The Sign From God

[The people said to Jesus,] “Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe in you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”

- St. John 6:30-35

There have always been those who demand signs from God, some evidence that He really is God. It has been shown throughout history that even when God does perform a miracle, there is not necessarily a strengthening of people’s faith. In fact, it could be shown that a faith based simply upon the spectacular, a faith which demands sign after sign, can become a weakened faith, a faith without substance.

We need only look at the story of the Exodus – that time in the history of the Jews when they were led out of Egypt, away from the slavery they had endured. Against all odds, they were able to escape from Pharaoh under the leadership of Moses but before their delivery, God sent plague after plague upon the Egyptians in which they had experienced infestations of frogs and lice and flies; their cattle had become diseased; their bodies had erupted with boils; their crops had been destroyed by hail and locusts; and finally, after Pharaoh continually balked at releasing the Jews from their enslavement, God decreed the death of the first-born in every Egyptian household, which then set in motion all the events of the Passover and the escape of the Children of Israel.

And even after they had begun their forty-year journey to the Promised Land, God kept interceding. He parted the waters of the Red Sea so they could pass through on dry ground, and He then allowed the waters to go over the Egyptians who were pursuing the Jews. When the Israelites were thirsty, God provided a spring in the desert to assuage their thirst. Time and time again He provided for them, and yet still they complained, saying that they were better off as slaves, because then at least they had enough to eat. After all the signs God had given them, after all He had provided for them, how they quickly forgot, and how soon they started complaining. Even with the passage of time, very often things remain much the same. In the Gospel we read that Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fish, and yet those very people who had been present at that great marvel are the same people who ask for yet another sign. One was not enough: they wanted more.

So often people approach God making demands, coming to Him with the attitude, “I’ll believe in you if you will do thus-and-so.” The attitude seems to be that God should somehow prove that He is worthy of our belief, or that faithfulness is somehow contingent on God’s doing something. Most people, at one time or another, have tried to make deals with God, asking Him for a sign, promising Him all sorts of renewed faithfulness, promising Him that devotion will increase, or that belief in Him will be firmer.

Part of the Gospel message of our Lord Jesus Christ is that we need not “strike bargains” with God; we need not “ask for signs” in order to believe. The bargain has been already struck. It was struck upon the cross, and it was consummated in the empty tomb. That was and is the great sign from God. That is what Jesus spoke of when He said that His Father gives the True Bread from Heaven – when He said, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”

“What sign do you do, that we may see, and believe in you?” the people asked. Jesus answered that question for all time when He allowed Himself to be nailed to the Cross and then overcame death in the grave. Ask for no further sign – no further miracle is necessary – because the sign from God is with us always. In the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Jesus is perpetually sacrificed for us, and day after day we can partake of His glorious Body and Blood. Just as God sent heavenly manna to the Children of Israel to stave off their hunger as they wandered in the wilderness, so God sends us heavenly Bread – the very Body of Christ Crucified and Risen.

God has given us the sign we want, and it is the sign which illuminates all of history. Jesus has given Himself as the great Sign, and we are privileged not only witness, but also to partake. We need to see nothing more than Christ crucified, Christ risen, Christ glorified – Christ truly present on our altars, in our tabernacles.

They said to him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” And He said them “I am the bread of life.”

St. Ignatius of Loyola

The Shrine of St. Ignatius
at the Church of the Gesu in Rome.

St. Ignatius of Loyola was born at Loyola in the mountains of northern Spain in 1491. A member of the minor nobility, Ignatius spent his youth and early adulthood as a courtier and soldier. He occasionally vowed to dedicate himself more fully to God, but never quite followed through. It was only after he read the lives of the saints while convalescing from a leg wound incurred during a battle that he finally began his spiritual pilgrimage with real intent at the age of 30.

Soon after this, St. Ignatius began to experience ecstatic visions, but within a year suffered a period of intense spiritual dryness (what St. John of the Cross termed the “dark night of the soul”), which nearly drove him to despair. He persevered, however, and out of this was born Spiritual Exercises, one the most important Catholic spiritual works of all time. Ignatius was a true mystic. He centered his spiritual life on the essential foundations of the Faith - the Trinity, Christ, the Eucharist. His spirituality is expressed in the Jesuit motto, Ad majorem Dei gloriam - “for the greater glory of God.” 

