THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK FROM
ST. AUGUSTINE SPIRITUALITY CENTER
Laredo, Texas August 11-17, 2024
Sister Rosemarie Goins, a Felician Franciscan Sister
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Kings 19:4-8. Psalm 34. Ephesians 4:30-5:2; John 6:41-51
Sometimes we are like Elijah. Things are just too much for us. We just want to die and not go on. There are debts to pay, unruly children to raise, unpleasant neighbors, oppressive employers and, of course, that terrible daily drive to and from work on packed highways. God refreshed Elijah for his journey with a visit from an angel and food. Paul tells us in Ephesians what can make the journey a little more palatable.
“Remove all bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, reviling and malice from your life.” …” Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving…” “Be imitators of Christ…and live in love.” Christ made a “sacrificial offering of himself” for our salvation. Can we do less for one another?
Familiarity is an issue in John’s Gospel story. Jesus is preaching in his hometown area and imparting some profound and disturbing information, “I am the bread of life that came down from heaven.” The
people are flabbergasted. Who does Jesus think he is? We know everything about him. We saw him grow up and he is only a carpenter. God forbid that a person of such lowly work should preach to us. Of course, Jesus is hurt by their unbelief. As he says, “A prophet is never accepted in his own territory.”
They say that “Familiarity breathes contempt.” Whether that is true or not, I don’t know. However, sometimes it is difficult for us to accept wise sayings from our children or friends. It is hard to admit that someone else is more knowledgeable than us, especially those closest to us. We know how difficult it is to deal with a “know-it-all.” Perhaps we need to examine our conscience and see which category we fall into. Can we appreciate those people and things we take for granted in a more loving manner. Familiar things sometimes become invisible and we need to take out those gifts again and re-evaluate their preciousness.
Today, August 11, is the wonderful Feast of St. Clare of Assisi, a wealthy, Italian woman, who took to heart St. Francis of Assisi’s commitment to the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ and embraced poverty.
After Francis’ death she is the one who fully formed and taught his way of life to others. She is the patron saint of televisions and computer screens. Why? Late in her life, she fell too ill to attend Church and one day the images and sounds of the entire Mass appeared in full on the wall of her room. Pope Pius XII so named her in1957. She is also the patron of sore eyes and embroidery. This foundress of the Poor Clares is one to imitate in humility, poverty and love of God.
In the 16th century St. Jane Frances de Chantal was a French noble widow and nun, who founded the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, who accepted women, who were rejected by other orders, because of poor health or age. She is the patron of parents separated from children, forgotten people and widows.
St. Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish Catholic priest and Conventual Franciscan friar, who volunteered to die in place of a man named Franciszek Gajowniczek in the German death camp of Auschwitz during World War II. He is the patron of addicts.
August 15 is the great Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. What do we base this dogma of faith on. The fact that Mary was conceived without sin stands to reason that she was not subject to the punishments of Original sin, of which one is death. According to tradition she went to heaven body and soul, when she was 72 years old. Pope Pius XII declared this a dogma of faith.
“Taste and see the goodness of the Lord,” Psalm 34