Saturday within the Octave of Easter

Year of Saint Joseph

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

Other saints: Bl. Anthony Neyrot OP, Dominican Friar, Priest and Martyr (1425-1460)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 57 The Artisans of the Monastery

Mass: Acts 4:13-21; Resp Ps 118; Mk 16:9-15

My strength and my courage is the Lord.

MARY, MOTHER OF OUR SAVIOR,

PRAY FOR US.

When Jesus had arisen, He appeared to the Eleven. After rebuking them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, He said: Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature (Mk 16:9, 14-15). We too are meant to go and proclaim the Gospel to every creature, wherever we find ourselves. However we go about it, may all that we say and do be "so that in all things God may be glorified" (RB 57:9, 1 Pt 4:11). Saint Mary Magdalene, pray for us, so that the stones in our hearts be rolled back. I believe, help my unbelief.

Our saint of the day, Blessed Anthony Nevrot, was something else. Born in northern Italy, he joined the Dominicans at San Marco in Florence (Visit if you can. The Annunciation of Fra Angelico is there. It is breathtaking.), who were "at that time under the direction of St. Antoninus". Some years later, he was sent to Sicily. It was said that although obedient and pious, he was at the same time "somewhat unsettled and fond of his pleasures." After a short time in Sicily, he was given permission to go to Naples and Rome. On the way there his ship was captured by pirates and he was taken prisoner to Tunis. He was eventually released from prison  and apparently "found the privations and difficulties of living as a Christian under Muslim rule hard to bear and after studying the Koran became a Muslim and married"!. After some months and due to a vision of St. Antoninus, Anthony had a change of mind and heart, sent his wife away, and started praying the Divine Office again. Some time later, Anthony, back in the Dominican habit, appeared before the ruler of Tunis and "proclaimed his belief that Christianity was the only true religion." This was no small matter, as Anthony was condemned to death and executed by stoning as he prayed on his knees" (Butler's Lives of the Saints, April, pp. 71-72). Anything is possible with God.  

BLESSED ANTHONY NEVROT,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

© Gertrude Feick 2021