Friday, January 5, 2024

Memorial of Saint John Neumann, bishop

(I John 3:11-21; John 1:43-51)

It is said that unlike other rabbis of his day, Jesus sought out his own disciples.  Most rabbis waited for students to come to them.  Jesus, however, took the initiative.  In today’s gospel he calls Philip directly.  “’Follow me,’” he instructs the man from Bethsaida.  He has also had an eye on Nathaniel for evidently a long while.

Jesus called John Neumann, today’s patron saint from an early age.  John wanted to serve as a priest in his native Bohemia but was refused ordination because of a surplus of clergy.  Priests were hard to find in the United States where he emigrated.  Within a year of his arrival John was ordained and not long after that he was on the missionary trail. 

Jesus calls each of us to be his disciples.  Whether or not we become a priest or religious, we are to learn from Jesus and then, very importantly, serve in his name.  We need to discern what the Lord wants us to do and then go about it with all our heart.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Memorial of Saint John Neumann, bishop

(I John 3:11-22; John 1:43-51)

Wisdom teaches that there are many ways of doing good and relatively few ways of doing evil.  Therefore, we have to choose among the ways to do good but avoid all the ways to do evil.  Saints like John Neumann stand out as examples in this twofold task.

John came to the United States in 1836 as a theological student wanting to be ordained.  The bishop of New York granted his desire and assigned him to a rural territory.  John travelled his huge parish on horseback to visit the sick, teach catechism and train catechists.  After joining the Redemptorist Order, John continued to serve as a parish priest.  In 1852 he was named bishop of Philadelphia where he stood out as a defender and promoter of various immigrant communities – Germans, Irish, and Italian among others.  He also oversaw the founding of two hundred parochial schools.

In today’s gospel Jesus tells Nathaniel that they will see “angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”  He means that they will witness Jesus perform many mighty deeds.  The marvel has never subsided.  In the name of the same Jesus saints have continued to tirelessly and thoughtfully work wonders.  Our deeds will not likely be as prodigious as those of John Neumann.  Nevertheless, we should always ask what we may do on behalf of others and then do what seems reasonable.