July 18, 2018

Camillus

July 18, 2018:
Wednesday, 15th week, Ordinary Time
St. Camillus de Lellis, Priest

See more than a dozen connections with today?
Legend below
Listen

For the gospel
For Psalm 94

Read
  • Is 10:5-7, 13b-16  Woe to Assyria!  My hand has seized nations' riches.  The Lord will send leanness among his fat ones.
  • Ps 94:5-10, 14-15  "The Lord will not abandon his people."  Shall God not see as they're trampled down?  Judgment shall be with justice, and the upright shall follow it.
  • Mt 11:25-27  “I give you praise, Father, for you've revealed to the childlike things hidden from the wise.  You handed everything over to me.  No one knows me but you, and no one knows you except me and who I wish.”

Reflect
  • Creighton:  We need to be childlike (vs. childish) in welcoming God's kingdom.  Children trust; they grasp what we say and who we are. They know their parents and friends more than they know about them. Eternal life is knowing the Father and the One he sent.  When Jesus asked the disciples who people said the Son of Man is, they answered with things about Jesus.  Knowing about is intellectual; knowing, more existential, how we know our parents and friends through interaction, not study.  "The heart has reasons reason knows not of" (Pensées IV, 277).  Jesus challenges us to know him in a childlike way.  Christology helps us to know about Jesus; Christianity helps us to know Jesus.
  • One Bread, One Body:  "We're God's instruments and children":  Our loving Father employs us according to who we are and what gifts we have, using our free choices and his loving omnipotence.  As children of a loving Father, we can be useful in God's kingdom.  If God uses bad guys like the kings of Assyria and Persia, how much more can he use his obedient children!  May we be childlike in the Father's hands, allowing him to tune us as he sees fit, then let use us.
    St. Camillus de Lellis
  • Passionist:  The Pharisees lacked a humble childlike spirit and a sense of need for and dependence on God.  Jesus praised his Father for revealing hidden things to those with the wonder and awe of babes who hope, in contrast to the "wise" leaders who dismissed his message and miracles.  How am I closed to God’s revelation?  How do I react instead of respond?  We must open our hearts and let God teach us to love.  If people can learn to hate, they can learn to love, which comes more naturally....
  • DailyScripture.net:  "Heavenly things revealed to infants":  Jesus' prayer tells us God is Father, Lord, and Creator and cares for his children.  He warns that pride can keep us from knowing and loving God.  Pride, a cold heart, or stubbornness shut God out.  Pride (inordinate self-love, exaggerated self-assessment) makes us cold and indifferent towards God and closes us to truth and wisdom.  Jesus contrasts pride with simplicity and humility.  The simple see purely and acknowledge their dependence on and trust in God; they seek the greatest good, God himself.  Humility inclines us towards grace and truth; the only soil grace can take root in, it allows God to do all.  Jesus makes it possible for us to know God personally; in him we see God's perfect love....
  • Convert, priest, devoted to the care of the sick, reformed hospitals, founded Servants of the Sick (now Camillians); see also Wikipedia.
  • From the Office of Readings:  Charity, root of all virtue, was his most characteristic trait; he was on fire with it toward God and others, especially the sick.  The sight of the sick melted his heart.  When he took care of patients, he exhausted himself, so great his devotion and compassion.  In them he saw Christ, showing them great reverence and even begging them to forgive his sins.  He impressed Jesus' words on his religious brothers:  "I was sick and you visited me."  He'd also say, “If there were no poor people, we'd need to go below to look for and rescue them....” (paraphrased)
Dress legend
  • 'Money bag' tie pin:  "I've pillaged the treasures of peoples" (1st reading)
  • '♥' clip:  "It is in his heart to destroy" (1st reading); "All the upright of heart shall follow the just judgment" (psalm)
  • 'Hand' tie pin:  "My hand has seized nations' riches" (1st reading); Father 'handed' everything over to Jesus (gospel)
  • 'Owl' tie pin:  "By my wisdom I've done it" (1st reading); "You fools, when will you be wise?" (psalm); God has revealed to the childlike things the wise don't see (gospel)
  • 'Fire' pin: "Instead of the Lord's glory there will be kindling as of fire" (1st reading)
  • 'Eyeball' pin:  "Shall he who formed the eye not see?" (psalm)
  • 'Children' pin:  Father, you've revealed hidden things to the childlike (gospel)
  • 'Doctor's office' tie:  Ministry of St. Camillus to the sick
  • Green and white shirt: Green for Ordinary Time season, white for St. Camillus
Special greetings to and prayers for the community at
St. Camillus Center for Pastoral Care, Los Angeles and all they serve

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