Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, priest
(Proverbs 3:27-34; Luke 8:16-18)
Remembering the context of this gospel
helps in understanding its confusing words.
Jesus has just told the parable of the sower and the seed. Now he exhorts his hearers to heed what he
has taught with three advisories.
First, Jesus himself is the lamp that gives
light. He came to preach the Kingdom of
God. Everyone should take care to hear
what he has said. Second, even without
telephones in their hands to distract them, people can miss a speaker’s message
by getting lost in their own thoughts.
Third, those who pay attention will be rewarded while those who don’t
will likely lose any wisdom that they have.
Saint Pius of Pietrelcina had a reputation
of being a clairvoyant confessor. He had
a gift of seeing into the souls of people.
For the thousands of people who confessed to him, his advice must have
been a light like Jesus the one Jesus mentions in the gospel.
