May 26 – Memorial for St. Philip Neri, Priest
St. Philip Neri (1515-1595) came from a poor family, though he was related to Italian nobility. His father, Francisco Neri, worked as a notary. Philip’s brother died in childhood, but his two sisters, Caterina and Elisabetta survived. He was a pious youth, and was taught humanities by the Dominicans.
He moved to San Germano in 1533 to help some family with their business, and while there would escape to a local Dominican chapel in the mountains. He received word in a vision that he had an apostolate in Rome. He cut himself off from his family and went there, where he was befriended by Galeotto Caccia, who took him in and paid him to tutor his two sons. He wrote poetry in Latin and Italian, and studied philosophy and theology. When he tired of learning, he sold all his books and gave the money to the poor.
He began to visit and care for the sick and impoverished pilgrims. He founded a society of like-minded folk to do the same. He was a friend of St. Ignatius. A layman, he lived in the city as a hermit. During Easter season of 1544, while praying in the catacomb of San Sebastiano, he received a vision of a globe of fire that entered his chest, and he experienced an ecstasy that physically enlarged his heart.
With Persiano Rose, he founded the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity. He began to preach, with many converts. In 1550, he considered retiring to the life of a solitary hermit, but received further visions that told him his mission was in Rome. Later he considered missionary work in India, but further visions convinced him to stay in Rome.
He entered the priesthood in 1551, and heard confessions by the hour. He could tell penitents their sins before they confessed, and had the gift of conferring visions. He began working with youth, finding safe places for them to stay, and becoming involved in their lives.
Pope Gregory XIV tried to make him a cardinal, but Philip declined. His popularity was such that he was accused of forming his own sect, but was cleared of this baseless charge. In 1575, he founded the Congregation of the Oratory, a group of priests dedicated to preaching and teaching, but which suffered from accusations of heresy because of the involvement of laymen as preachers. In later years, he was beset with several illnesses, each of which was in turn cured through prayer.
- Patron Saint Index
Tuesday of Week 8 in Ordinary Time
1 Pet 1:10-16
Mk 10:28-31
“Be holy, for I am holy”
It is easy to dismiss this line as an impossible standard. After all, who can be holy like God?
But the truth is, we are already made holy through Baptism. Holiness is not something we achieve on our own, but a gift we receive when God, who is holy, comes to dwell within us.
Notice that Scripture says, “Be holy,” not “Become holy.” Our actions do not create holiness; rather, they reflect the holiness we have already received. A priest once told me, “Do not come to church to become holy — come because you are holy.”
The question, then, is this: how do we live out this identity each day?
The Church teaches that holiness is lived out in ordinary life — in our work, family relationships, responsibilities, and even in our struggles — by doing God’s will and acting with love. We are encouraged to serve others, even in small actions, and practise virtues. And in case we still do not know how to do that, the Church gives us the saints as role models.
One of the ways I try to live out holiness in my vocation as a spouse is by embracing joy and humility.
Growing up, I was a melancholic child, and joy often seemed to elude me. Perhaps that was why, during my Conversion Experience Retreat, I was placed in the ‘Joy’ group. Looking back, maybe God knew joy was exactly what I needed, in order to grow in holiness.
It is for this reason that one of my favourite saints is Philip Neri, whose feast day we celebrate today.
I first discovered him because his feast day falls on my wedding anniversary, and I like to think it was God’s little providential blessing upon our marriage. St Philip Neri is known as the patron saint of joy, humour, and laughter.
He believed that a joyful heart draws people closer to God. He disliked excessive seriousness and spiritual pride. When overly pompous penitents came to confession, he sometimes assigned unusual penances — like walking through the streets carrying his cat, to combat pride and vanity. On another occasion, to combat self-importance, he attended a formal gathering with only half his beard shaved, simply to stop people from admiring him as a ‘living saint’.
Behind his humour was a deep wisdom about holiness, and the joy he radiated drew people to him and to God.
St Philip Neri loved God deeply — so deeply that, according to tradition, a mystical experience physically enlarged his heart so greatly that two of his ribs reportedly arched outward to accommodate it. Witnesses said that during prayer and Mass, his heartbeat was often audible!
I am grateful for what St Philip Neri teaches me about holiness — especially within marriage.
Today, as I celebrate my 25th wedding anniversary, I find myself reflecting deeply on this. I attribute this milestone to our shared love for God. A lapsed Catholic, I found my way back to church because of my husband, who is the role model of faith in our marriage. Attending Mass and serving together in ministry has become one of the great joys of our life together.
But holiness in marriage is not only found in solemn prayer or grand sacrifices, but also in humility, laughter, and love.
It is so easy in relationships to let our pride seep in. We think we know better. We want our opinions heard. We want things done our way — and often, such self-importance creates tension, misunderstandings and conflict, robbing us of the joy the Lord desires for us.
Most recently, we found ourselves disagreeing over how to celebrate our milestone anniversary. In the weeks leading up to this day, there were moments when what should have been a joyful celebration of our love became an exercise of wills and discontent.
And then I am reminded by St Philip Neri not to take myself too seriously. To laugh more. To be humble and not be afraid to look foolish once in a while. So that the tension can be eased.
I am learning that holiness in daily life is not about becoming overly solemn or respectable all the time. Certainly, there is a place for reverence and seriousness — but let us never forget that God also created us for joy.
St Philip Neri, pray for us!
(Today’s OXYGEN by Esther Leet)
Prayer : Lord Jesus, teach me to seek holiness not through perfection or self-importance, but through love, humility, and joy. Through the example of St Philip Neri, help me to let go of pride, to laugh more easily, and to reflect Your presence in the way I live. Amen.
Thanksgiving: Thank You, Lord, for the gift of marriage, for twenty-five years of shared faith, love, and companionship, and for the many ordinary moments of joy that have sustained us along the way. Amen.
OXYGEN 
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