ who became an evangelist for the entire village; may this Lenten season bring ‘Glory to our Heavenly father’ and bring spiritual rejuvenation to each of us!

Abba Father, cleanse and purify us in the Holy Blood of Jesus and fill us with Holy-Spirit. Amen

On the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael

Michael (Who is like God?) was the archangel who fought against Satan and all his evil angels, defending all the friends of God. He is the protector of all humanity from the snares of the devil. Michael appears in Daniel’s vision as “the great prince” who defends Israel against its enemies; in the Book of Revelation, he leads God’s armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century.

Gabriel (Strength of God) appears three times as a messenger in the Bible. He had been sent to Daniel to explain a vision concerning the Messiah. Gabriel announced to Zachariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus. His greeting to the Virgin, “Hail, full of grace,” is one of the most familiar and frequent prayers of the Christian people.

Raphael (Medicine of God) is the archangel who took care of Tobias on his journey. Raphael’s activity is confined to the Old Testament story of Tobit. There he appears to guide Tobit’s son Tobiah through a series of fantastic adventures which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah’s marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit’s blindness and the restoration of the family fortune.

Comments: Angels—messengers from God—appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are named. Each of these archangels performs a different mission in Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael guides.

Let us thank our Lord for the Archangels who have often entered into history as messengers in God’s providential plan of salvation. Let us also remember our close connection with them in Christ, and frequently turn to them for their intercessory protection and assistance in times of trouble.

St. Anthony: Doctor of the Church

St. Anthony: Doctor of the Church

St. Anthony could be said to have become the quickest saint in the history of the Catholic Church because he was canonized by Pope Gregory IX less than one year after his death on 13^th June 1231. He is typically depicted with the Infant Child Jesus, to whom He miraculously appeared, and is commonly referred to today as the “finder of lost articles.”

Anthony was born in 1195 (13 years after St. Francis) in Lisbon (now Portugal, then a part of Spain), and given the name of Fernando at Baptism. His parents, Martin and Mary Bulhom, apparently belonged to one of the prominent families of the city. At the age of 15 he entered the religious order of St. Augustine and then left it and joined the Franciscan Order in 1221, when he was 26 years old. The reason he became a Franciscan was because of the death of the five Franciscan friars who shed their blood for the Catholic Faith in the year 1220, in Morocco in North Africa, and whose headless and mutilated bodies had been brought to St. Anthony’s monastery on their way back for burial. St. Anthony became a Franciscan in the hope of shedding his own blood and becoming a martyr.

St. Anthony’s most famous miracle may be the sermon to the fish. We have been told that when a crowd refused to heed him, St. Anthony turned his back on them and preached from the shore to the fish in a lake. The fish responded by lifting up their heads from the water to hear him better.

Perhaps we would never have heard of Anthony if he hadn’t gone to an ordination of Dominicans and Franciscans in 1222. As they gathered for a meal afterward, the provincial suggested that one of the friars give a short sermon. Quite typically everybody declined when the superiors asked. So Anthony was asked to give “just something simple”. Anthony, compelled by obedience, spoke at first slowly and timidly, but soon enkindled with the power of the Holy Spirit, he began to explain the most hidden sense of Holy Scripture with such profound erudition and sublime doctrine that all were struck with astonishment. With that moment began Anthony’s public career. He journeyed to many places in Italy and also to many parts of Southern France on what became an evangelical crusade. His brilliant sermons and special style drew such huge crowds that the churches could not hold the people who came to hear him. A platform had to be set up outside in the town square because of the number of people who came to hear him speak. Soon the platform had to be built outside the town and cities. Eventually ten, twenty and thirty, thousand people were attending his sermons. In 1228 he preached in Rome before Pope Gregory IX and also to the clergy and the people. Pope Gregory was so impressed that he called St Anthony an “Armory of the Bible.”

Among the many miracles St. Anthony wrought in the conversion of heretics; the three most noted recorded by his biographers are the following:

· The first one is that of a mule honoring the Host when a heretic challenges him to defend the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament. Anthony tells him to starve his mule for several days, but when it is offered food at the end of that time, the animal refused the food placed before him, till he had knelt down and adored the Blessed Sacrament, which St. Anthony held in his hands. Legendary narratives of the fourteenth century say this miracle took place at Rimini, Italy.