In spite of his noble origins, St. Ignatius lived an astonishingly humble lifestyle, which others often resented. Yet he attracted several followers (including St. Francis Xavier), and in 1540 received approval from Pope Paul III for his new order, The Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits. In a very short time, this order would go on to become one of the best known of all Catholic religious orders, taking the Gospel to the four corners of the world.

O God, who for the greater glory of thy Name, didst endue thy Church militant with an increase of strength through the life and labours of blessed Ignatius: grant us, by his help and example, so to wage our earthly warfare; that with him we may be found worthy of a heavenly crown; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Church of the Gesu, Rome.

St. Martha of Bethany

Our first thought upon hearing the name of St. Martha is probably the recollection of a woman preparing a meal for the Lord Jesus, upset that her sister Mary is not helping her, and who then is gently rebuked by Christ when He told her that “Mary has chosen the better portion.” What we should more readily recall, however, is her exchange with the Lord when He came to her house after the death of her brother Lazarus.

Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world."

Here is Martha, the woman of great faith; the woman who professes Jesus as the Christ; the woman who professes the power of God in the coming resurrection. Is there any doubt that in her heart, Martha, too, had chosen “the better portion,” as Christ urged her to do?

Almighty and most merciful God, whose Son did vouchsafe to be welcomed in the home of blessed Martha: grant, we beseech thee, by the merits of her who lovingly served him; that we of thy mercy may be received into our heavenly home; through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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Pictured: "Raising of Lazarus" by Giotto (1267-1337)

Ss. Joachim and Anne

According to tradition, St. Joachim and St. Anne have come to us as being the names of the parents of Mary, the Mother of God. They are not named in the canonical Scriptures, but this tradition dates back to the early years of the Church, as does the story which tells us that after many years of not having a child, an angel appeared to them and told them that God would be granting them this blessing.  

They had prayed for a child, and part of their prayer was the promise that they would dedicate their child to the service of God. Little did they know at that time what great service would be given by their infant daughter.

When Mary reached the age of three, her parents fulfilled their vow. Together with their family and friends, they took her to the Temple. The High Priest and other Temple priests greeted the procession, and tradition says that the child was brought before the fifteen high steps which led to the sanctuary. It is said that the child Mary made her way to the stairs and, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, ascended all fifteen steps, coming to the Holy of Holies where only the High Priest could enter. Tradition then says that the High Priest, acting outside every rule he knew, led the Holy Virgin into the Holy of Holies, astonishing everyone present in the Temple. So it was that she, whose own womb would become the Holy of Holies, came into the presence of the God Whom she would bear.

St. Joachim and St. Anne returned to their home, but their daughter, the Handmaid of the Lord, remained in the Temple until her espousal, where she was prepared by God.  As the grandparents of our Saviour Jesus Christ, they serve as examples and intercessors for all parents and grandparents.

O God, who didst choose blessed Joachim and holy Anne that of them might be born the Mother of thine Only Begotten Son: grant unto us, at their intercession, a place in the fellowship of thine elect, wherein for ever to praise thee for thy lovingkindness; through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Feeding the Five Thousand

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?" Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!" Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

- St. John 6:1-15

This Gospel tells us of the well-known miracle of the feeding of the five thousand with the five loaves and two fish. There are, of course, many miracles recorded in the Gospels. And it’s interesting to see how people have approached these accounts.

When it comes to Christ’s parables, there seems to be (for the most part) no issue, because they’re taken as the stories that they are. But when it comes to the miracles – actual historical events which took place – there are those who try to explain them in exclusively natural ways. When Jesus walked on the water, for instance, there are those who want to say that there was a sand bar right beneath the surface. When Christ stilled the storm, there are those who try to say that it was coincidental with the storm having run its course.

When it comes to today’s miracle, as we look at various biblical commentaries, some have tried to say it was a kind of collective illusion – that the people there only thought they had eaten their fill. Others have said that it wasn’t really a miracle, but that the people simply shared their food with one another, and that was the real miracle. I’ve always been astonished at those kinds of faithless theories. Either God is God, or He’s not. If He could create all things, if He could take human flesh upon Himself and come to us – if He is indeed the God of the universe – then taking elements of His creation, bread and fish, and multiplying them, is simply in keeping with who He is.

