St John Bosco

St John Bosco (1815-1888) - an original photo.

St John Bosco was an Italian priest who was beloved in Italy and all around the world, especially for his dedication to the education of children.  Born on 16 August 1815, he was popularly known as Don Bosco, educator and prolific writer of the 19th century. While working in Turin, Italy, where the population suffered many of the effects of industrialization and urbanization, he dedicated his life to the betterment and education of street children, juvenile delinquents, and other disadvantaged youth. He developed teaching methods based on love rather than punishment, a method that became known as the Salesian Preventive System. Eventually he founded the Salesian Order, with their main focus on education of children and producing audio-visual material as well as printed material. He died on January 31, 1888. These are some of his well-known quotes:

"All armies are useless unless assisted by God."

"Be brave and try to detach your heart from worldly things. Do your utmost to banish darkness from your mind and come to understand what true, selfless piety is. Through confession, endeavor to purify your heart of anything which may still taint it. Enliven your faith, which is essential to understand and achieve piety."

"Do good while you still have time."

1. A word of advice: Frequent confession. 2. A friend: Our Lord and everything associated with Him.

3. A thing to remember: Heaven.

"He does much who does little but does well what he has to do."

"Never seek advice from the proud or the inexperienced."

"Remember, God does not pay us for results, but for effort."

"All past persecutors of the Church are now no more, but the Church still lives on. The same fate awaits modern persecutors; they, too, will pass on, but the Church of Jesus Christ will always remain, for God has pledged His Word to protect Her and be with Her forever, until the end of time."

"Believe me... nobody can be truly happy in this world unless he is at peace with God."

"Put up willingly with the faults of others if you wish others to put up with yours."

"Guard your eyes since they are the windows through which sin enters the soul."

My favorite quotes

Fr Julian watercolor - 'Facades, Doors and Balconies.'

These are some of my all-time favorite quotes:

There is no limit to what one person can do and where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit.

Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Some people come into our lives and quickly go – some stay for a while, leaving footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.

Fear not that your life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning.

Our greatest glory consists not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.

Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today, that You and I together cannot handle.

The optimist finds an opportunity in every difficult, while the pessimist finds a difficulty in every opportunity.

The most gleaming trophy a man can claim in his life is the discovery of a few truths and the destruction of a few errors.

Do not always follow where the path may lead you. Rather, go where there is no path, and leave a trail.

The reason a dog has so many friends: he wags his tail instead of his tongue.

Angels are always busy

A young doctor on his way home stopped to fill in his car with gasoline. While waiting to pay, he noticed a woman with some groceries coming out of the store and slipped on some ice. The doctor left everything and went to help her. They picked up the groceries and proceeded to her parked car, where three toddlers were waiting for their mother. The doctor asked her if she needed anything else, and with tears in her eyes, she told him she could use some money to fill her car with gasoline, as she was passing through some tough times.

The doctor asked her if she had said a prayer so that God would help her. The woman did not understand what he meant, and so he continued ‘because in that case, the Lord heard your plea and sent me to help you.’ And he took out some money to pay for her gasoline and took the woman and the children for a nice meal in a nearby restaurant. The woman explained that her husband had abandoned them and she could not keep up with raising her family alone. And so she had just called her parents and explained her situation, and they were waiting for them at their home – she was actually on her way there.

Before she continued on her journey, the doctor invited her to say a prayer with him, so that she will reach her parents safely. The woman said to him, very emotionally with tears in her eyes ‘You look like an angel to me.’ But he answered her: ‘Angels are always busy, so God uses normal people like me.’

Woman's Beauty

Audrey Hepburn was born in Brussels, Belgium in 1929 of English parents. She studied drama and ballet, had two children and won many awards for her part in some major films, including the most popular ‘My Fair Lady.’ Later in her life, she gave up acting and got involved with humanitarian efforts with UNICEF. Between 1988 and 1992, she went to Africa, Asia and South America as an ambassador for peace and help in aid of children. She died on January 20, 1993 at the age of 64. The beautiful person that she was, she wrote this piece about the beauty of women.

