OXYGEN

23 Sep – Tuesday in the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time; Pio of Pietrelcina, priest

St Pio (1887-1968) was ordained when he was 22. He founded the House for the Relief of Suffering in 1956, a hospital that serves 60,000 a year. In the 1920s he started a series of prayer groups that continue today with over 400,000 members worldwide.

His canonization miracle involved the cure of Matteo Pio Colella, age 7, the son of a doctor who works in the House for Relief of Suffering, the hospital in San Giovanni Rotondo founded by Padre Pio. On the night of 20 June 2000, Matteo was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital with meningitis. By morning doctors had lost hope for him as nine of the boy´s internal organs had ceased to give signs of life. That night, during a prayer vigil attended by Matteo´s mother and some Capuchin friars of Padre Pio´s monastery, the child’s condition improved suddenly. When he awoke from the coma, Matteo said that he had seen an elderly man with a white beard and a long, brown habit, who said to him: “Don´t worry, you will soon be cured.”

- Patron Saints Index 

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Luke 8:19-21

His mother and his brothers came looking for him, but they could not get to him because of the crowd. He was told, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you’ But he said in answer, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.’

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To act virtuously and with justice is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifice

I recall the homily of one of the priests of my parish which reminded the audience that one of the clues by which you can identify a potential candidate for the priesthood is by looking at his parents; their actions and behaviour are signs of the upbringing of their children. Mary can truly fulfil the criteria that Jesus mentions in today’s Gospel because her whole life was one in obedience to God’s will.

At first glance it might seem that Jesus disowns his parents but deeper examination will tell you that he is actually praising his parents. Both St. Joseph and Mother Mary both led lives of virtue and charity reflecting the word of God in their very actions. This is affirmed in the first reading which tells us that such a life “…is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifice.” The sin of our first parents was actually disobedience and this goes to show how important God wants us to listen to his voice and not yield to our own selfish desires.

Our actions reflect the values that we have been imbibed with. Thus the values of the Gospel will surely be seen in our lives by non-believers if only we realize that. Our role is to first acknowledge our need for God to become the centre of our lives.