And in fact, when we look at the event, the details are so specific: Jesus asks how they could feed this crowd. Andrew is clear in saying that there are five loaves and two fish. Our Lord instructed the disciples to have the people sit down, after which He gave thanks to His Father, and then distributed the food to the crowds. And further details are given to us: there were twelve baskets full of bread left over. Everything about it tells us this was an actual event. The details are spelled out; it was an act done by Jesus Christ to make a particular point, and to teach us something. So what was it all about?

We should start out by noticing that the people had come there with no forethought of preparation, and this is clear from the Gospel account. This crowd had been following Jesus for some time, listening to him, having their hopes raised higher and higher as He taught them the things of God. They weren’t thinking about anything else other than the fact that they wanted to stick close to Him. They wanted to see Him and hear Him. So there they are, gathered at the place to which He had gone.

Time passes. Jesus had been speaking quietly with his apostles, but the people were still there, waiting. It’s obvious they have no thought of leaving him. As that becomes evident, the apostles show their concern. The people had come out there completely unprepared; it was getting late; they were far from any town. Even though He knew what He was going to do, Jesus asks Philip, “How are we to buy bread, that these people may eat?” His question is certainly an indication to us yet again that the people hadn’t come with their own food. Andrew mentions the little boy who happened to have some bread and fish with him, but it seemed pretty obvious to the apostles that five loaves and two fish weren’t going to feed this crowd. Nonetheless, Jesus takes the available food, He blesses it and distributes it, and the surplus is so great that they fill twelve baskets with the leftovers.

In hearing this account, notice the central place of our Lord Jesus Christ in all of this. The people had come to Him, without anything specific in mind – they just wanted to hear Him. The apostles are there simply to assist Jesus in whatever way He asks; and the crowd is there to accept whatever Jesus provides to them – but it’s the Lord Jesus Christ who holds center stage. And it’s His pure and complete love for each and every person which is demonstrated in this miracle. Through the loaves and the fish Christ made the Father’s love a reality to the people.

In the midst of the literal reality of what’s taking place in this miracle, there’s the important spiritual message, too. There are aspects of this story that, when we look closely, communicate something to us. We weren’t there, so we didn’t receive the immediate benefit of the food itself, but God preserved this account for us so that when we look at it, we get the message He wants us to get. And a central message is that God’s love is abundant, and it’s available to us through our Lord Jesus Christ.

All this looks forward to the fact that God’s love comes through the Living Bread which we receive at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. If we miss this spiritual point, and look only at the aspect of the physical abundance of bread and fish, we begin to ask the wrong question. We fall into the trap of asking, “If He multiplied the loaves for these people, how can He let so many people die of hunger today all over the world?” But that’s missing the point. Isaiah asks the question, “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy?” In other words, we can get so caught up in the things of this world, that we miss what God has determined to be more important. Yes, we need to be concerned for those who are hungry and homeless and in need, just as the apostles were concerned for the people who had gone that day out into the wilderness; but Jesus wanted His apostles to go further than that. He wanted to show the people there that day what the power and love of God is like.

The world is hungry, but not just hungry for food. The world is hungry for the truth; it’s hungry for spiritual fulfillment; it’s hungry for God. Certainly, we’re to minister in Christ’s name to those who are poor and hungry, but we must remember that, more important than bread, is the Bread of Life.

In many ways, the world has become a twisted and sour place; but Christ holds out to the world what is true and eternal. He holds out forgiveness; He holds out everlasting life. And He asks us to assist Him in distributing what he’s holding out to the world. So we’ve got to be careful that we don’t try to hand out a false gospel that doesn’t see past the things of this world.

Notice at the end of today’s Gospel passage, Jesus withdraws. Why? Because the people were missing the point, and they were trying to make Him an earthly king. We need to make sure we get the point here that God wants us to get; namely that it’s the deep and abiding love of God which transforms us, and because of that, there is nothing that can ever conquer us. When we stand with Christ and with His truth, we can stand firm in the face of anything that threatens us, because God in Christ loves us and supports us, so we need to fear nothing.

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Pictured: In the Church of the Multiplication at Tabgha, showing the stone under the altar, where Christ placed the loaves and fish.

St. James the Greater, Apostle

St. James the Greater (meaning the Elder) and his brother John were partners in the fishing business with two other brothers, Peter and Andrew.  They all lived in Bethsaida, a village on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. His mother was a sister of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and he would have known Jesus from childhood. He is one of those that Jesus called Boanerges, "sons of thunder," the brother of St. John the Evangelist and the son of Zebedee the fisherman from Galilee.