A woman’s true beauty is reflected in her soul, in her kindness and loving care, and in the passion she shows. You are unique! He loves you the way He made you, and you’re beautiful in His eyes.

For beautiful eyes – look for the good in others.

For beautiful lips – speak only words of kindness.

For a slim figure – always share your food with the hungry.

To have beautiful hair – let a little child stroke it.

For poise – remember that you never walk alone.

If you need a helping hand – it’s at the end of your arm. Also remember that you have two hands: the first to help yourself, and the second one is to help others.

A woman’s true beauty is not in her figure or her hair. A woman’s true beauty is seen in her eyes, because they are the window to her soul, the place where love dwells.

Saint Julian

St Julian by Salvatore Busuttil or Peter Paul Caruana

This day is commemorated in my home town as the feast of Saint Julian, the titular saint of the village where I was born and grew up, named precisely St. Julian’s. The old parish church is still very much active where Mass is celebrated every day, and it has recently been restored. The painting of Saint Julian behind the main altar is by an unknown artist, but it could be of either Salvatore Busuttil or Peter Paul Caruana. The inscription above it reads “Redemit Te Caritas” (Your Faith has redeemed you.) It replaced the other painting of the Assumption with St Paul and St Julian which was painted by Antonio Falzon, restored in 1989. 

The Assumption with St Paul and St Julian by Antonio Falzon.

Various other paintings exist of St Julian, but these two are the most treasured by the natives of my hometown. The festive celebration of Saint Julian is held on the last Sunday in August. Presently the statue of St Julian is being restored, in preparation for the 125th anniversary of its creation by sculptor Carlo Darmanin.

Our age of contrasts

We are living in an age where we see many humans, but not much of humanity. We are living in an age when the smart-phones bring us closer to those who are far away, but separate us from those who are close to us. We are living in an age when we look more at Facebook than faces of people. We are living in an age where the wealthy walk miles to burn the food they have eaten, and the poor walk many more miles in search of food. We are living in an age when our list of contacts is endless, but our relationships are so few. We are living in an age where we have more, but appreciate much less. We are living in an age where we are earning a good living, but forget how to live happily. We are living in an age where many people know the price of everything, but the value of nothing.

Conversion of St Paul

Caravaggio - Conversion of St Paul

The conversion of Saint Paul was an important milestone in the history of Christianity. Paul was not one of the original 12 apostles, but is considered as the Apostle of the Gentiles, because after his conversion on the way to Damascus, Paul embarked on 4 missionary voyages, preaching, at times challenging the people to change their lives, admonitions that are recorded in many of his letters. This painting of Caravaggio shows the scene of his conversion, with Saint Paul on the ground after he was overpowered with the light that eventually blinded him for a few weeks, until he was healed by Ananias. The chiaroscuro that Caravaggio uses in many of his paintings are prevalent here, even though the scene was supposed to have been highlighted with the light from heaven. Still the artist wanted to show the darkness in which St Paul was engulfed at that time, darkness caused by the lack of faith, his hatred of Christians, feelings that would soon change, thanks to this momentous conversion of this great Apostle.

St Francis de Sales

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)

St. Francis de Sales was born in the Savoy district of France in 1567 and ordained a priest in 1593. Francis was sent to preach in a Protestant region near his birthplace, attempting to persuade his hearers, mostly Calvinists to become Roman Catholics. Since he was seen to be persuasive, he was appointed in 1602 to be bishop of Geneva, a Calvinist stronghold. He preached at various churches and missions, and when people did not show up for his services, he would write his sermons and slip them under their home doors. For this and for his prolific writing, he is known as the patron saint of journalists. In 1604 he met a widow, Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641), and under his influence she founded a religious order of nuns called the Order of the Visitation. Their correspondence is an outstanding example of mutual Christian encouragement and support. Francis de Sales died at Lyons on December 29th, 1622. A quote by St Francis de Sales:  ‘The highest degree of meekness consists in seeing, serving, honoring, and treating amiably, on occasion, those who are not to our taste, and who show themselves unfriendly, ungrateful, and troublesome to us.’

