Jul 15 – Memorial for St. Bonaventure, bishop, religious, doctor St. Bonaventure (1221-1274) entered the Franciscan Order when he was 22. At the age of 35, he was chosen General of his Order and restored a perfect calm where peace had been disturbed by internal dissensions. He did much for his Order and composed The... Continue Reading →
14 July, Tuesday — Cheapened Sacrifice // Prodigious Gift
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,... Continue Reading →
13 July, Monday — Heeding the Right Kind of Fear
Jul 13 – Memorial for St. Henry II Henry II (972–1024) was the son of Gisella of Burgundy and Henry II the Quarrelsome, Duke of Bavaria. He was educated at the cathedral school in Hildesheim by Bishop Wolfgang of Regensburg. He became Duke of Bavaria himself in 995 upon his father’s death, which ended Henry’s... Continue Reading →
12 July, Sunday — His Mercy Within the Parables
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 55:10-11Romans 8:18-23Matthew 13:1-23…all of us who possess the first-fruits of the Spirit, we too groan inwardly as we wait for our bodies to be set free.As a parent to a toddler, I am beginning to understand the phrase ‘falling on deaf ears’ a lot more these days. My little... Continue Reading →
11 July, Saturday — Body and Soul
Jul 11 – Memorial for St. Benedict, abbot, religious founder Born to Roman nobility, Benedict (c. 480–547) was the twin brother of St. Scholastica. He studied in Rome, Italy, but was dismayed at the lack of discipline and lackadaisical attitude of his fellow students. He fled to the mountains near Subiaco, living as a hermit in... Continue Reading →
10 July, Friday — Sheep among wolves
Friday of Week 14 in Ordinary Time Hos 14:2-10Mt 10:16-23 “Remember, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be cunning as serpents and yet as harmless as doves.” Once in a while, the Gospel readings surprise me. Sometimes, I can’t believe what I am reading and cannot fathom why our Lord Jesus... Continue Reading →
9 July, Thursday — Unlimited Mercy
Jul 9 – Memorial for St. Augustine Zhao Rong, priest, & companions Christianity arrived in China by way of Syria in the 600s. Depending on China’s relations with the outside world, Christianity over the centuries was free to grow or was forced to operate secretly. The 120 martyrs in this group died between 1648 and... Continue Reading →
8 July, Wednesday — Seek the Lord
Wednesday of Week 14 in Ordinary Time Hos 10:1-3,7-8,12Mt 10:1-7 Sow integrity for yourselves, reap a harvest of kindness... These are really challenging times. Besides the pandemic, social problems such as racism have come to the forefront, wreaking havoc on an already tenuous situation. Let’s be honest, discrimination of all sorts has always been present,... Continue Reading →
7 July, Tuesday — The compassion of Jesus
Tuesday of Week 14 in Ordinary Time Hos 8:4-7,11-13Mt 9:32-37 ...he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. I am so comforted knowing how compassionate Jesus is. This means he will never leave us to suffer alone or be left “without a shepherd”. He is our eternal shepherd... Continue Reading →
6 July, Monday — Touch and be healed
Jul 6 – Memorial for St. Maria Goretti, Virgin & Martyr Maria Goretti (1890-1902) was a beautiful and pious farm girl, one of six children of Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. In 1896 the family moved to Ferriere di Conca. Soon after, Maria’s father died of malaria, and the family was forced to move onto... Continue Reading →