Along with Peter and John, James was part of the inner circle of Jesus, the ones who witnessed the Transfiguration, and who were witnesses to certain of His miracles, such as the raising of the daughter of Jairus. Like his brother, James was active in the work of evangelization after the death of Jesus, and there is some evidence that he went to Spain after our Lord's resurrection.  In fact, the great Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela witnesses to that probability.

St. James' prominence and his presence in Jerusalem was well known.  Scarcely a dozen years after the Resurrection he was arrested and executed by King Herod Agrippa. This was followed by the arrest of Peter also, so his death must have been part of a purge of Christian leaders by Agrippa, who saw the new Christian movement as a threat.

Jesus had foretold this kind of fate when He prophesied that James and his brother John would "drink of the same chalice" of suffering as Himself. Along with their mother's request, the two brothers had asked to be seated at the right of Jesus and at His left in His kingdom, and Jesus told them that they would be with Him, but it turned out to be in a far different way than they expected.

Grant, O merciful God, that as thine holy Apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him: so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

St. Sharbel Makhluf

St. Sharbel Makhluf is a Maronite saint, a member of the ancient Eastern Catholic Church of Antioch.  It was in Antioch that Christ's followers were first called Christians, and St. Peter ministered there before going to Rome.  The Maronites have their own liturgy and discipline, and have always been in full communion with the See of Peter.  They take their name from St. Maron, a fifth century monk and patriarch of Antioch.

Although this saint never traveled far from the Lebanese village of Beka-Kafra where he was born, his influence has spread widely.

Joseph Zaroun Makluf was raised by an uncle because his father, a mule driver, died when Joseph was only three. At the age of 23, Joseph joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, Lebanon, and took the name Sharbel in honor of a second-century martyr. He professed his final vows in 1853, and was ordained six years later.

Following the example of the fifth-century Saint Maron, Sharbel lived as a hermit from 1875, until his death. His reputation for holiness prompted people to seek him to receive a blessing and to be remembered in his prayers. He followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament. When his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages, Sharbel did so gladly.

He died in the late afternoon on Christmas Eve. Christians and non-Christians soon made his tomb a place of pilgrimage and of cures. He was beatified in 1965, and canonized 12 years later.

O God, who didst call the Priest Saint Sharbel Makhluf to the solitary combat of the desert and imbued him with all manner of devotion: grant us, we pray thee; that, being made imitators of the Lord’s Passion, we may merit to be coheirs of his kingdom; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

St. Bridget of Sweden

On July 23rd the Church celebrates the feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden. Bridget was a mystic and a visionary, and she received visions of Christ’s suffering many times throughout her life. She was born in 1303 and her parents were highly respected people, her father being a local governor and provincial judge.

When Bridget was only ten, it is recorded that she had a vision of Jesus on the cross and heard him say, “Look at me, my daughter,” to which she responded, "Who has treated you like this?" The answer she heard from Jesus was, "Those who despise me and refuse my love for them.” From that moment on, Bridget perceived it as her mission to try and stop people from offending Jesus.

When she was 14, Bridget married an 18-year old man named Ulf. Like Bridget, Ulf had set his heart on serving God. They had eight children, and their marriage of twenty-eight years was a very happy one. Bridget and Ulf also served the Swedish court, Bridget as the queen's personal maid.

All her life, Bridget had marvelous visions and received special messages from God. In obedience to them, she visited many rulers and important people in the Church. She explained humbly what God expected of them.

After her husband died, Bridget put away her rich clothes and lived as a poor nun. Later, in 1346, she began the order of the Most Holy Saviour, also known as Bridgettines. She still kept up her own busy life, traveling about doing good everywhere she went.

Shortly before she died, Bridget went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. At the shrines there, she had visions of what Jesus had said and done in each place, and all of her revelations on the suffering of Christ were published after her death.

St. Bridget died in Rome on July 23, 1373, and was proclaimed a saint by Pope Boniface IX just eighteen years later in 1391.