St Publius

St Paul consecrating St Publius as Bishop, painting by Emvin Cremona

Yesterday, the church in Malta celebrated the feast of St Publius. He was the chief of the island of Malta when St Paul was shipwrecked here in 60 AD. He welcomed St Paul, St Luke and the 276 sailors who ended up drifting to shore on planks of wood from the broken vessel on which they had traveled. Publius was very generous and hospitable to all these people, and when St Paul found out that his father was sick with fever and a bout of dysentery, he went to his house and healed him, whereupon many other natives came to be healed of various ailments. Eventually St Paul ordained St Publius as the first Bishop of Malta. Later on in his life he was captured and martyred by the cruel Emperor Hadrian. Most probably he was sent to the amphitheater and devoured by a lion, as his statue always shows him with a lion next to him. The parish church of Floriana is dedicated to him, and the impressive ceiling of the church was painted by Emvin Cremona with various scenes from the life of St Publius. 

God knows......

When you are tired and discouraged from fruitless efforts....God knows how hard you have tried.

When you’ve cried so long and your heart is in anguish....God has counted your tears.

If you feel that your life is on hold and time has passed you by.....God is waiting for you.

When you’re lonely and your friends are too busy even for a phone call......God is by your side.

When you think you’ve tried everything and don’t know where to turn.....God has a solution.

When nothing makes sense and you are confused and frustrated......God has the answer.

If suddenly your outlook is brighter and you find traces of hope.....God has whispered to you.

When things are going well and you have much to be thankful for......God has blessed you.

When something joyful happens and you are filled with awe......God has smiled upon you.

When you have a promise to fulfil and a dream to follow....God has opened your eyes and called you by name.

Remember that wherever you are and whatever you are facing.....GOD KNOWS !

The Cross that survived

In Southern California, a cross was erected on a mountain many years ago to honor the veterans of World War II. These photos were taken during the recent Southern California fires that destroyed so many homes and the second photo is the most impressive of all. The cross survived without a scratch, a scene which must have been really something for those firefighters who witnessed it. 

Dear Maria......

Heading of the Maria Bambina website at Naxxar parish

This is a true and funny story which all Americans will appreciate, as well as all Maltese. Someone from the state of Hawaii, presumably a descendant of Maltese origin, was looking for a Baptism certificate from the parish where I frequently serve in at Naxxar. On Fridays I take care of the parish office, and the story goes how this person wrote to the parish office requesting the certificate. Now you have to remember that the parish is dedicated to Maria Bambina, which in English is translated as ‘The Young Blessed Mother.’ So apparently when this person was looking for the parish website he saw the name Maria Bambina and thought this was a person, with Maria as the first name and Bambina as the last name or surname. A few e-mails came through addressed to ‘Dear Maria.....’ and on a few occasions ‘Dear Ms Bambina....’ One day he called in person late in the evening because of time difference, and asked to speak to Maria. Not having anyone with that name, we tried to convince him that he may have the wrong parish, but he insisted that he’s been corresponding to Maria for quite some time. Until finally, it dawned on all of us that he was writing to the Maria Bambina parish office in Naxxar, and not to a human being named Maria Bambina! And he was probably upset because anytime we responded to him, we did not sign the e-mail with ‘Love, Maria.’

A Prayer for Water and Rain

Creator God, in the beginning, your spirit hovered over the waters of the earth, bringing form to the void, shape to the chaos and life to the creatures of this earth. Bless us with the understanding of the necessity of water for our life, especially that we never waste it. May we cherish its blessing for sustaining us. May we use it to promote cleanliness and give you thanks for health. May we play in it in our pools, beaches and backyards, and share our joy with one another and give you thanks for laughter. May we remember the crossing of the Red Sea and give you thanks for freedom. May we rejoice in the waters of Baptism and give you thanks for our Christian life. And we thank you especially for rain and snow, for our rivers and creeks, for our farmlands and gardens, and for everything that is life-giving.

