Oct 23 – Memorial for St John of Capistrano, priest
John of Capistrano was a Franciscan friar and Catholic priest from the Italian town of Capestrano, Abruzzo. Famous as a preacher, theologian, and inquisitor, he earned himself the nickname “the Soldier Saint” when in 1456 at age 70 he led a Crusade against the invading Ottoman Empire at the siege of Belgrade with the Hungarian military commander John Hunyadi.
Elevated to sainthood, he is the patron saint of jurists and military chaplains, as well as the namesake of two Franciscan missions, one in Southern California and the other in San Antonio, Texas.
- Wikipedia
Eph 2:12-22
Lk 12:35-38
“…when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.”
A few years back, I received a slew of resignations from my team. After a period of relative ‘stability’, the four letters that came to me within a span of 3 months were not expected (who ever does?). However, I took it as an opportunity to refresh and revive the team.
I was happy that the 4 capable staff decided to move on, especially during that period of uncertainty. It was good to know that opportunities were still present in the job market for young, driven professionals who wanted to take some time to explore other options. One of them even decided to finally bite the bullet and start his own training studio — a dream he has always harboured, which has since flourished into a larger facility.
I have always told my staff that the true worth of a good team is that they produce, in spite of having the odds stacked against them. And that they stand on their own two feet because of the work they produce, not because of who their boss is. So that no matter what happens, they will always be regarded well on their own merits. To get to that level, we must always be prepared and always ‘ahead of the curve’ in terms of knowledge and readiness. We must never just accept the easy victories, the ‘low-hanging fruit’. Because that does not build character; it actually encourages complacency.
Brothers and sisters, in today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us yet again to stand watch and be ready. Because the minute God calls us, we must be equipped to spring into action. For He has entrusted each of us with a mission here on earth. Whether as a religious, a lay person, a parent, godparent, brother, sister, cousin, confidant, spouse, teacher, counsellor…the list goes on. Each of us has been given life by God in order to help Him fulfil His plan for humankind. Yes, all of us have a purpose here on earth. And whatever that purpose is, God will take us on a journey that will eventually end. The question is, once that journey ends, whose lives will we have made a difference to? Can we truly say that we have impacted on someone else’s life and, in so doing, given that person hope? How ready are we to stand up and be counted when the time comes?
(Today’s OXYGEN by Desmond Soon)
Prayer: We pray that you always give us the prompting to remain steadfast and ready to serve at a moment’s notice.
Thanksgiving: Thank you Jesus, for being our Truth and our Way.
OXYGEN 
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