O God Most High, the Creator of all mankind: we bless thy holy Name for the virtue and grace which thou hast given unto holy women in all ages, especially Saint Bridget; and we pray that her intercession and the example of her faith and purity may inspire many souls in this generation to look unto thee, and to follow thy blessed Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

St. Mary Magdalene

Mystery surrounds St. Mary Magdalene. Was she one and the same as Mary of Bethany? Had she been an immoral woman in her past life, or simply a woman from Magdala who was delivered from evil spirits? Whatever the case, we know she stood with the Blessed Mother and St. John at the foot of the cross; we know she was the first witness of the risen Lord Jesus Christ; and it was St. Mary Magdalene who ran to tell the apostles this Good News.

When Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and did not find the Lord’s body, she thought it had been taken away and so she told the disciples. After they came and saw the tomb, they too believed what Mary had told them. The text then says: The disciples went back home, and it adds: but Mary wept and remained standing outside the tomb.

We should reflect on Mary’s attitude and the great love she felt for Christ.  Even though the disciples had left the tomb, she remained. She was still seeking the one she had not found, and as she looked, she wept.  Burning with the fire of love, she longed for him whom she thought had been taken away. The woman who stayed behind, was the only one to see him. Perseverance is essential to any good act, as the Scriptures tell us: Whoever perseveres to the end will be saved.

At first she sought but did not find, but when she persevered it happened that she found what she was looking for. Even in our own lives, when our desires are not satisfied, they grow stronger, and becoming stronger those feelings make us try even harder. Holy desires likewise grow with anticipation. Anyone who succeeds in attaining the truth has had to burn with such a great love for the truth.

O Almighty God, whose blessed Son did call and sanctify Mary Magdalene to be a witness to his Resurrection: mercifully grant that by thy grace, and assisted by her prayers, we may be healed of all our infirmities, and always serve thee in the power of his endless life; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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 Painting: “The Sorrows of Mary Magdalene” by Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911)

St. Lawrence of Brindisi

Born on 22 July 1559, and dying on 22 July 1619, St. Lawrence of Brindisi lived exactly sixty years. In that time he became a brilliant scholar, a devout and holy priest, a renowned linguist, an outstanding diplomat – and for many of those years he served as the Minister General of the Franciscan Order of Capuchins.

His writings fill fifteen volumes, and his knowledge of Hebrew allowed him to preach so effectively to the Jewish people in Italy that the rabbis were certain that Lawrence must have been a Jew who had become a Christian. His skills in dealing with people meant that he served as a papal emissary to many countries, but he never forgot that he was first and foremost a priest.

There is a very special title accorded by the Church to certain saints, who are named “Doctor of the Church,” and this title indicates that the writings and preaching of such a person are useful to Christians "in any age of the Church." Such men and women are also particularly known for the depth of understanding and the orthodoxy of their theological teachings. St. Lawrence of Brindisi was given this title, and he is one of the thirty-six saints to be named “Doctor.”

For some reason, his father insisted that his baptismal name was to be Julius Caesar, and that was done shortly after his birth at Brindisi in the kingdom of Naples in 1559. Educated in Venice at the College of St. Mark, he entered the Capuchins, and it was upon entering the monastery that he was given the name Lawrence. During his studies at the University of Padua, he showed an aptitude for languages, mastering Hebrew, Greek, German, Bohemian, Spanish, and French, and he also showed an extraordinary knowledge of the text of the Bible.

While still a deacon, St. Lawrence of Brindisi became known as an excellent preacher and after his ordination captured the whole of northern Italy with his amazing sermons. He was sent into Germany by the pope to establish Capuchin houses. While there, he became chaplain to Emperor Rudolf II and had a remarkable influence on the Christian soldiers fighting the Muslims who were threatening Hungary in 1601. Through his efforts, the Catholic League was formed to unify Catholics for the purpose of strengthening the Catholic cause in Europe. Sent by the emperor to persuade Philip III of Spain to join the League, he established a Capuchin friary in Madrid. He also brought peace between Spain and the kingdom of Savoy.

His compassion for the poor, the needy, and the sick was legendary. Elected minister-general of his order in 1602, he made the Capuchins a major force in the Catholic Restoration, visiting every friary in the thirty-four provinces of the order and directing the work of nine thousand friars. He himself was a dominant figure in carrying out the work of the Council of Trent and was described by Pope Benedict XV as having earned "a truly distinguished place among the most outstanding men ever raised up by Divine Providence to assist the Church in time of distress."

Lawrence was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1881 and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959.