And we pray especially during these months for more rain on our small island of Malta. As most countries are being deluged with snow and rain, we ask for the blessing of rain on our crops, our fields and our countryside. Even though the overall scenery looks pretty green at this time of year, however we need much more rain for the fruit trees which need more rain to go deeper to the roots. We ask this prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord, our provider and our life-giving Savior. Amen.

The art of Marriage

In every marriage, the little things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should not end with the honeymoon, it should continue through all the years. It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. It is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have wings of an angel. It is not looking for perfection in each other. It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humor. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is finding room for the things of the spirit. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal. It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner. When you are sad, I will dry your tears. When you are scared, I will comfort your fears. When you are worried, I will give you hope. When you are confused, I will help you cope. And when you are lost, and can't see the light, I will be your beacon, shining ever so bright. This is my oath; I pledge to the end. Why you may ask? Because you are my lover and friend.

Fr Teddy Cumbo

Today we bid goodbye or so long to one of my classmates, Fr Teddy Cumbo, who passed away last Sunday. He is the first to die, of the class of 13 that were ordained on June 19, 1977. Fr Teddy hails from Luqa, from where he will be buried today. He served  in his native parish as Vice-Parish Priest as well as in Our Lady of Lourdes, Paola, also as a Vice-Parish Priest. 

Our Ordination class in 1977. Fr Teddy is first on the left, partly hidden

He spent a part of his ministry in Melbourne, Australia. In fact me and him were the only two from our class who experienced a considerable time working in foreign dioceses. Teddy was in Australia, while I was in the USA. Over the past 6 years he has returned to Malta and was residing at the home for retired priests, known as Dar tal-Kleru  in Birkirkara. May God grant him eternal rest.

Our last group photo last year, 40th anniversary. Fr Teddy is 3rd from left.

The Qualities of a Good Christian

The good Christian is someone who shows:

The SIMPLICITY of a child admiring bubbles.

The COURAGE of a fisherman caught in a storm.

The HUMILITY of a Mother Teresa working among the lepers.

The PRAYERFULESS of a cloistered nun in her convent.

The LOVE of two teenagers on Valentine’s Day.

The PERSEVERANCE of a soccer team losing 0-4 with 5 minutes to play, eventually winning 5-4.

The LEADERSHIP of General Patton.

The PERFECTION of a pianist playing at Carnegie Hall.

The EXUBERANCE of a million dollar lottery winner.

The FAITH of Edmund Hilary reaching the top of Mount Everest.

The GRATITUDE of a cancer patient just given a clean bill of health.

The KNOWLEDGE of a straight A student.

The FREEDOM of a glider-pilot soaring in mid-air.

The HOLINESS of many of the Saints.

The KINDNESS of a perpetual blood donor.

The PLAYFULNESS of a kitten or a puppy playing with a ball of yarn.

The JOY of a new mother after the birth of her first baby.

The HOPE of a parachutist just after exiting from a plane.

The SACRIFICE of a missionary on leaving his or her country.

Hope

Hope looks for the good in people, instead of harping on the worst in them.
Hope opens doors where despair closes them.
Hope discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what cannot be done.
Hope draws its power from a deep trust in God and the basic goodness of mankind.
Hope ‘lights a candle’ instead of curses the darkness.
Hope regards problems, small or great, as opportunities.
Hope cherishes no illusions, not does it yield to cynicism.

