Apostleship of Prayer

The name of today’s saint has become synonymous with Catholic education. He was born in France and as a young priest saw the need for the education of poor boys. In 1684 he and twelve teachers formed a religious congregation which came to be known as the Christian Brothers. Today they serve over 900,000 students in 80 countries. In 1950 Pope Pius XII named him the patron saint of teachers.

With the intercessory help of St. John Baptist de La Salle, let us focus our attention on this month’s Mission Intention, asking God to bless the seminarians in mission countries with the same zeal for souls that our saint had. May they have the charity revealed in the following excerpt from the writings of St. John Baptist de La Salle.

Adapt yourself with gracious and charitable compliance to all your neighbor’s weaknesses. In particular, make a rule to hide your feelings in inconsequential matters. Give up all bitterness toward your neighbor, no matter what. Each day look for every possible opportunity to do a kindness for those you do not like. After examining yourself on this matter every morning, decide what you are going to do, and do it faithfully with kindness and humility. Be sure to be warmly affable toward everyone. Speak to and answer everyone with very great gentleness and deference. Keep in mind the way the Lord spoke and replied to others even when he was most harshly treated. Never comment on the faults or the behavior of your neighbors. When others speak of them, put a good interpretation on their actions. If you cannot, say nothing at all. In short, decide never to speak of the failings of others nor to reprimand them no matter how serious they seem to you. When you see someone fall into some fault, call to mind the gospel saying, “You can see the splinter in your brother’s eye, but you cannot see the beam in your own” (Matthew 7: 3).

Today’s Readings: Acts 6: 8-15;  Psalm 119: 23-24, 26-27, 29-30;  John 6: 22-29

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