O God, who didst bestow on blessed Lawrence of Brindisi, thy Confessor and Doctor, the spirit of wisdom and fortitude to endure every labour for the glory of thy Name and the salvation of souls: grant us, in the same spirit, both to perceive what we ought to do, and by his intercession to perform the same; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

St. Apollinaris of Ravenna

St. Apollinaris was one of the great martyrs in the early years of the Church. He was made Bishop of Ravenna by St. Peter. The miracles he conducted in Ravenna soon attracted official attention, for they and his preaching won many converts to the faith. However, at the same time, his words and works brought upon him the fury of the pagan people, who beat Apollinaris viciously on several occasions.

During one beating, Apollinaris was cut with knives, and scalding hot water poured over his wounds.  In this state of suffering he was then put on a ship to be sent to Greece.

In Greece St. Apollinaris carried on the same course of preaching, and miracles, and sufferings. In fact, after a cruel beating by Greek pagans, he was sent back to Italy.

When Emperor Vespasian issued a decree of banishment against the Christians, Apollinaris was kept hidden for some time, but as he was leaving, passing through the gates of the city, he was attacked and savagely beaten. He lived for seven days, foretelling that the persecutions would increase, but that the Church would ultimately triumph.

Almighty God, by whose grace and power thy holy martyr St. Apollinaris triumphed over suffering and was faithful even unto death: Grant to us, who now remember him with thanksgiving, to be so faithful in our witness to thee in this world, that we may receive with him the crown of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Basilica of St. Apollinaris in Ravenna, 6th century.

Like Sheep Without A Shepherd

The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves. Now many saw them going, and knew them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them. As he landed he saw a great throng, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

- St. Mark 6:30-34

St. Mark describes the scene when our Lord arrived at what was supposed to be a “quiet place apart,” but where He “saw a great throng, and He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd…”

People often think of compassion as being a kind of sympathy, feeling sorry for someone. But in the original Greek, compassion isn’t so much describing a feeling or an emotion, but rather, it indicates a thought or feeling leading to an action. It is probably best translated as having a love so deep that it is almost like an inner pain – a love which moves a person to actually do something for someone in need.

What was it that caused this compassion – this “painful love” – which Jesus had? He saw the crowds of people, ordinary men and women who had come out to hear what He had to say. Some were looking for comfort in their otherwise difficult lives; many were looking for something to fill the spiritual emptiness they felt. Their own religious leaders should have been giving them spiritual strength to live by, but instead were simply bewildering them with subtle and intricate arguments about the Law – arguments which contained no comfort, no spiritual help. These spiritual leaders should have been helping the people to face the difficulties of their daily lives, but instead they were weighing them down under the intolerable demands of countless man-made laws. They were making religious demands which served as a handicap instead of a support.

At the time of our Lord’s earthly ministry, religious teaching within Judaism had, for the most part, become a discouragement to the people, rather than an inspiration to grow closer to God. The people had become, in the sad words of today’s Gospel, like “sheep without a shepherd.”

Of course, the people in those days were not so different from people throughout the ages, or from us as we are today. People want and need something to live by. We want some authority which can inform us about what is right and what is wrong. We want an authority to help us as we make decisions for the direction of our lives.

But authority can often be twisted. It was twisted by the scribes and pharisees, and it is twisted by those who act like scribes and pharisees in our own day. The result is that authority comes to be viewed by many as being a negative, oppressive thing.

A selfish authority, an authority without compassion, an authority which is coercive, can become an oppressive yoke – a yoke which weighs people down, rather than lifting them up. That kind of authority can become a veil of darkness, rather than a guide to the light of truth. We need only to look at some of the totalitarian governments and political systems, not only in the past, but which we see in the world today. We see individuals who have positions of authority without an accompanying sense of loving responsibility, and it becomes evident just how easily authority can be abused, and so cause terrible suffering to those who labour under it.

But we do not have to look as far as political systems or totalitarian governments to consider the proper use of authority. We should look at the Church and at those who have spiritual authority over others.

Whether it be the authority we are bound to follow, or the authority we might have over others, it is Christ our Shepherd who gives us the model. He had compassion upon the people because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

And what kind of a shepherd is He? He is one whom we obey because we know He willingly sacrificed himself for us. He is one whom we follow because He gently leads us rather than impatiently shoving us along through life. He is the one we stay close to, because He is generous with His gifts to us, but then allows us to use them, rather than dictating our every thought and action.

