Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"
Saint: Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595)
Readings of the Day
Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:1-4 Humility
Mass: Acts 18:1-8; Resp Ps 98; Jn 16:16-20
Sing to the Lord a new song.
MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,
PRAY FOR US.
The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Spirit of God dwelling within us, alleluia.
(Entrance Antiphon, Mass)
Reflect for a moment on our Entrance Antiphon for today's celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The love of God has been poured into our hearts ... If the message sinks deep, how could we not rejoice in the Lord, always, I say it again: rejoice! (Ph 4:4). Or with the psalmist, break into song; sing praise! (Ps 98). Our saint of the day, Saint Philip Neri, is certainly someone who did just that. Born in Florence, he went to Rome as a young man, worked as a tutor, extended charity to young men, and gathered others to help the sick and poor. Ordained in 1515, he built a place of prayer over the Church of Saint Jerome and celebrated services with spiritual readings and hymns. Dear to the students at the English College, the Venerabile, in Rome, Philip eventually founded the Congregation of the Oratory, a society of priests and brothers, "bound only by the bond of charity". The Oratory remains active throughout the world; you can find them in our nation's capital, for one.
Philip Neri was far from somber. It is said, and this a story that brings a smile to my face when I read it every year, that "when some of his penitents made their confession to him (he was famous as a confessor) he imposed salutary and deflating penances on them, such as walking through the streets of Rome carrying his cat (he was very fond of cats)." Furthermore, "when a novice showed signs of excessive seriousness, Philip stood on his head in front of him, to make him laugh" (Universalis, May 26). I am reminded of another favorite saint of mine, Saint John Bosco (1815-1888), who used to do gymnastics, flipping here and there for the youth that gathered in his midst.
We are so blessed with our faith tradition and our saints, formally recognized ones, and the saints next door. They can help us keep things in perspective. Remember, as Saint Benedict tells us, "do not aspire to be called holy before you really are, but first be holy that you may more truly be called so" (Rule of Saint Benedict, 4:62). And there is something Abbot Basil Hume told young monks at a 1969 clothing ceremony: "Don't take yourselves too seriously. Take life seriously. Take God seriously. But don't, please don't, take yourselves too seriously!" We are all wonderful in God's eyes.
Rejoice in the Lord, not in the world. That is, rejoice in the truth, not in wickedness; rejoice in the hope of eternity, not in the fading flower of vanity. That is the way to rejoice. Wherever you are on earth, the Lord is near, do not be anxious about anything.
(From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop, in Office of Readings, May 26, Memorial of Philip Neri, priest)
SAINT PHILIP NERI,
SAINT JOHN BOSCO,
PRAY FOR US.
Today's photo: This lovely peach colored rose comes from a faithful reader who passes it every day on one of her morning walks with her faithful companion, Molly the dog. It can be found in Eureka, CA.
© Gertrude Feick 2022
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