Daily Gospel for Monday, 24 February 2014
"Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You
have the words of eternal life." John 6:68
Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day:
Blessed Thomas (Tommaso) Mary Fusco
Priest and Founder of the Daughters of Charity of the Most
Precious Blood
(1831-1891)
Thomas Mary Fusco, the seventh of eight children, was born on 1
December 1831 in Pagani, Salerno, in the Diocese of Nocera-Sarno, Italy, to Dr
Antonio, a pharmacist, and Stella Giordano, of noble descent. They were known
for their upright moral and religious conduct, and taught their son Christian
piety and charity to the poor.
He was baptized on the day he was born in the parish of S.
Felice e Corpo di Cristo. In 1837, when he was only six years old, his mother
died of cholera and a few years later, in 1841, he also lost his father. Fr
Giuseppe, an uncle on his father's side and a primary school teacher, then took
charge of his education.
Since 1839, the year of the canonization of St Alphonsus Mary
de' Liguori, little Tommaso had dreamed of church and the altar; in 1847 he was
at last able to enter the same diocesan seminary of Nocera which his brother
Raffaele would leave after being ordained a priest in 1849.
On 1 April 1851, Tommaso Maria received the sacrament of Confirmation
and on 22 December 1855, after completing his seminary formation, he was
ordained a priest by Bishop Agnello Giuseppe D'Auria.
In those years, sorrowful because of the loss of his loved ones,
including his uncle (1847) as well as his young brother, Raffaele (1852), the
devotion to the Patient Christ and to his Blessed Sorrowful Mother, already
dear to the entire Fusco family, took root in Tommaso Maria, as in fact his
biographers recall: "He had a deep devotion to the crucified Christ which
he cherished throughout his life".
Right from the start he saw to the formation of boys for whom he
opened a morning school in his own home, while for young people and adults,
bent on increasing their human and Christian formation, he organized evening
prayers at the parish church of S. Felice e Corpo di Cristo. This was a true
place of conversion and prayer, just as it had been for St Alphonsus, revered
and honoured in Pagani for his apostolate.
In 1857, he was admitted to the Congregation of the Missionaries
of Nocera under the title of St Vincent de Paul and became an itinerant
missionary, especially in the regions of Southern Italy.
In 1860 he was appointed chaplain at the Shrine of our Lady of
Carmel (known as "Our Lady of the Hens") in Pagani, where he built up
the men's and women's Catholic associations and set up the altar of the
Crucified Christ and the Pious Union for the Adoration of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus.
In 1862 he opened a school of moral theology in his own home to
train priests for the ministry of confession, kindling enthusiasm for the love
of Christ's Blood; that same year, he founded the "(Priestly) Society of
the Catholic Apostolate" for missions among the common people; in 1874 he
received the approval of Pope Pius IX, now blessed.
Deeply moved by the sorry plight of an orphan girl, a victim of
the street, after careful preparation in prayer for discernment, Fr Tommaso
Maria founded the Congregation of the "Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious
Blood" on 6 January, the Solemnity of Epiphany in 1873. This institute was
inaugurated at the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in the presence of
Bishop Raffaele Ammirante, who, with the clothing of the first three sisters
with the religious habit, blessed the first orphanage for seven poor little
orphan girls of the area. It was not long before the newborn religious family
and the orphanage also received the Pope's blessing, in response to their
request.
Fr Tommaso Maria continued to dedicate himself to the priestly
ministry, preaching spiritual retreats and popular missions; and from his
apostolic travels sprang the many foundations of houses and orphanages that
were a monument to his heroic charity, which was even more ardent in the last
20 years of his life (1870-1891).
In addition to his commitments as founder and apostolic
missionary, he was parish priest (1874-1887) at the principal church of S.
Felice e Corpo di Cristo in Pagani, extraordinary confessor to the cloistered
nuns in Pagani and Nocera and, in the last years of his life, spiritual father
of the lay congregation at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
It was not long before Fr Tommaso Maria, envied for the good he
achieved in his ministry and for his life as an exemplary priest, was faced
with humiliation and persecution and, in 1880, even a brother priest's
slanderous calumny. However, sustained by the Lord, he lovingly carried that
cross which own Pastor, Bishop Ammirante had foretold at the time of his
institute's foundation: "Have you chosen the title of the Most Precious
Blood? Well, may you be prepared to drink the bitter cup".
During the harshest of trials, which he bore in silence, he
would repeat: "May work and suffering for God always be your glory and in
your work and suffering, may God be your consolation on this earth, and your
recompense in heaven. Patience is the safeguard and pillar of all the
virtues".
Wasting away with a liver-disease, Fr Tommaso Maria died a
devout death on 24 February 1891, praying with the elderly Simeon: Lord, now
let your servant depart in peace, according to your word" (Lk 2, 29).
He was only 59 years old! In the notice issued by the town
council of Pagani on 25 February 1891 the Gospel witness of his life, known to
one and all, was summarized in these words: "Tommaso Maria Fusco,
Apostolic Missionary, Founder of the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious
Blood, an exemplary priest of indomitable faith and ardent charity, worked
tirelessly in the name of the Redeeming Blood for the salvation of souls: in
life he loved the poor and in death forgave his enemies".
