OXYGEN

14 Jul – Memorial for St Camillus de Lellis, Priest

St. Camillus (1550-1614) used to be a gambling addict. He lost so much he had to take a job working construction on a building belonging to the Capuchins; they converted him. Because of a persistent injury, he moved into San Giacomo Hospital for the incurable, and eventually became its administrator.

Lacking education, he began to study with children when he was 32 years old. St. Camillus founded the Congregation of the Servants of the Sick (the Camellians) who care for the sick both in hospital and home. He honoured the sick as living images of Christ, and hoped that the service he gave them did penance for his wayward youth.

- Patron Saint Index
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Exodus 2:1-15

There was a man of the tribe of Levi who had taken a woman of Levi as his wife. She conceived and gave birth to a son and, seeing what a fine child he was, she kept him hidden for three months. When she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him; coating it with bitumen and pitch, she put the child inside and laid it among the reeds at the river’s edge. His sister stood some distance away to see what would happen to him.

Now Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe in the river, and the girls attending her were walking along by the riverside. Among the reeds she noticed the basket, and she sent her maid to fetch it. She opened it and looked, and saw a baby boy, crying and she was sorry for him. ‘This is a child of one of the Hebrews’ she said. Then the child’s sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and find you a nurse among the Hebrew women to suckle the child for you?’ ‘Yes, go’ Pharaoh’s daughter said to her; and the girl went off to find the baby’s own mother. To her the daughter of Pharaoh said, ‘Take this child away and suckle it for me. I will see that you are paid.’ So the woman took the child and suckled it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter who treated him like a son; she named him Moses because, she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’

Moses, a man by now, set out at this time to visit his countrymen, and he saw what a hard life they were having; and he saw an Egyptian strike a Hebrew; one of his countrymen. Looking round he could see no one in sight, so he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. On the following day he came back, and there were two Hebrews fighting. He said to the man who was in the wrong, ‘What do you mean by hitting your fellow countryman?’ ‘And who appointed you’ the man retorted ‘to be prince over us, and judge? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?’ Moses was frightened. ‘Clearly that business has come to light’ he thought. When Pharaoh heard of the matter he would have killed Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and made of the land of Midian.
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Matthew 11:20-24

Jesus began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been worked, because they refused to repent.

‘Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. And still, I tell you that it will not go as hard on Judgement day with Tyre and Sidon as with you. And as for you, Capernaum, did you not want to be exalted as high as heaven? You shall be thrown down to hell. For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been standing yet. And still, I tell you that will be not go as hard with the land of Sodom on Judgement day as with you.’
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Clearly that business has come to light.

Actions speak louder than words – do you believe in that? When was the last time you smiled at someone, took the time to listen to your friend, or did a charitable cause? Or were you chasing after the next promotion, the next one million dollars or aiming to buy the next branded bag and shoes? A widow who contributed her savings to help the poor compared to a rich millionaire who wants to earn more money. What do you think the Lord will say to both of them on Judgement Day?

On Judgement Day, as we stand before the Lord, He will not ask us how much we earned, what type of house do we live in and what sort of branded stuff have we bought? Instead He will ask us: Have we helped the poor and the needy? Have we used our gifts to serve others? How much did we love Him?

In the first reading, Moses watched how his kinsmen were doing forced labour and he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his kinsmen. He killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. Somehow his actions were witnessed by others. Are there times in our lives when our actions to the people around us are unjust and unkind?

When we walk away from our friends who need financial aid, when we are impatient with our family; when we neglect our love ones, and when we say we will pray for one another and never did that. Have we taken a step back to reflect on our actions?

Let us learn to cherish the people around us – our family, our colleagues, our classmates and our friends. May our actions be filled with sincerity and of love. When there is misunderstanding, take the time to talk through the situation, place yourself in the position of the other party and see it from his point of view. Continue to pray and fellowship with one another.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Patricia Ang)
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Prayer: Lord, help us to grow in faith, to love and to serve You. May our actions be filled with sincerity and love. Allow us to share our testimonies with others on how You have journeyed with us in our lives.

Thanksgiving: We give thanks to the Lord for being a light in our lives, for sustaining us daily and blessing us with our family and friends.

Upcoming Readings:
Wed, 15 Jul – Exodus 3:1-6.9-12; Matthew 11:25-27; Memorial for St Bonaventure, bishop and doctor of the Church
Thu, 16 Jul – Exodus 3:13-20; Matthew 11:28-30; Memorial for Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Fri, 17 Jul – Exodus 11:10-12:14; Matthew 12:1-8
Sat, 18 Jul – Exodus 12:37-42; Matthew 12:14-21
Sun, 19 Jul – Jeremiah 23:1-6; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34; Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time