· The second most important miracle is that of the poisoned food offered him by some Italian heretics, which he rendered innoxious by the sign of the cross.

· The third miracle worthy of mention is that of the famous sermon to the fishes. He is charged with preaching the Gospel to the people of northern Italy. When human hearts prove stubborn and unresponsive to the call of grace, Anthony goes down to the waterside and begin to speak to the fishes, calling on them to praise their Creator. God shows his approval of Anthony’s message by making dumb creatures more ready to listen than rational human beings!

The enthusiasm with which St. Anthony fought against heresy, and the great and numerous conversions he made rendered him worthy of the glorious title of “Hammer of the Heretics”. He died at the age of thirty-six years on 13 June 1231. He had lived fifteen years with his parents, ten years as a Canon Regular of St. Augustine, and eleven years in the Order of Friars Minor. He was canonised by Pope Gregory IX on the 30^th of May 1232, in just less than a year of his death. Upon exhumation, some 336 years after his death, his body was found to be corrupted, yet his tongue was totally incorrupt, so perfect were the teachings that had been formed upon it. St Anthony was later proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 16 January 1946.

Anthony is the Wonder-Worker of Padua and the whole world. He is perhaps the most celebrated evangelizer and the most popular saint-doctor that the Catholic Church ever had. He teaches us to be in state of communion with God. Anthony suggests a very practical maxim: avoid as much as possible any distraction that removes your thoughts from God and heaven.

Feast of Visitation of Our Lady (31st May)

Feast of Visitation of Our Lady (31^st May)

Each year the Universal Church celebrates the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and recalls Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth. The event is recorded in Luke 1:39-57. This Feast commemorates what is the second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary: Our Lady’s visit to her cousin, Elizabeth; who was six months pregnant with St. John the Baptist at the time. At the end of the Archangel Gabriel’s Annunciation to Our Lady that she will conceive, he tells her that her cousin, Elizabeth, an older woman thought barren, will also conceive. Feeling the presence of his Savior, John leaped within the womb of his mother Elizabeth upon Mary’s arrival; John was then filled with the grace of God.

Like most feasts of Mary, the Feast of visitation of our lady is closely connected with Jesus and his saving work. According to Luke’s Gospel, the visible people present are Mother Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. However, Jesus and John the Baptist take the scene in a hidden way. Jesus makes John leap with joy—the joy of messianic salvation. Elizabeth, in turn, is filled with the Holy Spirit and addresses words of praise to Mary; Mary sings what is now known as “the Magnificat” in response.

We can learn few special characteristics from Mother Mary’s visitation. When angel Gabriel announces Mother Mary that her cousin who was considered barren is pregnant; she went with haste or hurriedly to the hill country of Judea. This is an important element of hope for all people who devotedly approach Mother Mary for solutions. Although she herself is now pregnant, taking the extreme step of traveling to a hill country in those days to be with her cousin, who might not want to disclose her predicament of old age pregnancy. This feast thus reminds us that Mother Mary is the hope of all at any difficult moments of life. Let us also learn Mother Mary’s example of readiness and hurriedness for our brothers and sisters around us.

As the ‘Ark of Covenant’ helped to unite the 12 tribes of Israel by being placed in David’s capital; so Mother Mary brings God’s presence into the lives of other people. Let our devotion to Mother Mary bring all families and Christians to God’s presence closely.

St. Francis Xavier: Model to follow

St. Francis Xavier: Model to follow

The feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated on December 3. He was born in 1506 as a son of an aristocratic Spanish-Basque family. While studying at the University of Paris, he met St. Ignatius Loyola and that become a life changing event for Francis Xavier. Ignatius changed Francis’ goal in life with the question of the Gospel “What profit is it, if you gain the whole world, and lose your soul?” Together with six friends, Francis professed religious vows at Montmartre, Paris, starting the Jesuit community. After some studies of theology, Francis was ordained priest in Rome on June 24, 1537.

