Jul 14 – Memorial for St. Camillus de Lellis, Priest
St. Camillus (1550-1614) used to be a gambling addict. He lost so much he had to take a job working construction on a building belonging to the Capuchins; they converted him. Because of a persistent injury, he moved into San Giacomo Hospital for the incurable, and eventually became its administrator.
Lacking education, he began to study with children when he was 32 years old. St. Camillus founded the Congregation of the Servants of the Sick (the Camellians) who care for the sick both in hospital and home. He honoured the sick as living images of Christ, and hoped that the service he gave them did penance for his wayward youth.
- Patron Saint Index
Isa 7:1-9
Mt 11:20-24
…if you do not stand by me, you will not stand at all.
“I keep telling him to take away the big box from the bedroom table for almost 6 months and he never did.”
“She kept telling me to take the big box out of the room. I nearly did a few times but always left it.”
The first statement was the wife and the second, the husband. Both were my brother’s close friends. What was in the box?
One day, while the husband was in China for work, the wife finally opened the box. The contents shocked her. Among the work files, she found at least thirty love letters and many photographs of the husband with a China lady. It detailed an ongoing multi-year affair. She called my brother and together they called the husband in China. It was brief as he said, “Let’s divorce”.
In today’s first reading from Isaiah 7:1-9, King Ahaz of Judah was facing eminent threat as both King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel (Northern Kingdom) joined forces to besiege the kingdom. At this critical juncture, The Lord sent Isaiah to comfort Ahaz. Isaiah said do not fear, trust in the Lord and have faith. Isaiah even told Ahaz to ask Yahweh for a sign of his protection.
Ahaz rejected Isaiah’s advice. He chose not to believe that Yahweh could protect Judah. Instead, he turned to the Assyrian King Tiglath-pileser III for help. The latter did defeat Ahaz’s enemies, but imposed a very high price. Judah became a vassal state and Ahaz replaced the worship of Yahweh with their gods, notably Baal. He also desecrated the temple in Jerusalem with Assyrian pagan rituals. Ahaz chose all these willingly.
Like Ahaz’s actions, my brother’s friend had many opportunities to save his marriage. Yet, he willingly made the decision which led to the bitter divorce, hurting his young children and incurring financial losses. I know this because he is also my friend. At that time, I remember asking him why he never took the box away. Surely, he was aware of the high risk and consequences. To him, removing the box meant stopping the affair. He knew that was the right thing to do. Yet, he was relieved when the wife confronted him as she made the decision for him to do otherwise.
It has been more than 18 years now. Recently, I bumped into him at a coffee shop. He surprised me by saying he wished things turned out differently. I understood.
The account of King Ahaz highlights the danger of forsaking faith, making evil decisions and then refusing to repent. There is really no excuse as Yahweh spoke directly to him through Isaiah. My friend did not have any prophet to guide his life choice; yet, the correct decision was too obvious that he did not need one.
I always think of this episode whenever there are difficult decisions before me. So far, I do make the right ones but will now seek to pray more to Jesus to ensure that they always stay correct.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Andrew Sia)
Prayer: Jesus, help my faith to be firm otherwise, I will not be firm.
Thanksgiving: Thanks be to Jesus who brings eternal hope for all sinners.
OXYGEN 
Leave a comment