Each one of us needs to look to the compassionate Christ for the model of what authority over others should be like – not like the scribes and pharisees, who bound great burdens upon others, but rather reflecting the depth of the gentle love and compassion we receive from God Himself.

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Painting by James Tissot (1836-1902)

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

"The Virgin of Carmel" by Alessandro Bonvicino ( c. 1498 –1554)

Mount Carmel is closely associated with the Prophet Elijah. Located in northern Israel, it was and remains a place of great beauty. There is still a chapel called the Grotto of St. Elijah, which is most likely where he sheltered

Hermits lived on Mount Carmel near the Fountain of Elijah in the 12th century. They had a chapel dedicated to Our Lady. By the 13th century they became known as “Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.” They soon celebrated a special Mass and Office in honor of Mary. In 1726 it became a celebration of the universal Church under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For centuries the Carmelites have seen themselves as specially related to Mary. Their great saints and theologians have promoted devotion to her and have often been at the forefront of explaining and defending the mystery of her Immaculate Conception.

St. Teresa of Avila called Carmel “the Order of the Virgin.” St. John of the Cross credited Mary with saving him from drowning as a child, leading him to Carmel, and helping him escape from prison. St. Therese of the Child Jesus dedicated her life to Mary under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and during the last days of her life she frequently spoke of her.

There is a strong tradition that Mary appeared to St. Simon Stock, a leader of the Carmelites, and gave him a scapular, telling him to promote devotion to it. The scapular is a modified version of Mary’s own garment. It symbolizes her special protection and calls the wearers to consecrate themselves to her in a special way. The scapular reminds us of the gospel call to prayer and penance—a call that Mary models in a splendid way.

O God, who didst adorn the Order of Mount Carmel with the especial title of thy most blessed Mother the Ever-Virgin Mary: mercifully grant; that as we do this day remember her in our solemn observance, so by the help of her succor we may be found worthy to attain to everlasting felicity; who livest and reignest with the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Flower of Carmel, vine blossom laden,

Joy of heaven, who yet a maiden,

Bore God's Holy One.

Gentlest Mother, who never man did know,

On Carmel's children your privilege bestow,

Star of Ocean.

Root of Jesse, flower in the cradling bud,

Take us to you, keep us with you in God,

His together.

All chaste lily, rising despite the thorn,

Strengthen, help us, so feeble and forlorn,

Great Protectress!

Be our armor, valiant for Christ when war

Rages round us, hold high the Scapular,

Strong and saving.

In our stumbling, guide us on God's wise way,

In our sorrow, comfort us when we pray;

Rich your mercy.

Holy Lady, Carmel's great Friend and Queen,

Feast your people from your own bliss, the unseen

Grace, God's goodness.

Key and Gateway, opening on Paradise,

Mother, win us a place with you in Christ

Crowned in glory.

Elijah's Cave atop Mt. Carmel, where I have offered Mass while on pilgrimage.

St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor

St. Bonaventure, known as "the seraphic doctor," was born in the Lazio region of central Italy in 1221. His baptismal name was John. He received the name of Bonaventure because of an exclamation which was made by St. Francis of Assisi, when little John’s mother took him to Francis, begging him to pray for her little boy who was very ill. Francis prayed, and little John recovered. When Francis foresaw the future greatness of the boy, he cried out "O buona ventura" - O good fortune! – and that was the name given to John when he entered the Franciscan order.

He was twenty-two when St. Bonaventure joined the Franciscans. Having made his vows, he was then sent to Paris to complete his studies. His main tutor was the celebrated doctor Alexander of Hales, who was an Englishman and a Franciscan. While he was in Paris, St. Bonaventure became a close friend of the great St. Thomas Aquinas. They received their doctoral degrees together, but St. Bonaventure, always a very humble man, insisted that at the ceremony Thomas Aquinas should have the honour of receiving it first. Both St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure became well known throughout the Church for their great scholarship and brilliance, and both even became quite close to the holy king of France, St. Louis.