Ignatius of Loyola assigned Francis to work in India, and on May 6 1542, Francis arrived in Goa after a yearlong voyage. From there, Francis Xavier began to work among the poor of South India, Malacca, and the Moluccas Islands (Indonesia).

On August 15, 1549, Francis Xavier arrived in Kagoshima, Japan, where he established the first Christian community. In July 1552, Francis Xavier sailed for China, but he arrived at Sancian Island. He fell seriously ill with a fever, and died in Sancian Island on Dec. 3rd, 1552. On 11 December, 1553, Xavier’s body was shipped to Goa. The body is now in the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa, where it was placed in a glass container encased in a silver casket on December 2, 1637. Francis Xavier was proclaimed Saint on March 12, 1622, declared Patron of all Missions, by Pope Pius X in 1904.

As St. Francis was a great missionary to Africa, India and Japan, we all should consider our missionary duty. Jesus’ last words on earth were to his disciples, telling them “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19). We as the members of the Universal Church; are Christ’s disciples and missionaries today. We can spread the Gospel through daily witnesses in our home, work, school etc to show how we live the Faith.

Prayer: Lord God of compassion and mercy, you opened a door in the East for St. Francis Xavier when you sent him to preach your Gospel. Send us in our day over the face of the earth, so that the joy of our Mother, the Church, may be made perfect. Amen

St Joseph - a model for many

It is said that faith is nourished by prayer; this is the most precious treasure that Saint Joseph transmitted to each of us as we celebrate the feast of St. Joseph, husband of Our Lady on March 19 every year.

As the Bible tells us, Saint Joseph was the descendant of the royal house of David. A village carpenter of Nazareth, he was chosen among all men to be the husband of Virgin Mary and protector of Jesus Christ. To his loving care was entrusted the childhood and youth of the Redeemer of the world: our Jesus Christ. He reveals to us the perfect model of Christianity through his purity of heart, patience and fortitude in difficult moments of his life with Mother Mary and Child Jesus.

What we know about the life of Saint Joseph is contained in the gospels of Saint Matthew and Saint Luke. He has become known as the “Just man” by saving Mary, who was found pregnant after the betrothal with him. As a local custom any women accused of adultery could be stoned to death and he decided to divorce her quietly (Mathew 1:19-25). We also see St. Joseph as a man of faith and obedience to God, as angel came and told him about the Child Mary was carrying; St. Joseph immediately and without doubt took Mary as his wife.

When the angel appeared to him second time to convey that his family is in danger, he left everything he owned and fled to a distant country Egypt with his young wife Mary and baby Jesus. We see in gospel that St. Joseph waited in Egypt till the angel told him to go back (Mathew 2: 2-13). All these incidents quite clearly demonstrate the faith, obedience to god and patience of St. Joseph as a model for us.

As a mere carpenter St. Joseph was poor in worldly possessions; however was obedient to local customs as we see that when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised and Mary to be purified- he offered the sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons- as they could not afford a lamb (Luke 2:24).

As a guardian of the Holy Family of Nazareth, St. Joseph has undergone many hardships and challenges in life. Are these qualities are model for us in our life? In today’s world when success is measured by power, prosperity and material possessions; let the model of St. Joseph may be inspiration for many families and workers across the world. As a patron of workers Saint Joseph the Worker is observed on 1st May every year. Joseph is also patron of the universal Church, fathers, carpenters, and social justice.

In the words of Pope John Paul II: “Saint Joseph was a just man, a tireless worker, the upright guardian of those entrusted to his care. May he always guard, protect and enlighten our families.”

Prayer to St. Joseph:
O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.
O Saint Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.
O Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath, Saint Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us.
Amen.

The Story of Santa Claus

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. Nicholas’ parents died in an epidemic when he was just a teenager. His parents left him a lot of money which made him a rich young man. He went to live with his uncle who was a priest.

