Everything Works Together for Charity:

[Rich]

Everything Works Together for Charity:

"All these endeavors for fasting are concerned not about the rejection
of various foods as unclean, but about the subjugation of inordinate
desire and the maintenance of neighborly love.
Charity especially is guarded: food is subservient to charity, speech
to charity, customs to charity, and facial expressions to charity.
Everything works together for charity alone."
Augustine,--Customs of the Catholic Church 33, 70

Prayer: How great was your love for us, kind Father! You did not spare
your only-begotten Son but surrendered him for the sake of us sinners!
Augustine, Confessions 10, 43

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May 11th – St. Francis di Girolama, SJ (RM)
(also known as Francis Jerome)

Born at Grottaglie, near Taranto, Italy, in 1642; died 1716; canonized
in 1839. Francis was the oldest of 11 children. Once he had received
his first communion at age 12, he was received into the house of some
secular priests. Recognizing his intelligence, the fathers promoted
him to teaching catechism, and he received the tonsure at 16. He
accompanied one of his brothers to Naples. While his brother wanted to
study under an eminent painter, Francis went to learn canon and civil
law.

In 1666, he was ordained a priest under a special dispensation because
he was under 24. He taught in the Jesuit Collegio dei Nobili for five
years. At 28, having persuaded his family to consent, he entered the
Society of Jesus. During his first year of novitiate, he was severely
tested by his superiors, but he received their complete approval by
the time he finished, and they sent him to help the preacher Father
Agnello Bruno in his mission work. For three years the two worked
tirelessly and with great success, primarily among the peasants in the
province of Otranto. Francis was then recalled to Naples, finished his
theological studies, and was professed.

He was appointed preacher at the church known as the Gesu Nuovo in
Naples. From the start, he attracted huge crowds. He was commissioned
to train other missionaries and conducted at least one hundred
missions in the provinces. His very effective preaching was marked by
brevity and vigor: He was, it is said, 'a lamb when he talks and a
lion when he preaches.' In search of sinners he penetrated into
prisons, the brothels, and the galleys, and continued his missions in
hamlets, back lanes, and at street corners. He converted 20 Turkish
prisoners on a Spanish galley.

One of his most interesting penitents was a Frenchwoman, Mary Alvira
Cassier. She had murdered her father and served in the Spanish army,
impersonating a man. Under Francis, she repented and became very
devout.

He rescued many children from dangerous surroundings, opened a
charitable pawnshop, and organized an association of workingmen to
help the Jesuit fathers in their work.

Although Francis was credited with miracles, he disclaimed that they
were due to his own powers, attributing numerous cures to the
intercession of Saint Cyrus, for whom he had a special devotion. He
died at age 74, after a painful illness, and at his funeral all the
poor of Naples thronged around his coffin. His remains were interred
in the Jesuit Church of Naples (Attwater, Benedictines, Walsh, White).


Saint Quote:
We must never undervalue any person. The workman loves not that his
work should be despised in his presence. Now God is present
everywhere, and every person is His work.
-- Saint Francis de Sales

Bible Quote:
Again therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the
world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have
the light of life. [John 8:12] DRV


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Meditation by Saint Claude de la Colombiere
The Master: Meek and Humble of Heart

"Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of Heart," [St. Matthew
11:29] said Jesus in the Gospel. It is therefore by contemplating Him
that we can learn true humility.

It is a great illusion to want all you hear about and all you see in
books, as well as to burden yourself with so many devotional
practices. Read very few books and make a great study of Jesus Christ
crucified. [L. 100]

The humble soul is never satisfied with itself; it always seeks to do
more for God.

I do not think there are any souls in the world with whom God is less
happy than those who think they have reasons to be content with
themselves. As soon as someone has begun to know how lovable God is,
he must be very insensitive to prevent himself from loving Him very
much. And when we love Him well, we never think we have done enough
for Him. [L. 102]

The person who is humble of heart does not dwell on his neighbor's faults.

O my God, what a sad occupation it is to amuse ourselves examining the
life of others! It would be better to be blind and simple-minded than
to use your mind to consider and judge the actions of your neighbor.
One whose heart is full of the love of God has many other occupations:
he no longer thinks of anything but suffering for that which he loves,
and he loves all those who give him an occasion to suffer for his
Beloved. [L. 104]