Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 50 Those Whose Work Takes Them a Long Distance from the Oratory
Mass: Jr 15:10, 16-21; Resp Ps 59; Mt 13:44-46
Alphonsus Liguori
Bishop, Doctor of the Church
(1696-1787)
Today I honor two Redemptorist professors I had in Rome. Both are brilliant scholars, kind, and caring-true disciples of their patron. From Alphonsus Liguori, The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ, Ch. VI, 'Love is Kind': Those Who Love Jesus Christ Love Gentleness:
The spirit of gentleness is peculiar to God: 'For the memory of me is sweeter than honey, and the possession of me sweeter than the honeycomb' (Sir 24:20). Hence souls that love God love all those who are loved by God, that is, our neighbors, so that they eagerly seek to help everyone, to console everyone, and, as far as they are able, to make everyone happy.
This gentleness should especially be practiced with the poor, who, by reason of their poverty, are generally given harsh treatment by others. It should likewise be particularly applied to the sick who are afflicted by disease, and who for the most part receive little assistance from the healthy. Gentleness is again especially called for in dealing with our enemies.
Kindness should be practiced toward everyone, always and everywhere. Saint Bernard remarks that certain persons are gentle as long as things go their way; but no sooner do they meet with adversity or contradiction than they instantly flare up and begin to smoke like Mount Vesuvius.
Whenever we have to reply to someone who is mistreating us, let us always take care to answer gently: 'A soft answer turns away wrath' (Prov 15:1). A gentle reply is enough to quench every fire of anger. When we feel put out, it is better to keep silence, because then it seems right to say the first thing that comes to mind; but when our passion calms down, we see that what we said was wrong.
And when it happens that we commit some fault, we must also be gentle with ourselves. Getting angry with ourselves after doing something wrong is not humility but a subtle form of pride, as if we were not the weak and wretched creatures that we are.
SAINT ALPHONSUS LIGOURI,
PRAY FOR US.
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