Get busy
Have you suffered through a difficult disappointment? The best way out is
to
get busy.
Is there a challenging obstacle standing firmly in your path? The way to
get
around it is to get busy.
Do you feel lousy because nothing is going your way? You'll quickly start
to
feel more positive and empowered when you do whatever it takes to get
yourself moving forward.
It may seem natural to whine and complain and feel sorry for yourself. But
that will just make things worse.
Instead, put yourself in the business of making things better. Take one
small step forward, see how great it feels, then choose to take another
and
another and another.
Put forth some effort and put yourself in charge of your own destiny. Get
busy, get going, and soon the troubles of this moment will be far behind
you.
-- Ralph Marston
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April 23rd - Blessed Giles Of Assisi
Two companions from Assisi had already joined St. Francis, when Giles,
a
well-to-do young man of the town, heard about it. He [went] to the poor
hermitage [close] by Assisi, which the three occupied; and, prostrate upon
his knees, he begged St. Francis to accept him into his company. Francis
presented him to the other two, saying: "See here a good brother whom
almighty God has sent us." This was on April 23, 1209. On the same day,
both
went to Assisi, where Giles begged in God's name for a bit of cloth to
make
a habit. Giles divided his entire fortune among the poor. He was plain and
simple in mind, [and] of a mild temperament, but also full of power and
energy when it served to accomplish anything good.
Recognizing humility as the necessary foundation to perfection, Giles
sought humiliation and contempt, but fled from honors. Once when he was
passing through the March of Ancona with the holy Founder and at some
places
special honor was shown to them, he said: "O my Father, I fear we shall
lose
the true honor if we are honored by men."
Giles entertained a great desire to make a pilgrimage to the Holy
Places,
and since Francis knew that he did much good everywhere by his holy
example,
he gladly granted his desire. The pious man [went] first to the grave of
the
holy Apostle James at Compostela in Spain, then to the Holy Places of the
Passion of Christ in Jerusalem. He also visited the sanctuary of the holy
Archangel Michael on Mt. Gargano in Italy, and the town of Bari, there to
honor St. Nicholas.
His whole appearance preached poverty, humility, and piety. He also
utilized every opportunity to encourage penance and love of God. He
endeavored to earn his livelihood mainly through manual work; whatever he
obtained over and above his immediate needs, he at once gave to the poor;
if
he lacked necessities, he begged them for God's sake. Once, a poor woman
who
was dressed in the barest necessities asked Brother Giles for alms. As he
had nothing to offer her, he compassionately took off his capuohe and gave
it to her.
In the year 1219, at the great chapter of five thousand brothers, St.
Francis commissioned Giles to go to Africa with several companions, to
preach the gospel to the Mohammedans. But they did not achieve their
purpose. As soon as they landed in Africa, the Christians there, who
feared
a general persecution, led them by force to another ship which brought
them
back to Italy.
At this time Brother Giles was sent to the quiet convent of Perugia,
which remained his abode until his death. He lived practically only for
God.
Even at his work, thoughts of the last judgment, of eternity, and of the
glory of heaven constantly occupied his mind. Once when two distinguished
gentlemen asked him to pray for them, he said: "Oh, you do not need my
prayers." "Why not," they asked. Giles answered. "You live among all the
comforts of the world and still believe that you will get to heaven; but
I,
a poor human being, spend my days in labor and penance, and yet I fear I
shall be damned."
When he reflected on the joys of heaven, he was beside himself with
longing. Often when the children in the street called out to him the mere
word "Paradise," he was rapt in ecstasy.
Pope Gregory IX had heard of the-contemplative gift of Brother Giles,
and
being in the neighborhood of Perugia, he sent for him. When the pope began
to speak to Giles about divine and heavenly matters, Giles at once went
into
an ecstasy. When he came to again, he humbly begged the Holy Father's
forgiveness - it was his weakness, he said, that he was immediately beside
himself. The pope required that he give him some good advice for the
administration of his burdensome duties. Quite confounded, Giles excused
himself, saying that he could not advise the head of the Church. But when
the pope commanded him in obedience, he said: "Holy Father, you must have
two eyes in your soul. The right eye must be kept on heavenly things; the
left one, on the things of this earth, which you must regulate."