At the age of thirty-five St. Bonaventure was chosen to be the General of the Franciscan Order. It was a difficult time for the Franciscans, because of internal dissension. The friars had argued about the meaning and practice of poverty.  Already they were straying from the vision and teaching of their Founder, but St. Bonaventure restored peace to the Order. He worked tirelessly for the Franciscan Order, and composed an important work, The Life of St. Francis. He was nominated Archbishop of York in England by Pope Clement IV, but he begged the pope not to force him to accept. The next pope, Gregory X, obliged Bonaventure to take upon himself an even more difficult position, that of the Cardinal Archbishop of Albano, one of the six suffragan Sees of Rome, while still being General of his Order. However, before his death he resigned his office of General of the Franciscan Order. He died while he was at the Second Council of Lyons, on July 15, 1274, working for the good of the Church until his very last breath. How right St. Francis was when he exclaimed “O buona ventura” – “O good fortune!” It was certainly good fortune for the Church when St. Bonaventure gave his life in service to Christ.

It was said of St. Bonaventure (1221-1274) that he was "...a unique personality. He was unsurpassed in sanctity, wisdom, eloquence, and gifted with a remarkable skill of accomplishing things, a heart full of love, a winning disposition, benevolent, affable, pious, charitable, rich in virtue, beloved by God and man. . . . The Lord endowed him with such a charming disposition that everyone who saw him was immediately attracted to him."

Considered to be a "second founder" of the Franciscans, he was an outstanding teacher and a spell-binding preacher.  He was known for his virtue and wisdom.  He is known as the "Seraphic Teacher" because of his deeply mystical understanding of the Faith.

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O God, by whose providence blessed Bonaventure was sent to guide thy people in the way of everlasting salvation: grant, we beseech thee; that as we have learned of him the doctrine of life on earth, so we may be found worthy to have him for our advocate in heaven; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Prayer of St. Bonaventure.

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.

Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.

May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God; may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen. 

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Painting: "St. Bonaventure holding the Tree of the Redemption"

by Vittorio Crivelli, born ca. 1440, died ca. 1502

St. Kateri Tekakwitha

Portrait from life of Catherine Tekakwitha, c. 1690,
by Father Chauchetière

It has been said that the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church. Nine years after the Jesuits Isaac Jogues and John de Brébeuf were tomahawked by Iroquois warriors, a baby girl was born near the place of their martyrdom, Auriesville, New York.

Her mother was a Christian Algonquin, taken captive by the Iroquois and given as wife to the chief of the Mohawk clan, the boldest and fiercest of the Five Nations. When she was four, Kateri lost her parents and little brother in a smallpox epidemic that left her disfigured and half blind. She was adopted by an uncle, who succeeded her father as chief. He hated the coming of the Jesuit missionaries,  but could do nothing to them because a peace treaty with the French required their presence in villages with Christian captives. She was moved by the words of three Jesuits who lodged with her uncle, but fear of him kept her from seeking instruction. She refused to marry a Mohawk brave and at the age of nineteen she finally got the courage to take the step of converting. She was baptized with the name Kateri (Catherine) on Easter Sunday. Now she would be treated as a slave. Because she would not work on Sunday, she received no food that day. Her life in grace grew rapidly. She told a missionary that she often meditated on the great dignity of being baptized. She was powerfully moved by God’s love for human beings and saw the dignity of each of her people.

She was always in danger, for her conversion and holy life created great opposition. On the advice of a priest, she stole away one night and began a 200-mile walking journey to a Christian Indian village at Sault St. Louis, near Montreal. For three years she grew in holiness under the direction of a priest and an older Iroquois woman, giving herself totally to God in long hours of prayer, in charity and in strenuous penance. At 23 she took a vow of virginity, an unprecedented act for an Indian woman, whose future depended on being married.

Her dedication to virginity was instinctive. She did not know about religious life for women until she visited Montreal. Inspired by this, she and two friends wanted to start a community, but the local priest dissuaded her. She humbly accepted an “ordinary” life. She practiced extremely severe fasting as penance for the conversion of her nation. She died the afternoon before Holy Thursday. Witnesses said that her emaciated face changed color and became like that of a healthy child. The lines of suffering, even the pockmarks, disappeared and the touch of a smile came upon her lips. She was beatified in 1980 and canonized in 2012.

O God, who didst desire the Virgin Saint Kateri Tekakwitha to flower among Native Americans in a life of innocence: grant, through her intercession; that when all are gathered into thy Church from every nation, tribe, and tongue, they may magnify thee in a single canticle of praise; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.