Reflection for FRIDAY, 14th Week, Ordinary Time.

By

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Assistant Parish Priest,Manjeshwar,Kasargod

 Gospel Passage 


 Matthew 10:16-23 

The Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Remember, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be cunning as serpents and yet as harmless as doves.

  ‘Beware of men: they will hand you over to sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you. ‘Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved. If they persecute you in one town, take refuge in the next; and if they persecute you in that, take refuge in another. I tell you solemnly, you will not have gone the round of the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.’

 Reflection on Days Readings 

Whenever the word “family” is mentioned, it may give the idea that it is about our close and loved ones.

Certainly, the idea of family presumes the experiences of love, unity, understanding, forgiveness and all those expressions that we expect a family to have.

After all, since blood is thicker than water, then it would be expected that family bonds should be deeper than other relationships.

But, it is also an undeniable fact that the ones that can hurt us most are the ones that are closest and dearest to us.

So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when Jesus said this: Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.

That sounds rather disturbing, but that is as real as it can be in life.

But family relationships can also be heart-warming and the family can be a inspiring and edify sign of love and unity.

In the 1st reading, we see how family relationships were tried and tested.

Joseph forgave his brothers for the grave wrong that they did to him.

And the meeting of Israel and his son, Joseph, was such an emotional scene, as they embraced each other and wept for a long time.

Let us ask Jesus to bless our families with love, peace and joy.

May He also protect our families from evil and harm, so that by our family life and family relationships, we will witness to God's love and forgiveness.

 JULY 14 | Feast of St. Camillus de Lellis 

Humanly speaking, Camillus was not a likely candidate for sainthood. His mother died when he was a child, his father neglected him, and he grew up with an excessive love for gambling. At 17, he was afflicted with a disease of his leg that remained with him for life. In Rome he entered the San Giacomo Hospital for Incurables as both patient and servant, but was dismissed for quarrelsomeness after nine months. He served in the Venetian army for three years.

Then in the winter of 1574, when he was 24, Camillus gambled away everything he had—savings, weapons, literally down to his shirt. He accepted work at the Capuchin friary at Manfredonia, and was one day so moved by a sermon of the superior that he began a conversion that changed his life. He entered the Capuchin novitiate, but was dismissed because of the apparently incurable sore on his leg. After another stint of service at San Giacomo, he came back to the Capuchins, only to be dismissed again, for the same reason.

Again, back at San Giacomo, his dedication was rewarded by his being made superintendent. Camillus devoted the rest of his life to the care of the sick. Along with Saint John of God he has been named patron of hospitals, nurses, and the sick. With the advice of his friend Saint Philip Neri, he studied for the priesthood and was ordained at the age of 34. Contrary to the advice of his friend, Camillus left San Giacomo and founded a congregation of his own. As superior, he devoted much of his own time to the care of the sick.

Charity was his first concern, but the physical aspects of the hospital also received his diligent attention. Camillus insisted on cleanliness and the technical competence of those who served the sick. The members of his community bound themselves to serve prisoners and persons infected by the plague as well as those dying in private homes. Some of his men were with troops fighting in Hungary and Croatia in 1595, forming the first recorded military field ambulance. In Naples, he and his men went onto the galleys that had plague and were not allowed to land. He discovered that there were people being buried alive, and ordered his brothers to continue the prayers for the dying 15 minutes after apparent death.

Camillus himself suffered the disease of his leg through his life. In his last illness, he left his own bed to see if other patients in the hospital needed help.

St. Camillus, pray for us.


      GOD BLESS YOU

Good morning. Have a nice day