His Word Today: Saint John Bosco

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint John Bosco, a priest who lived in the nineteenth century, mostly in the city of Turin (Italy).  Don (Father) Bosco - as he was most well known - was born 16 August 1815 in the hillside village of Becchi (Italy).  John's family were farmhands and since the early 1800s was a time of great shortage and famine in the Piedmonte region, this meant that he and his family had to work very hard to earn their living.  This resolve was strengthened even more when John's father died and left his mother a widow with still-young children.

Poverty prevented John from any serious attempt at schooling.  Rather he was a shepherd and received his early training from a priest.  John left home at the tender age of 12 and went in search of work as a farm-servant.  At first he begged unsuccessfully but eventually he ended up working on a wine farm.  Finally, in 1830, John met a priest who identified some talent and supported his first attempt at formal schooling.  He went on to study at the seminary in Chieri and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Turin in 1841.

Having known the effects of poverty as a child, John had a particular concern for helping street children, juvenile delinquents and other disadvantaged youth in the metropolitan city to overcome poverty through education.  He developed teaching methods based on love rather than punishment: something quite revolutionary for his time.  Don Bosco's legacy lives on today in the presence of the Salesians of Don Bosco; the Institute of the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians; the Association of Mary, Help of Christians; and the lay movement known as the Association of Salesian Cooperators.

His ingenuity and ability to find techniques to teach children using unconventional methods made Don Bosco all the more like Jesus who also found ways to reach out to people's hearts and to help them come to believe in themselves by first believing that God truly loves us.  Jesus always believed that others could learn new things, even if they themselves found it difficult to accept his words because they could only see him as the carpenter's son (Mk 6:3).

Today, ask Saint John Bosco to pray with you, to help you to see the potential that is possible when children learn to believe in themselves.  Ask him to help us - even though we may be children with many years of experience - and to encourage our hearts so that we can be living examples of love for others today.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Pleading for others

Good morning everyone,

There is a wonderful thing that happens when God is at work: seeing evidence of joy - in the life of the demoniac who is cured, in the blind man whose sight is restored, in the leper who is cleansed, in the sick who are healed ... -  others are captivated and live in hope of experiencing this joy in their own lives.

This is the case in today's gospel, where we meet one of the synagogue officials who has perhaps heard about Jesus' ability to heal the sick and the possessed.  Jairus has recognized something special about Jesus.  He comes to him, falls at his feet and pleads earnestly with him (Mk 5:22). The anxiety is evident in his voice as he pleads his case:  My daughter is at the point of death.  Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live (Mk 5:23). It's not difficult to understand how distraught Jairus must have been.  Even the hope that Jesus might be able to do something to help his daughter would have been enough to motivate him to go in search of help.

When a parent has to tend to a sick child, when that child is so sick that there seems to be no hope, the parent(s) will do anything to restore the child to health. We can imagine what that encounter with Jairus was like.  Jesus looked into his face and saw the panic in his eyes.  What did Jairus see in Jesus' face? ... warmth, welcome, compassion and hope?  I'd like to think he did ... and then Jesus went off with him (cf Mk 5:24).  Along the way, word arrives that Jairus' daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer? (Mk 5:35).  These are the words of someone who believes that somehow human beings can define limits for God's goodness, for love and concern for his beloved children.  Jesus did not stop and turn away that day, as though he would be powerless to help the child.  Instead he continued, encouraging the grieving father: Do not be afraid, just have faith (Mk 5:36)

Jesus walks with us at all moments of our lives.  Sometimes we are aware of his presence and sometimes we aren't, but he is always there, encouraging us with these same words: Do not be afraid, just have faith.  If we can come to believe in this truth, we will soon find that we are indeed captivated by Jesus and able to live in hope of experiencing the joy that he freely shares in our own lives.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: The Gerasene demoniac

Good morning everyone,

Today's gospel passage describes an encounter that Jesus had with a man who was possessed by an unclean spirit and who dwelt among the tombs (cf Mk 5:2).  This poor man had probably been shunned by his family, friends and community and found himself confined to a graveyard - where very few other living humans were to be found.  This man crossed paths with Jesus that day, and their meeting provided Jesus with an opportunity to make a difference in his life.  The writer of the gospel of Mark goes into quite some detail so that we are aware of the extent of this man's suffering, but Jesus is portrayed as meeting him only for a moment: a significant moment.

This story allows us to know the depth of the possessed man's suffering (cf Mk 5:3-5) but it also allows us to see the tender and merciful heart of Jesus in action.  Mark does not tell us the precise words that Jesus spoke to the possessed man, except that he continually called the unclean spirit to come out of him (Mk 5:8).  We can imagine that Jesus would have been extremely respectful of the person who was standing in front of him.  Although he was firm in his commands for the unclean spirit to leave him alone, he was also tenderly concerned for the well-being of the man who had been suffering for so long.

