Jun 21 – Memorial for St. Aloysius Gonzaga, religious
St. Aloysius (1568-1591) was an Italian noble who grew up in a castle as the son of a compulsive gambler. He suffered from kidney disease, but considered it a blessing as it left him bed-ridden with time for prayer. While still a boy himself, he taught catechism to poor boys. At age 18 he signed away his legal claim to his family’s lands and title to his brother, and became a Jesuit novice. He tended to plague victims in Rome in the outbreak of 1591, and died of the plague himself with the desire to see God.
- Patron Saint Index
2 Cor 12:1-10
Mt 6:24-34
“Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them.”
Recently, I went to a site where early human settlers lived. It was a Jomon settlement in Aomori, Japan. It was re-created to show how it was like when the early humans lived there. From the site, you’ll see lots of trees, and you’ll get a good view of Mount Iwaki. I could imagine how easily they would have thought that surely, there was a great being who created those majestic things around them. Maybe some of them even thought — how could a tree just grow or a seed just sprout?
As a city dweller, I must admit that I am not always conscious that my food comes from God. After all, all I did to get it was either go to the supermarket and cook it myself, eat out, or maybe even have it delivered. And for me to earn money to buy it, I work in the office. What I’m trying to say is that I don’t have a daily experience where I am made strongly aware that what I’m being provided for is from God.
But that actually changed when I was given produce from my friend’s back yard and I made food from it. While washing the food and preparing it, I was made very much aware of how much God provides. For me, that was an experience of ‘From God, to ‘farm’, to table.’ And the gratitude I felt then was more profound than whenever I said my prayers before meals. After all, my daily experience is more ‘From God, to farm, to factory, to supermarket, to restaurant, to delivery rider, to table.’ It feels like a long way from God.
But as I was writing this reflection, I also realized that there are many things that could still have gone wrong where I’d end up with no food; therefore, this thought should also make me equally grateful that food arrived on my table.
Back to the topic, I was thinking that maybe it would be good if we plant a food-bearing plant and try to eat the fruits of our labour. Well, vegetables of our labour will do as well. It doesn’t have to be a lot. I hope it’s just a way for us to be reminded of how God provides. And maybe this experience will also help us see how God provides in every way.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Stephanie Villa)
Prayer: Dearest Lord God, help me be always grateful for the food and Your providence in my life.
Thanksgiving: Thank you, Lord, for always providing everything we need to live.
OXYGEN 
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