Nicholas heard about a man who had lost all his money in the same village. He had three daughters who were old enough to get married. But in those days young women had to have money in order to get married. This money was a ” dowry” and it was used to help the new family get started. If you didn’t have dowry money, you didn’t get married. This family was so poor they had nothing left to eat. The daughters were going to be sold as slaves because they couldn’t live at home any longer. They were very sad. They wouldn’t be able to have families of their own. And they would have to be slaves—no longer able to decide where they would live or what they would do.

The night before the oldest daughter was to be sold; she washed her stockings and put them in front of the fire to dry. Then all of them went to sleep—the father and the three daughters. In the morning the daughter saw a lump in her stocking. Reaching in, she found a small, heavy bag. It had gold inside! Enough to provide food for the family and money for her dowry. Oh, how happy they were! In the same way Nicolas helped the other two daughters to have joyful future life. Many pictures show him with three golden balls represent three bags of gold that he gave to the impoverished maidens.

Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Nicholas continued helping people. When there wasn’t any food, he found wheat; so no one went hungry. He always helped people in trouble. All his life Nicholas showed people how to love God and care for each other. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian (Roman Emperor from AD 284-305), who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea (in AD 325; the first ecumenical council; called to preserve unity of the church which was threatened by competing definitions of Jesus). He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church.

Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas’ life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need. To this day people say that St. Nicholas, or Santa, is the special friend of children.

The real story of Christmas is the true story of Jesus: God’s one and only and most precious son- the greatest gift anyone could ever receive. Our Heavenly Father is the real giver of gifts and may St Nicholas be an inspiration and wonderful example to all of us for sharing our gifts with less fortunate around us.

Priests: Can we live without them?

Do we know a person who was at our Baptimisal table; at Holy Confession, as celebrant at Holy Mass, as one who conducts the marriage of near and dear ones, present at the anointing of sick and at the last rites of dear ones who have departed from us? Yes you have guessed it right. It is none other than a Priest! A priest is the only person who is with us, in our joyous moments (be it baptism, or marriages) and console us with words of divine strength while we are in sorrows.

Similarly all the sacraments and important elements of our life cannot happen without a Priest. Thus being a catholic our lives are centered around our Shepherds –our priests; who not only nourish us spiritually but also lead us to a Christ centered life.

Last year our Holy Father, Pope Benedict, XVI, announced the special “Year of the Priests” from June 19, 2009 to June 19, 2010. This was an opportunity for every Catholic to reflect upon the importance of the contributions and dedication of our priests, support and encourage the vocation of priesthood, and acknowledge and appreciate the tremendous services they provide to God’s people.

In the Priesthood a priest devotes his life in performing sacred ministries of worshiping God and the salvation of souls. A Priest is ordained to act in the Person of Christ as we seen in 1 Tim 2:5:
“For there is one God, and there is one who brings God and mankind together, the man Christ Jesus”. Thus Christ Jesus is represented or symbolized by an ordained Priest in every important occasions of our life.

The Year of the Priests evoked in us deep admiration for the unique gifts a priest provides to his flock. He represents the Church and reaches out to the people with the good news of God’s love and mercy, helps his congregation grow through worship and helps them explore and strengthen in their faith. The priest is also a leader in the catholic community and providing unstinting support to his people in need.

Following are the important functions of a Priest as a shepherd for his flock:

• Proclaiming the Gospel;
• Remitting sins;
• Celebrate the Eucharist;
• Gathering and leading a community.