Eventually, Jesus was able to convince the unclean spirits to leave the man alone.  He (Jesus) probably didn't make friends that day with the swine herders but he managed to restore health to the man who had been tormented for far too long.  Perhaps worried that Jesus had managed to destroy a herd of swine that was relatively considerable in size, the townsfolk asked him to leave the territory of the Gerasenes, and as he was preparing to leave, the man who had been made clean wanted to go with him (cf Mk 5:18).  This is understandable, but Jesus knew that the man could do more good sharing the story of his own encounter with others, so he told him: Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord ... has done for you (Mk 5:19).

Jesus is constantly at work, encountering us each day and doing wonderful things in and through us.  He is always calling us to do our part to share the news of all that he is doing in our lives with our family members and friends and with those we meet.  Not everyone's story is as dramatic as the Gerasene demoniac's encounter, but each of us has a story to tell.  Open your ears today to listen in love to the adventures that are recounted by those you meet.  You never know who will share a tale of faith with you, and if the opportunity should present itself, be willing to share your own story with others.  We have no idea how our lived example may influence another person who is thirsting for the life-giving presence that an encounter with our God can give.

Have a great day.

Into the silence

Today’s gospel places us in the Synagogue in Capernaum.  Even today, the foundations of that place of worship are still outlined, and as we stand inside the space where it once stood, it isn’t difficult to see that it would have been a place of encounter, a place where all manner of social gatherings would have taken place.

Jesus and his disciples went to the Synagogue on the Sabbath.  At the time, everyone in town would have been there, listening to Jesus as he taught.  As they listened, they were astonished at his teaching (Mk 1:22) and would have been paying close attention.  Perhaps they were totally unaware that someone else had made his way into the crowd.  The words that this newcomer spoke would have broken the spell that had seemed to keep them captivated by Jesus’ words.  This new voice cried out harshly: What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  (Mk 1:24).   In response to this interruption, Jesus simply says: Be silent! (Mk 1:25).

The society around is so filled with noises of all kinds that we can sometimes forget that it is possible for us to be silent.  Silence is not merely the absence of noise, but a living reality that helps us to stay connected to ourselves and, more importantly, to stay connected to our God.  It is often only when we are disciplined enough to sit in silence that we are able to take a second look at things that are concerning us.  Silence allows us to look at life from different angles.  In fact, it is often from the depths of silence that great pearls of wisdom are able to find a home in our minds and hearts.

In the case of the demoniac presented in the gospel, silence allowed Jesus to free the possessed man from his imprisonment.  Those who were standing around and witnessed this act of mercy were amazed at what they saw as Jesus commanded the evil spirit: come out of him! (Mk 1:25).

In the silence of prayer, Moses heard the Lord entrusting him with advise for his people: The Lord, your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me (Deut 18:15) ... and anyone who does not heed the words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will hold him accountable (Deut 18:19).

I wonder whether our modern-day insistence on being surrounded by noise is not a rebellious way of trying to fill the silence – which is God’s gift – with activity and sound that is an attempt to fool ourselves into thinking that silence is the absence of something instead of the place where we are invited to encounter our God, the place where He invites us to be free of all our anxieties (1 Cor 7:32) so that we can begin to see the various details of our lives not as competing for attention but rather as an opportunity to marvel at the way God uses our busy-ness to remind us of his presence.

Take time this week to be silent and you may be surprised at how it will help to put everything else into perspective.

His Word Today: Saint Angela Merici

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Angela Merici who was born in 1541 in Desenzano del Garda (Lombardy, Italy).  At the age of 15, she and her siblings were orphaned.  The brothers and sisters were split up and Angela and her sister went to live with their uncle in Saló.  Not long afterward, her sister died and Angela joined the Third Order of Saint Francis.  Following the death of her uncle, Angela moved back home to Desenzano where she lived with her brothers.

Angela was deeply devout and received visions from time to time.  In one such vision, she was instructed to establish an association of virgins who were to devote their lives to the religious training of young girls.  This association was a success and she was invited to establish another school in the neighbouring city of Brescia.

On 25 November 1535, Angela gathered with 12 young women who had joined in her work in a small house in Brescia near the Church of Saint Afra, where together they committed themselves in the founding of the Company of Saint Ursula, placed under the protection of the patroness of medieval universities. Angela's goal was to elevate family life through the Christian education of future wives and mothers. Four years later the group had grown to 28. Angela taught her companions to be consecrated to God and dedicated to the service of their neighbour, but to remain in the world, teaching the girls of their own neighbourhood, and to practice a religious form of life in their own homes. The members of the new Company wore no special habit and took no formal religious vows. Angela wrote a Rule of Life for the group, which specified the practice of celibacy, poverty and obedience in their own homes. The Ursulines opened orphanages and schools. On 18 March 1537, she was elected Mother and Mistress of the group. The Rule she had written was approved in 1544 by Pope Paul III.

