Sep 23 – Memorial for St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest
St. Pio (1887-1968) was ordained when he was 22. He founded the House for the Relief of Suffering in 1956, a hospital that serves 60,000 a year. In the 1920s he started a series of prayer groups that continue today with over 400,000 members worldwide.
His canonisation miracle involved the cure of Matteo Pio Colella, aged 7, the son of a doctor who worked in the House for Relief of Suffering, the hospital in San Giovanni Rotondo founded by Padre Pio. On the night of 20 June 2000, Matteo was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital with meningitis. By morning, doctors had lost hope for him as nine of the boy´s internal organs had ceased to give signs of life.
That night, during a prayer vigil attended by Matteo’s mother and some Capuchin friars of Padre Pio’s monastery, the child’s condition improved suddenly. When he awoke from the coma, Matteo said that he had seen an elderly man with a white beard and a long, brown habit, who said to him: “Don’t worry, you will soon be cured.”
- Patron Saint Index
Pro 30:5-9
Lk 9:1-6
“Take nothing for the journey…”
Every time I plan for a holiday, I find myself thinking carefully about my outfits, how to pair them, and where I will stay. I enjoy planning and like to be sure that my accommodation is comfortable and convenient. And yet, when I hear Jesus say, “Take nothing for the journey”, I pause and wonder, am I missing the point? Is it wrong that I plan my journeys so meticulously?
Jesus’ words are not first and foremost about luggage or packing lists. He is not condemning good planning, nor is He saying that being organised is sinful. Instead, He is teaching His disciples about radical trust. When He sends them out without staff, haversack, or spare tunic, He is asking them to rely completely on God’s providence and on the hospitality of others. The mission of proclaiming the Kingdom is not to be weighed down by fear, self-sufficiency, or the illusion that we are in control.
For me, my careful planning can sometimes become a way of clinging to control, trying to remove every uncertainty before I even set out. Jesus’ challenge is not about whether I book a nice hotel, but about whether I make room for faith. Can I begin my journey without the illusion that I am the master of every outcome, but with the trust that God will meet me along the way, even if plans change, flights are delayed, or things turn out differently than I expected?
“Take nothing for the journey” is a reminder to travel lighter, not only in our suitcases but in our hearts. I am invited to leave behind the baggage of anxiety, perfectionism, and over-control. Jesus calls me to be open to surprise, to the generosity of others, and to the grace that meets me in the unplanned moments.
Brothers and sisters, it is not wrong to plan. But it is wrong to forget who journeys with me. The question is not whether I will have enough outfits for every occasion, but whether I am clothed with faith, hope, and love. Those are the real essentials for the journey.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Stacey Fernandez)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, be my companion on the road. Teach me to travel light, to let go of fear and control, and walk with faith, hope, and love wherever You lead me.
Thanksgiving: Thank You, Lord, for guiding my steps and providing what I need. For plans fulfilled and plans changed, for grace in the expected and the unexpected.
OXYGEN 
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