LOVE – a variation on a theme

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its proper place, but have no love, I am a housekeeper, not a homemaker. If I have time for waxing, polishing and interior decorating, but have no love, my children will learn of cleanliness – not Godliness. Love leaves dust in search of a child’s laugh. Love smiles at tiny fingerprints on a newly-cleaned window. Love wipes away the tears before it wipes away the spilled milk. Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys. Love is present through trials. Love reprimands, reproves and is responsive. Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child, then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood. Love is the key that opens salvation’s message to a child’s heart. Before I became a mother, I took glory in my house of perfection. Now I glory in God’s perfection in my child. As a mother there is much I must teach my child, but the greatest of all virtues is LOVE. (Variation of St Paul's Letter to the Corinthians chapter 13)

Some interesting facts

It takes glass one million years to decompose, which means it never wears out and can be recycled an infinite amount of times!
Gold is the only metal that doesn't rust, even if it's buried in the ground for thousands of years .
The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear.
Nine out of every 10 living things live in the ocean.The tooth is the only part of the human body that cannot heal itself.
In ancient Greece , tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of marriage. Catching it meant she accepted.
Warner Communications paid $28 million for the copyright to the song 'Happy Birthday.'
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
When a person dies, hearing is the last sense to go. The first sense lost is sight.
In ancient times strangers shook hands to show that they were unarmed.
Strawberries are the only fruits whose seeds grow on the outside.
Avocados have the highest calories of any fruit at 167 calories per hundred grams.
The moon moves about two inches away from the Earth each year.
Soldiers do not march in step when going across bridges because they could set up a vibration which could be sufficient to knock the bridge down.
Everything weighs one percent less at the equator.

White Crucifixion by Chagall

White Crucifixion by Marc Chagall

Yesterday we learned that Pope Francis' favorite painting is Chagall's White Crucifixion. Today we analyze it in more depth.
White Crucifixion wasn’t Chagall’s last Crucifixion painting, but it is considered to be his greatest. Unlike his other works filled with vibrant color, he strips the canvas bare to highlight desperation and sadness. Then, he fills the scene with a combination of Jewish, Christian, and contemporary imagery. Here, Jesus hangs on a tau-shaped cross directly in the center of the canvas. He is the obvious focus of the composition. Instead of a Crown of Thorns, Christ is wearing a headscarf. Instead of the traditional loin cloth, Christ is wrapped in a Jewish ritual prayer shawl. Above his head, the inscription reads “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” in Hebrew-Aramaic. Below his feet, instead of Our Lady, St. John, or St. Mary Magdalene, Chagall paints a symbol of the menorah. These emphasize Jesus’ nature as a Jewish martyr. Chagall wants his audience to understand that Jesus is primarily a suffering Jew on the cross. Yet, he does not forego all Christian imagery. We can see a halo behind Christ’s head and a beam of light directed toward him. It is almost reminiscent of traditional depictions of the Baptism in the Jordan.
Chagall paints this during the Second World War, just as reports are coming out of the Nazis attacks on European Jews. We see this reflected in the scenes around the cross. Just as traditional Byzantine icons show scenes of Christ’s life or the lives of the saints around the cross, Chagall wants the audience to draw a connection between Jesus and these scenes. Just below the Cross, a Jewish man clutches Torah scrolls while a Jewish woman desperately holds onto her child. A man with a white sign that originally read “Ich bin Jude” (I am a Jew) runs away and alludes to the German practice of segregating Jews. To the right of the cross, Chagall paints a Jewish synagogue being burned down. Scholars have found evidence that there were originally swastikas painted on the soldier’s arm and the flag behind the synagogue. He paints over them to avoid Nazi’s destruction of the painting. To the left of the cross, a boat of Jewish people desperately tries to leave as their shtetl (village,) which is also being burned to the ground. There is a level of ambiguity with the soldiers running toward the village. Are they Nazis sent to continue the destruction or are they the Soviets, supposed saviors of the people? Finally, above the cross float figures from the Old Testament, weeping at the destruction they see.
This painting offers a very strong statement to illuminate the destruction and violence that Jews were facing at the time. Once we understand how deeply rooted this painting is in our history, it is easy to see why the Pope loves it so much. In the midst of the chaos of the world, we can look at the face of Christ. Yes, he is a martyr. Yes, he does suffer. But, there seems to be a sense of peace in his face. May we, like Pope Francis, be inspired by this painting to respond to the needs of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters.

