MEMORIAL ST ALPHONSUS LIGUORI BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, THURSDAY OF THE SEVENTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, AUGUST 1, 2024

MASS READINGS:

Reading 1

Jer 18:1-6

This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD: Rise up, be off to the potter’s house; there I will give you my message. I went down to the potter’s house and there he was, working at the wheel. Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased. Then the word of the LORD came to me: Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done? says the LORD. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

REFLECTION

 "like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand"

St Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor of Prayer, founded the Redemptorists. His motto was Copiosa apud cum redemptio (With the Lord, there is plentiful redemption) from Psalm 130. The motto is incorporated into the seal of the Congregation. These words expressed his own most profound experience of God. St Alphonsus appreciated the meaning of our redemption in Jesus, both in the Incarnation as well as the passion and death of Jesus. He founded the Redemptorists to spread the good news and proclaim our redemption in Jesus to the most abandoned. (1)

My first exposure to St Alphonsus was through my mother. She had lumbar stenosis with inflammatory arthritis and she saw Dr Grace M. One afternoon, the patients in the waiting room were upset because Dr Grace was running behind. My mother always carried St Alphonsus' cards as he is the patron saint of arthritis and she enjoyed handing them out when she went for her doctor followup.

Mama spoke to the patients in the waiting room and eventually had them laughing and not at all disturbed about waiting. They quit complaining, she gave them prayer cards and peace was established. She showed them love and was able to diffuse a hostile environment.

The very heart of the spirituality of St Alphonsus is love: God's love for us and our love for God in response. The love of God focuses on Jesus, our Redeemer, who suffered, died and rose. His mama, Mother Mary, intercedes for us.

St Alphonsus suffered from anxiety which took the form of scrupulosity: the torture of never feeling sure you have the one thing you really need--God's love. (2) God's love does not depend on us doing all we can to win His love. God is the potter, His hand is in our supple clay. Allow God to work with His creation, let go of control. We don't have to reinvent ourselves but allow God to work in us. He loves us! He won't let you down.

St Alphonsus Liguori is a PAPA Patron. He is the patron saint of confessors.

God bless you.

(1) Living Redemptorist Spirituality, Prayers, Devotions, Reflections, North American Commission for Partnership in Mission.

(2) Living Faith, Daily Catholic Devotions, August 1, Volume 40, Number 2