Thought for the Day – 7 July – Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel Luke 10:1-12, 17-20
Life of Saint Francis of Assisi
known as the “Anonymous of Perugia”
(13th century)
“The Lord sent them ahead of him to every town and place he intended to visit”
Filled with the Holy Spirit’s graces as he already was, blessed Francis foretold to his brothers what was going to happen to them. In the wood beside the chapel of Saint Mary of the Portioncula, where they were accustomed to meet for prayer, he called together those six brothers he already had and said: “Dearest brothers, let us have a good understanding of our vocation – in His mercy, God has not called us just for our own benefit but for the service and even for the salvation, of many others. So let us go out through the world, let us encourage and show men and women, by word and example, how to do penance for their sins and recall those commandments of God they have forgotten for so long.”
Then he added – “Do not be afraid, little flock (Lk 12,32) but put your trust in the Lord. Don’t ask each other – ‘And how are we going to preach, we who are ignorant and without learning?’ Remember, rather, our Lord’s words to His disciples: ‘It is not you who will be speaking but the Spirit of your Father who will be speaking in you’ (Mt 10,20). Therefore, it is the Lord Himself, who will transmit His Spirit and wisdom to you, to teach men and women the ways and practices of His commandments”.
Christ be near, at either hand,
Christ behind, before me stand;
Christ with me, where’er I go,
Christ around, above, below.
Christ be in my heart and mind,
Christ within my soul enshrined;
Christ control, my wayward heart;
Christ abide and ne’er depart.
Christ my life and only way,
Christ my lantern, night and day;
Christ be my unchanging friend,
guide and shepherd to the end.
AnaStpaul 