Beloved Family:
As we enter the final week of the month of July (YIKES!), I would like to highlight the memorials of several saints observed in these days. In 2021, Pope Francis officially established a joint commemoration of the three siblings: Martha, Mary and Elizabeth. The following comes from a decree issued by the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments:
In the household of Bethany the Lord Jesus experienced the family spirit and friendship of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, and for this reason the Gospel of John states that he loved them. Martha generously offered him hospitality, Mary listened attentively to his words and Lazarus promptly emerged from the tomb at the command of the One who humiliated death.
…the Supreme Pontiff Pope FRANCIS, considering the important evangelical witness they offered in welcoming the Lord Jesus into their home, in listening to him attentively, in believing that he is the resurrection and the life, and accepting the proposal of this Dicastery, has decreed that 29 July be designated in the General Roman Calendar as the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
I would suggest that this memorial provides us the opportunity to reflect both on our relationships with siblings (or, certainly, other family members) as well as the importance of building holy friendships. As regards to family: am I actively inviting the Holy Spirit to work within these bonds? Do I regularly ask Jesus to help me when there are tensions and misunderstandings?
As regards to friendship: if Jesus needed companionship in his life on earth, surely we cannot expect to be able to sustain the life of discipleship without intentionally cultivating friendship with individuals with whom we can share at the level of the heart. So, a question: who in my life currently is available with whom I can discuss my prayer life and the movements of the Holy Spirit? Yes, some (likely a growing number) of Catholics seek out formal spiritual direction. That is a marvelous gift; however, even in its absence, we need not be deprived of the company of “fellow pilgrims.”
On Friday of this week, July 31, Saint Ignatius is the saint of the day. Yes, he founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) who have surely been heavily influential at various points of history down the centuries since the mid-sixteenth century. However, one does not need to be a member of that community in order to benefit from Saint Ignatius’ spiritual legacy. He established a set of principles called the Rules for Spiritual Discernment. They are what I would consider “essential gear” in the backpack of resources for navigating the spiritual life. If one is looking for a starting point, Fr. Timothy Gallagher OMV is considered a foremost speaker and author on the Spiritual Exercises. The Hallow app, for example, has several series of podcasts available, featuring his content.
Finally, on Saturday (first Saturday, in this case), we observe the memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor. Alphonsus Liguori is best known for his moral theology, but he also wrote well in the field of spiritual and dogmatic theology. His Glories of Mary is one of the great works on that subject, and his book Visits to the Blessed Sacrament went through 40 editions in his lifetime, greatly influencing the practice of this devotion in the Church. As a parish under the patronage of Our Blessed Mother, wherein we have worked to increase awareness of the power and benefits of Eucharistic Devotion, We can easily recommend exploration of his writings.
Let His Peace be with you,
Fr. Stephen