The concept of Priesthood implies the notion of sacrifice. And only the Priest who receives the sacrament of Holy Orders is authorized and empowered to stand in the person of Christ in the Eucharistic sacrifice and repeat the words he uttered over the bread and wine as in the night before Jesus died. Only the ministerial Priest consecrates bread and wine and transforms them into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Archbishop Fulton Sheen in his book “The Priest is Not His Own,” narrates us that the priest has the awesome power of taking bread and wine into the Living Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ.
Priestly Journey
The challenging journey of a Priestly vocation starts in his early days for each candidate. Following stages are common among various religious orders during the formation journey of each Priest. While spending time in seminaries, a person continues to pray and discern God’s will for his vocation to serve Lord Almighty.
Stages; Approx Period*
Minor Seminary / Novitiate 2-3 years In this stage the student in Minor seminary (novice) will learn about himself, Jesus Christ, the Church and the religious society (which he joined) in the secular world through: retreats, community living, pastoral work, prayer and discernment of Spirits etc. Here, he will refine and deepen his initial response to God’s call to the vocation.
Philosophy 3-4 years After the simple perpetual vows, he spends his first year developing his eloquence and skills communication. He then focuses his attention on the study of philosophy - “the science of wisdom”.
Regency 1-2 years The Priestly candidate is missioned to serve in “real life” apostolic situations. While working in a mission/parish, he is given immense opportunities to experience the life of a “fully fledged” Priest - a foretaste of the future.
Theology 4 years The Person studies Scripture, Tradition and teachings of the Church, moral theology etc. He is also trained to preach God’s Word and is exposed to different cultures and realities of the world - he grows in wisdom.
*The no. of years varies depending on the religious congregation the person joins.

The seminarians are ordained at the end of Theology and take the parish responsibilities as per their religious orders. However some religious congregations continue their Tertianship journey as an attempt to integrate the seminarians fully to their religious formation for couple of more years (for example Jesuits continue for approximately 5 yrs).
The priesthood, therefore, is unique institution that Christ Himself established when He ordained the Apostles on the Holy Thursday night. Every priest in the Catholic Church traces his origin to that first ordination by Jesus at the Last Supper. This was further reinforced by the Catechism of the Council of Trent which says “In all ages, priests have been held in the highest honor; yet the priests of the New Testament far exceed all others. For the power of consecrating and offering the Body and Blood of our Lord and of forgiving sins, which has been conferred on them, not only has nothing equal or like it on earth, but even surpasses human reasoning and understanding.”

What are laity responsibilities towards our Ordained Priests?
A Catholic priest as ordained bishop has authority to guide and govern the people of God by the unique authority which they receive in Priestly ordination. Being our spiritual guides and teachers, we laity can support them in our earthly pilgrimage to the eternal life by:

• Praying for our Priests and Spiritual guides;
• Expressing our gratitude by acknowledging and thanking them for all the blessings we received through them;
• Supporting them in their priestly responsibilities and spiritual growth;
• Encouraging youth and our children for the Priestly vocation.

It is worth remembering the words of Pope Pius XII,(”Menti Nostrae”, 1950 A.D.) “The priest in all his activities seeks nothing beyond the good of souls, and looks toward no one but Christ to whom he consecrates his energies and his whole self.” Let us give glowing tributes to our dear Priests during the ‘Year of Priests’ whom lead us to Jesus our Xavier.

The Life of St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul was born near Dax in the village of Pouy in Gascony, France in the year 1581. Born one of four sons and two sisters and being of very humble means, St. Vincent would watch over the sheep and recite the Psalms during his youth and young adult life. He was an astute child and the neighbors noticed his intelligence, which led them to convincing Vincent’s father that it would best if he received schooling. St. Vincent’s father agreed and so he was sent to school under the direction of the Franciscan Fathers at Acqs. Because St. Vincent did so well, a gentleman selected him as sub preceptor (teacher) to his own children and St. Vincent began earning enough money to continue his own studies under the Franciscans.

In 1596, St. Vincent went to the University of Toulouse and was ordained a priest in the year 1600. Then in 1605, while on a voyage from Marseilles to Narbonne, St. Vincent was captured by African pirates and taken to Tunis as a slave. He was successful in escaping from his captors, and went to Rome, afterwards he returned to France where he was hired by Emmanuel de Gondy, count of Joigny. Monsieur Gondy was the general of the galleys of France. In 1625, St. Vincent de Paul began the Congregation of the Mission, or commonly known as the Lazarists, which stemmed from his priests occupying the Priory of St. Lazarus in 1633.

St. Vincent was known not only for the Congregation of the Mission Priests but for the important Sisters of Charity (also known as the Daughters of Charity) and the Ladies of Charity. St. Vincent fought heroically against the many assaults and blasphemes against the church, and when the heresy of Jansenism arose, he fought heroically against it. At the end of his life, he was very sickly and in the autumn of 1660, he passed away. The French peasant Priest, Monsieur Vincent, was canonized by Pope Clement XII, in 1737 and Pope Leo XIII proclaimed him the Patron Saint of all charitable societies.