Pope Francis’ 10 favorite things

Pope Francis with the San Lorenzo soccer team banner

We are now all familiar with Pope Francis and how he does not mince his words before speaking, challenging and encouraging. But what are really his favourite things in life, and how does he relax and find solace in the simple things that we all enjoy in our personal lives. Here they are:

1.       His favourite music: he likes German composers, especially Mozart, as well as Bach and Beethoven and Wagner. He likes especially the ‘Et incarnatus est’ from Mozart’s Great Mass.

2.       His favourite author:  Dostojevski, Holderlin and the English Jesuit Gerard Manley Hopkins. He also loves Alessandro Manzoni, and claims he read ‘I Promessi Sposi’ (The Betrothed) several times.

3.       His favourite food: he likes small portions of food with simple recipes. His favorite is pizza, but is disappointed as he can never go to a pizzeria and eat one with his friends, or people he meets there.

4.       His favourite prayer: the Rosary...’it’s the prayer that accompanied me all my life, and it comprises the history of God’s infinite mercy.’

5.       His favourite watch: he has a plastic Swatch watch that shows the time and the date. He bought it for 50 Euros.

6.       His favourite art: his favourite painting is ‘The White Crucifix’ by Marc Chagall, but he also likes Caravaggio’s paintings, including ‘The Calling of St Matthew’ and ‘The Deposition from the Cross.’

7.       His favourite films: he does not see many films, and the last one he saw was ‘Life is Beautiful’ by Roberto Benigni. Another favourite film is ‘Babette’s Feast’, as well as ‘La Strada’ by Fellini, and ‘Roma, Citta Aperta’ by Rossellini.

8.       His favourite car: he uses a Ford Focus, but in Argentina he had a Renault, known as Renoleta. He was recently given a white Lamborghini, but sold it for charity.

9.       His favourite sport; he follows soccer, or European football, with his favourite team from Argentina San Lorenzo de Almagro.
10.   His favourite dance: he likes tango and milonga, which he danced frequently with his friends at a younger age. ‘Dancing helps you express the joy you have in your heart,’ he always says.

Learning from the Saints - part 2

St John Bosco, the founder of the Salesian Order

We can pray like the saints and learn from them, as these did over the years, by doing simple things......

. . . Play with your children . . . like St John Bosco, who spent hours playing and running with children whom he also taught about Jesus . . .

. . . Keep a Diary or Journal . . .like the Four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, who wrote the Gospels, and like St Therese of the Child Jesus, who wrote the “Story of a Soul”. . .

. . . Enjoy Music . . . like St Cecilia, the Patron Saint of Music. . .

. . . Show Care and Concern about others . . . like St Vincent de Paul, St Martin de Porres, St. Charles Borromeo and St Philip Neri, all of whom gave their life, their time and their energy for their people . . .

. . . Being Patient with your children . . . like St Monica, who suffered mentally and spiritually until her son, St Augustine turned his life around . . .

. . . Getting along with your siblings . . . like St Scholastica and her twin brother St. Benedict, who both became religious, and remained best friends until they died . . .

. . . Being disattached from worldly goods . . . like St Matthew, who left his job as tax-collector and became an Apostle of Jesus . . .

. . . Show leadership, in spite of opposition . . . like St Joan of Arc, who rescued her country, and died as a martyr in the process . . .
. . . Turn your shortcomings into blessings. . . like St Hugh, who was very shy and bashful, yet his modesty and humility won him many friends . . .
. . . Act as a Peace-Maker. . . like St Casimir, who refused to fight for his country, but brought Peace between Hungary and Poland . . .

. . . and Pray, Love, Suffer, Preach, Heal . . .as Jesus did 2000 years ago, and as his Apostles and their successors did ever since . . .

Learning from the Saints - part 1

St Julian, the hospitalier, helping pilgrims cross the river to his hospital

We can really learn a lot from our beloved saints......