When Merici died in Brescia on 27 January 1540, there were 24 communities of the Company of Saint Ursula serving the Church through the region. Her body was clothed in the habit of a Franciscan tertiary and was interred in the Church of Saint Afra.  Today, the Ursulines are still present, educating young girls all over the world.

Pray today that Saint Angela Merici will intercede on our behalf to help us identify the needs of our world, the places where Jesus needs us to be so that we can do our part to calm the storms that so often bring doubt and fear to people of our times (cf Mk 4:39-40), and instead do our part to elevate the family and faith lives of our brothers and sisters.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Timothy and Titus

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates two Saints: Timothy and Titus.

Saint Timothy was born in Lystra, the child of a Jewish mother who had become a Christian believer, and a Greek father.  He met the Apostle Paul and became one of his companions and co-workers - along with another man by the name of Silas.  In time, Timothy travelled with his mentor Paul, who entrusted him with important assignments.  We have copies of some of the correspondence that Paul wrote to his companion Timothy in the New Testament.  We call them the First and Second Epistles/Letters to Timothy.

Among the other followers of Paul, we find the other Saint who is celebrated today.  Titus was an early Christian missionary and a church leader.  Like Timothy, Paul also corresponded with Titus, and we still have a copy of at least one of those letters in the New Testament.  Titus is believed to originally have been a Gentile who was converted to Christianity by Paul's teaching and example.  According to tradition, Titus was consecrated as Bishop of the island of Crete.

The lives of Timothy and TItus both provide us with examples of the wonderful ways in which God's wisdom and teachings are spread among us: We are often unaware of God's efforts at work, but the result is that God continues to sow the seeds of faith in people's hearts.  These seeds take root and grow without us noticing, as though the growth takes place while we sleep and rise, night and day: it sprouts and grows (Mk 4:27).

Inspired by the example of these two holy men, may we grow day by day to realize that when we extend our humble efforts to share the good news of the gospel with others, it is in fact Jesus who continues to sow faith in the hearts of his beloved people, like we might sow mustard seeds in fertile ground.  Jesus constantly and patiently cultivates the precious gift of faith so that it can spring up and grow ... like a large plant, putting forth large branches so that the birds of the air can dwell in its shade (Mk 4:32).

Have a great day.

His Word Today: A life-changing experience

Detail of 'The Conversion of Saint Paul'
by Michelangelo da Caravaggio

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul (who is referred to as an Apostle, although he was not part of the twelve that Jesus called).  The details of Saint Paul's conversion are recounted (in the first person) in the Acts of the Apostles.  There, Paul explains that he was born a Jew and educated by one of the most revered and respected of the elders (cf Acts 22:3).  His faith was strong, so strong in fact that he describes himself as zealous for God and he admits that out of that zeal he persecuted the followers of Jesus, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison (Acts 22:4) in the hopes of bringing an end to them.

At a certain point, he even set out for Damascus (Syria) to bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment, those there as well (Acts 22:5).  This was serious business! ... but on his way to Damascus, something happened that changed his life forever.  He recounts the details: a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me.  I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul ... why are you persecuting me?' (Acts 22:6-7).  It is interesting to note the degree of detail that he includes, for anyone who has lived through a life-changing experience will forever be able to recount the details (usually with amazing clarity).  It is also interesting to note that up to this point, Saul had no idea who he was encountering.  Until now, the only God he had ever known was the God of Abraham (remember that he was fervently attached to his faith) but this was different.  Whereas he was very well acquainted with the rituals surrounding Jewish prayer, dietary laws etc, this was the first time that he had ever encountered God in such a personal way.  God spoke to him and called him by name!

As further proof that this encounter was not a dream, Paul was given a mission: Get up and go to Damascus (Acts 22:10).  There, he met Ananias, another highly-respected Jew.  Ananias explained Paul's mission: The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice, for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard (Acts 22:14-15).  This commission is strikingly similar to the commission that Jesus gave to the other disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Anyone of us who has had a similar experience - of encountering God in a personal way, of hearing him call us by name - will forever be able to tell the story of such a moment.  We are never granted such a moment of grace just so that we can keep it as a nice memory.  Jesus always calls us and gives us a mission: to be his witnesses in the world, to tell others about what we have seen and heard.

Pray today for the courage to be a witness for Jesus in the world today, to tell others about him and all that he has done and continues to do.

Have a great day.