Memorial of Saint
Rose of Lima, virgin
(II Thessalonians 2:1-3a.14-17; Matthew 23:23-26)
A priest ministering to the Missionaries of Charity,
Mother Teresa’s congregation, rightly feels humbled. The sisters sit at his feet attentive to
every word that he utters. The priest knows that they, more faithfully than he,
carry out the work of Jesus in their meticulous service to the poorest of the
poor. In her daily life St. Rose of Lima
demonstrated as great self-effacement and dedication as the Missionaries of
Charity. Her care for the poor was
overshadowed only by other acts of piety as she demonstrated love for God to
the edification of an entire city.
Today’s first reading offers a blessing to the community of
Christians at Thessalonica. It expresses
the desire that the people remain committed to the teachings of Christ. Evidently, they were rankled by new ideas at
odds with what St. Paul taught. No, the
letter implies, they are to keep the faith, assist, the poor, and support one
another.
The practice of the saints should move us from self-concern
to devotion to others. Certainly there
is no shortage of self-love in our times deafening us to the teachings of Christ.
Thankfully, we have saints today as much
as in times past to show us that God commands us to purify our love for others.
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