. . . Perseverance in our studies. . . like St John Baptist Vianney, who had a hard time passing his Latin exams . . .

. . . Patience at work . . . like St. Therese, the Little Flower who had an annoying nun 

always splashing water next to her as they cleaned dishes . . .

. . . Respect even towards animals . . . like St Francis of Assisi who had a tremendous affection towards animals, wild and domestic . . .

. . . a Sense of Humor . . . like St Teresa of Avila who use to say “Deliver us Lord from sour-faced Saints” . . .

. . . Hospitality  towards strangers . . . like St Julian, who even built a hospital to care with his wife for the travelers, the sick and the dying . . .

. . . Sharing our talents. . . . like St Joseph who taught the little child Jesus the tricks of his trade, carpentry, construction and woodcarving . . .

. . . Being Sociable. . . . like St Anthony the Hermit, who in spite of living alone, was one of the most sociable of people . . .

. . . Appreciative of Nature . . . like St Ignatius of Loyola, who loved flowers so much that he would never pluck them . . .

. . . Doing our chores at home. . . like St Martha, who was always busy cleaning her house, so that Jesus would always be a welcome Guest . . .

. . . Being sorry for failures done . . . like St Peter who really felt terrible after denying knowing Jesus three times . . .

Three Trees

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty." Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull." Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me." After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship. When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. 

The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

Epiphany

As we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany today, I looked at some of the many paintings that artists have produced over the centuries, and made these observations:

All Kings are presented with elaborate outfits and costumes, accompanied by a large retinue of attendants, servants and others caring for their animals. All are kneeling down, a posture of humility and respect, and some even prostrated, as the Gospels relate. Most are accompanied by camels, but some have horses, as well as other animals like sheep and domestic dogs accompanying them. Since they are referred to as Kings, most of them have crowns, but the majority of the paintings show them in turbans, a popular head wear in the Middle East and Far East countries. Even though the gifts were for Jesus, the baby is always shown being held by Mary, as if she wants to remain connected with him, as any mother would after giving birth - thus showing respect to mother and child. One of the magi is frequently depicted as black, the others dark skinned. Most artists would place the face of friends to the Magi, people who were wealthy or good to the community, as a recognition to their benevolence and generosity. Beggars are also frequently included in the painting, as if to take advantage of the wealthy Kings, begging for something, for anything. Other gifts are also in the paintings, of lesser importance, like fruit, animals, jewelry, clothing. The Star which the Kings followed led them to the cave of Bethlehem, and even though it was not an astronomical phenomena, it was a divine intervention, like the appearance of angels, which were sent by God.
The Three are referred to as Wise Men, Astrologers, Kings or Magi (derivation of magicians) and their names are interesting to discuss too......Melchior, a Persian scholar, Caspar (also Gaspar, Jaspar,) an Indian scholar, and Balthazar (also Balthassar, an Arabian scholar.) The gifts are also very symbolic. All three gifts are ordinary offerings and gifts given to a king. Myrrh being commonly used as an anointing oil, Frankincense as a perfume, and Gold as a valuable element. The three gifts had a spiritual meaning: gold as a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense, as a symbol of deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death. Sometimes this is described more generally as gold symbolizing virtue, frankincense symbolizing, and myrrh symbolizing suffering. As they presented gifts to Jesus, each one of them said “I love you, I love you, I love you,” and Jesus’ response as simply “I love you too.”

18 Bees

Be understanding to your enemies.
Be loyal to your friends.

Be strong enough to face the world each day, and weak enough to know you cannot do everything alone.
Be generous to those who need your help.
Be frugal with what you need yourself.
Be wise enough to know that you don’t need everything.
Be foolish enough to believe in miracles.
Be willing to share your joys.
Be willing to share in the sorrows of others.
Be a leader when you see a path others have missed.
Be a follower when you’re shrouded by the mists of uncertainty.
Be first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds.
Be the last to criticize a colleague who fails.
Be sure where your next step will fall, so that you will not stumble.
Be sure of your final destination, in case you are going the wrong way.
Be loving to those who love you.
Be loving to those who do not love you, and pray that they may change.
Above all, be yourself.

