CONSIDERATIONS FOR SUNDAY 4 AUGUST 2013 The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings for Sunday Liturgy: Ecclesiastes 1: and 2:-21-23 Colossians 3: 1-5 and 9-11 Luke 12: 13-21 Today we hear from Saint Luke the condemnation of Jesus of greed and of laying importance on the things we can acquire. Instead He tells us to that will not be accepted by the Father of all. But then Saint Paul in the letter to the Colossians makes it very clear that we must put to death the parts of each of us that are earthly. He tells us greed is idolatry. Then he goes on to tell us that if we really are the new persons saved by the blood of Christ we must rid ourselves of anger, fury, malice, slander, and the obscene language that comes out of our mouths. And we must stop lying to one another. That is a tall order. You may tell yourself that it is too much to undertake. And that may be true if you are steeped in those behaviors. But if not, then the challenges might well be undertaken and successfully so if they are done one by one. The examination of our own behaviors may not be pleasant if honestly done, but without it we cannot hope to overcome those faults that drag our souls into the evils of habitual sin. To leave those bad behaviors unaddressed also show a lack of respect for not just not others but for ourselves as well. Thought for the Day: The weather seems to be very unpredictable these days. It has become more often a matter of extremes than common patterns. So it can be with our lives. Are you now caught amid extremes in behavior? Have relationships turned sour that were for a long time friendly? If so turn to the Lord and to those who can offer meaningful help and get things turned back to a harmonious way. Let Us Pray: Dear Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank you for this day and for the chances we may have to witness to your word and share your holy message with others. Lord of mercy, please help us to get rid of that which is part of our lives that degrade us and let that be replaced with gentleness and your loving presence. Greatest Healer of the broken hearted, please send your loving comfort and good recollections to those who have lost a beloved member of their family this week or in the recent past. You have empowered people to make peace, but that seems not to happen often. Most Holy Spirit, we implore you to bring peace to the people of this world based on mutual respect for one another and love for you. Saints We Remember on August 4: In 1925 a humble parish priest who served in parishes in rural France for many years is remembered. He is Saint John Vianney. Born in 1786 Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney at Dardilly near Lyons, France, he spent his childhood and teen years working as a shepherd on his father’s farm. During the French Revolution at the age of twenty, he began studies for ordination as a priest of the Roman Rite. But that study was interrupted by a call to serve in the army. He never really served due to illness that required hospitalization. Then when he was well, he missed the troop train. He met a deserter and stayed in his town for fourteen months teaching children and working on a farm. He continued his studies in secret. In 1810 Napoleon declared a general amnesty. John returned to Lyons free from fear of arrest. There he entered a minor seminary and in 1812 went on to the major seminary. There all the courses were taught in Latin. John was never good at Latin, so he struggled. His lack of good grades brought about his dismissal from the seminary. But he was not going to give up his call from God to serve as a priest. He found a kind priest, Abbe Balley, who tutored him at the parish in Ecully, The priest arranged special exams by the officials of the seminary. When John went for the tests, the examiners were not impressed that much with his answers to their questions but rather with his piety and genuine goodness. After some private discussions, they decided to approve him and make the recommendation to the bishop of ordination. That was in 1815. Until 1817 Father John served under his mentor, Father Balley, as an assistant priest in that parish at Ecully. Then the bishop appointed him to serve as the parish priest for Ars en Dombes, a remote rural parish with fewer than 250 members. Since John was a farmer from the time of his childhood and a lover of the land and the people to worked it, he was well accepted. He got the people to restore the church that had fallen into great disrepair. He walked to visit every home in his parish and taught catechism to the children who loved his story telling skills. That was to be his parish the rest of his life. Since the people did not have that much to eat, he lived primarily on potatoes for the first six years of his residence in Ars. And he was not an Irishman. John’s sermons were often focused on the Last Judgment and hell, but that was indeed strange due to his personal gentleness and compassion. I always think of the old saying "do what I do and not what I say." He spoke our against dancing and other human amusements. That was sad in some ways since dance and song is often the only personal and community joys that the poor can have. Yet John was a uniquely non-judgmental confessor and a great listener to those in need of spiritual counsel. His reputation as a wise advisor and confessor spread. Between 1830 and 1845 as many as 300 people a day came to call on him. You see he was also known as a miracle worker. When the orphanage he founded ran out of food, he prayed over the last loaves of bread and the loaves became sufficient to supply food for the staff and the children for weeks. Trains passing through Ars became so filled with pilgrims that railroad built a special station to accommodate the travelers. Father Vianney preached each day at eleven in the morning and then heard confessions for six hours up to the day of his death. During the several years before he died, 20000 people a year came to Ars hear and speak with Father John. Three times he left briefly from Ars to consider becoming a monk. He found that God told him to get back to the work he was to do in his parish. And so he did. He was made a knight of the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honor but never wore the imperial cross he was given. Saint John Vianney died on this day in 1859 at the age of seventy-three. He is remembered by the Church of England, the Celtic Rite, and the Roman Rite today. Blessings!
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 11:15:01 +0000
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