His life was directed to the highest devotion of Christian
virtues by the priestly life, lived intensely in constant meditation on the
mystery of the Father's love, contemplated in the crucified Son whose Blood is
"the expression, measure and pledge" of divine Charity and heroic
charity to the poor and needy, in whom Fr Tommaso Maria saw the bleeding Face
of Jesus.
His writings, preaching and popular missions marked his vast
experience of faith and the light of Christian hope that shone from his
vocation and actions. He had a vital, burning love for God; it enflamed his
words and his apostolate, made fruitful by love for God and neighbour, by union
with the crucified Jesus, by trust in Mary, Immaculate and Sorrowful, and above
all by the Eucharist.
Fr Tommaso Maria Fusco was an Apostle of Charity of the Most
Precious Blood, a friend of boys and girls and young people and attentive to
every kind of poverty and human and spiritual misery.
For all these reasons he enjoyed the fame of holiness among the
diocesan priests, among the people and among his spiritual daughters who
received his charism, and witness to it today in the various parts of the world
where they carry out their apostolate in communion with the Church.
The cause for the beatification of Fr Tommaso Maria Fusco was
initiated in 1955 and the decree of his heroic Christian virtues was published
on 24 April 2001. The miraculous healing of Mrs Maria Battaglia on 20 August
1964 in Sciacca, Agrigento, Sicily, through the intercession of Fr Tommaso
Maria Fusco was recognized on7 July 2001.
With his beatification, Pope John Paul II presents Fr Tommaso
Maria Fusco as an example and a guide to holiness for priests, for the people
of God and for his spiritual daughters, the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious
Blood. - Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Saint Ethelbert
Feastday: Febuary 25
Died: 616
King of Kent, England, converted by St. Augustine. He married
Bertha, a Christian daughter of King Charibert of Paris, and in 568 fought the
West Saxons. Ethelbert was baptized in 597, bringing a large part of his
population into the faith. He did not enforce conversions, but he brought the
king of the East Saxons and the king of the East Angles into the Church.
Ethelbert ruled for fifty-six years, founding the abbeys of Christ Church, Sts.
Peter and Paul in Canterbury, and St. Andrew’s in Rochester. St. Bede lists him
asAedilbert.
Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
James 3: 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him
show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom. 14
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast
and don’t lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down
from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 16 For where jealousy and
selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. 17 But the wisdom
that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the
fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Psalm 19: 8 Yahweh’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart.
Yahweh’s commandment
is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever.
Yahweh’s ordinances
are true, and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine
gold;
sweeter also than
honey and the extract of the honeycomb.
15 Let the words of my mouth be acceptable,
the thoughts of my heart before you,
LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 9: 14 Coming
to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes questioning
them. 15 Immediately all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed,
and running to him greeted him. 16 He asked the scribes, “What are you asking
them?”
17 One of the multitude answered, “Teacher, I brought to you my
son, who has a mute spirit; 18 and wherever it seizes him, it throws him down,
and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and wastes away. I asked your
disciples to cast it out, and they weren’t able.”
19 He answered him, “Unbelieving generation, how long shall I be
with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.”
20 They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the
spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the
mouth.
21 He asked his father, “How long has it been since this has
come to him?”
He said, “From childhood. 22 Often it has cast him both into the
fire and into the water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have
compassion on us, and help us.”
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are
possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, “I
believe. Help my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he
rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command
you, come out of him, and never enter him again!”
26 Having cried out, and convulsed greatly, it came out of him.
The boy became like one dead; so much that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27
But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose.
28 When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him
privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” 29 He said to them, “This kind can
come out by nothing, except by prayer and fasting.”
Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the Day”:
Julian of Norwich (1342-after 1416), recluse
Revelations of divine love, ch. 11 (trans. ©Classics of Western
spirituality)
"Help my unbelief!"
For I saw truly that God does thing, however small it may be,
and that nothing is done by chance, but all by God's prescient wisdom. If it
seem chance in man's sight, our blindness and lack of prescience is the reason.
For those things which are in God's prescient wisdom since before time, which
duly and to his glory he always guides to their best conclusion, as things come
about, come suddenly upon us when we are ignorant; and so through our blindness
and our lack of prescience we say that these things are by chance. But it is
not so in our Lord's sight. And therefore I was compelled to admit that
everything which is done is well done, for our Lord God does everything... And
on another occasion he did show sin, undisguised, and the way in which he
performs works of mercy and of grace...
I saw most truly that he never changed his purpose in any kind
of thing, nor ever will eternally. For there was nothing unknown to him in his
just ordinance before time began... And
no kind of thing will fail in that respect, for he has made everything totally
good. And therefore the blessed Trinity is always wholly pleased with all its
works; and God revealed all this most blessedly, as though to say: “See, I am
God. See, I am in all things. See, I do all things. See, I never remove my
hands from my works, nor ever shall without end. See, I guide all things to the
end that I ordain them for, before time began, with the same power and wisdom
and love with which I made them; how should anything be amiss?”
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