St John Neumann

St John Neumann (1811-1860)

Today we celebrate the feast of a beloved Saint who was canonized on the same day that I was ordained a priest, June 19, 1977. St John Neumann was born in Bohemia, Czechoslovakia in 1811, and he was nearing his ordination when his bishop stopped all ordinations because he had too many priests. John wrote to other European bishops with the same response – too many priests. How times have changed because today we have the opposite situation with lack of vocations.

Since John had learned some English from fellow American workers where he used to work, he decided to write to the US Bishops, and the New York bishop accepted him, and ordained him, and assigned him to a parish that spanned 90 miles by 150 miles long in territory. He was one of 36 priests who were taking care of over 200,000 Catholics in New York state. He travelled from town to town, baptizing, marrying and burying people in various mission stations. Frequently he celebrated Mass on the kitchen table in homes he visited. Because he felt isolated at times, he joined the Redemptorists, an order dedicated to help the poor and the abandoned. In 1852, he became the Bishop of Philadelphia, one of the dioceses who had parish schools, started by St Elizabeth Ann Seton, whose feast we celebrated yesterday. Because he loved people so much, he learned a few extra languages so that he could hear their confessions, including Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch and even Gaelic, so much that an Irish woman rejoiced by saying ‘Thank God he sent us an Irish priest!’ In one of his visits to Germany, he once reached a house drenched with the rain. And when the owner of the house asked him to change his shoes, he responded by saying “The only way I can change my shoes is to put my left shoe on my right foot, and my right shoe on my left foot. This is the only pair of shoes I have.” So he walked in bare feet until his shoes dried up. St John Neumann died on January 5, 1860, at the age of 48. Today, American Catholics as well as Czechs and Slovak Catholics rejoice with their beloved Saint.

St Elizabeth Ann Seton

Elizabeth Bayley Seton was the first native born American to be canonized. Born two years before the American Revolution, on August 28, 1774, Elizabeth grew up in the "cream" of New York society. She was a prolific reader, and read everything from the Bible to contemporary novels. In spite of her high society background, Elizabeth's early life was quiet, simple, and often lonely. As she grew a little older, the Bible was to become her continual instruction, support and comfort. 

In 1794, Elizabeth married the wealthy young William Seton, with whom she was deeply in love. The first years of their marriage were happy and prosperous. This time of Elizabeth's life was to be a brief moment of earthly happiness before the many deaths and partings she was to suffer. Within four years, Will's father died, leaving the young couple in charge of Will's seven half brothers and sisters, besides their own 5 children, as well as the family's importing business. Now events began to move fast - and with devastating effect. Both Will's business and his health failed. He was finally forced to file a petition of bankruptcy. In a final attempt to save Will's health, the Setons sailed for Italy, but he died of tuberculosis soon after they arrived.  Elizabeth's deep concern for the spiritual welfare of her family and friends eventually led her into the Catholic Church, thanks also to the influence of the Fellicchi family with whom they stayed while in Italy. Elizabeth was baptized in St Peter’s church, New York City in 1805.
At the suggestion of the president of St. Mary's College in Baltimore, Maryland, Elizabeth started a school in that city. She and two other young women, who helped her in her work, began plans for a new order, which was to be named Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph. They established the first free Catholic school in America. When the young community adopted their rule, they made provisions for Elizabeth to continue raising her children. On March 25, 1809, the new Mother Seton pronounced her vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Although Mother Seton was now afflicted with tuberculosis, she continued to guide her children. By 1818, in addition to their first school, the sisters had established two orphanages and another school. Today six groups of sisters trace their origins to Mother Seton's initial foundation. Mother Seton died in January 4, 1821 at the age of 46, only sixteen years after becoming a Catholic. She was canonized on September 14, 1975. On that day both Episcopalians and Catholics rejoiced. She is the patron of the Catholic schools in the USA.