Reflections: The life of St. Vincent de Paul teaches us that we see Jesus in every neighbor; some who are affected by poverty, homelessness, neglect, abuse and addiction. As a caring Catholic, let us offer “a hand up” to people in need by respecting their dignity, sharing our hope, and encouraging them to take control of their own life with a positive spirit. May the following teachings from Saint Vincent de Paul guide us in our journey:

· We must love our neighbor as being made in the image of God and as an object of His love.

· The Church teaches us that mercy belongs to God. Let us implore Him to bestow on us the spirit of mercy and compassion, so that we are filled with it and may never lose it. Only consider how much we ourselves are in need of mercy.

· Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His Mercy from us?

· Free your mind from all that troubles you; God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this (choice) without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what your heart desires.

· It is our duty to prefer the service of the poor to everything else and to offer such service as quickly as possible. If a needy person requires medicine or other help during prayer time, do whatever has to be done with peace of mind. Offer the deed to God as your prayer…. Charity is certainly greater than any rule. Moreover, all rules must lead to charity.

· We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit of God.

· Humility and charity are the two master-chords: one, the lowest; the other, the highest; all the others are dependent on them. Therefore it is necessary, above all, to maintain ourselves in these two virtues; for observe well that the preservation of the whole edifice depends on the foundation and the roof.

St Francis of Assisi

St Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis of Assisi was called “another Christ”, in the sense that he showed in his life and conduct the very essence of Our Lord’s teaching.

Brief Bio: St. Francis (1182-1226) was a son of a rich merchant, Bernardone, received a good education, and in the beginning followed the ways of the world. He was taken prisoner in the battle between the Assisians and Perugians, and after his release decided to abandon everything for Christ. His father became extremely displeased at his action, and disinherited him.

Francis begged for his food, wore old clothes, and preached peace. He began to attract followers, and in 1209 with the papal blessing he founded the Friars Minor (Franciscans). Then in 1212 with St. Clare of Assisi he founded the foundation of the Order of “Poor Ladies,” now known as the “Poor Clares.”

He also founded the “Third Order of Penance” (the Third Order) which included lay people. He was the first person (recorded) to receive the stigmata (the five wounds of Christ) in 1224. Out of humility Francis never accepted the priesthood but remained a deacon all his life.

Besides being a champion of justice, he also had a great love for animals & for all creation so much that he is the patron saint of animals and the environment.

Francis died at the age of 44 on October 4, 1226 at Portiuncula, Italy. He was canonized by Pope Gregory IX less than two years later.

Following is the meditation for the Feast Saint Francis of Assisi by Blessed Pope John XXIII:
“We all have to fight against the lusts of the flesh. Many people also desire material wealth and dream of money, but Saint Francis teaches every one of us, whatever our social condition may be, to fight against “the lust of the eyes”, which is full of deceit and vanity. The wealth of Christian life does not consist in money and all its cares and demands. To some extent it is necessary for our very existence, but we must not lose our hearts to it. In the presence of his father and of the Bishop, Francis gave up everything, even the clothes he was wearing — such was his love for poverty.

When Providence has enabled a man to possess more than sufficient for his needs, he is inviting him to redistribute his wealth, to help the poor, and to contribute to the great works in aid of human brotherhood. This commandment is valid for all, and particularly for those who have dedicated their lives to God’s service.

Therefore, whoever has more abundant wealth must give more generously, giving also for those who are unable to do so. The precept applies not only to two brothers, two families or two towns, but to the whole world. Sometimes a rich man may feel powerful, and boast of his resources, and shut his eyes and ears to the poverty of others who are condemned to live in want — whereas true brotherly feeling would see to it that the poor had at least what he needed to live. If we wish to find a little spiritual joy on this earth we must follow after Saint Francis, who imitated the example of Christ, who even worked miracles in order to feed the hungry”.

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