St. Bonaventure considered himself fortunate to have lived at the time
when he could still see and speak with Brother Giles. When he came to
Perugia as provincial of the order, Giles said to him one day: "My Father,
God has accorded you great kindness, since you are so learned and can,
therefore, serve God so perfectly; but we unlearned ones, how shall we
correspond to the goodness of God and arrive at heaven?" The learned
general
of the order answered him: "My brother, in order to get to heaven, it
suffices that one love God, and a poor unlearned woman can love God as
well
as, maybe even better than, a great theologian." Thereupon Giles ran out
into the garden that led to the street, and filled with joy, cried aloud;
"Come, ye simple and unlearned men, and ye poor women! You can love God as
well as, and perhaps even more than, Brother Bonaventure and the greatest
theologians."
A religious of great learning, who, however, was much troubled with
doubts concerning the virginity of Mary, came to Brother Giles for advice.
The holy brother cried out, as he struck the earth with a stick: "Yes,
yes!
She was a virgin before the birth of Jesus," and immediately a beautiful
lily sprouted forth. Giles struck anew and said: "She was a virgin during
the birth," and again a lily sprouted forth. Then he beat a third time
upon
the earth, saying the words: "She was a virgin after the birth," and the
third lily sprouted forth.
Finally, pure as a lily, the soul of Brother Giles went to the vision
of
things divine, which he had so often contemplated. He died on April 22,
1262, on the anniversary of his entrance into the order, to which he had
belonged for fifty-three years. His grave in the Franciscan church at
Perugia is highly venerated. Pope Pius VI sanctioned the veneration
accorded
him from time immemorial. The feast of Blessed Giles is observed on April
twenty-third by the Franciscans, and on the twenty-second by the
Capuchins.
CONCERNING THE GOOD INTENTION
1. What the divinely enlightened brother said to the pope and observed so
faithfully himself, we, too, must observe. The right eye of our soul must
be
directed to things of heaven, while the left eye looks at the things of
this
earth which we have to deal with, that is, amid all our occupations the
higher regard of our soul should be directed towards God, so that we may
do
everything according to His good pleasure and with a good intention.
Yes, the Apostle warns us always to bear about in our hearts the best,
the most perfect intention, which desires nothing but the honor of God:
"Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory
of
God" (1 Cor. 10, 31). If we do everything as God wants it, and because it
pleases God, we thereby promote His honor. Have you always been thus
minded
at your work?
2. Consider how precious in the sight of God our dealings become through
our
good intention. In order to make our good intention most perfectly, we
should unite it with that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The first thing in
the morning it is well to make the intention which Pope Leo XIII
prescribed
for the members of the Apostleship of Prayer, offering up all our works,
prayers, and sufferings of the day, and everything else we do, for the
purpose with which the Son of God, Jesus Christ, offers Himself to the
heavenly Father in all the holy Masses of the day. What value our worlds
must thereby acquire in the sight of God! United with the sacrifice of His
Divine Son, they appear as a part of the holy Sacrifice itself, and as He
once assured St. Gertrude, God hardly knows how to reward such gifts
sufficiently. Should that not inspire us never to forget this good
intention
and to renew it often during the day?
3. Consider how a good and pure intention in our actions preserves us in
tranquility of heart and interior peace. What is it, in fact, that makes
so
many people restless and tortures them at work but the thought of what
people will say about them, or what success they will have in the eyes of
the world. "If God were always the only object of our desires we should
not
easily be disturbed," says Thomas a Kempis (1, 14). Let people think of us
what they may, and let us not be fearful about the results which so often
are not in our control. Doing what is assigned to us, and directing our
whole intention towards God, we shall always preserve interior peace.
Saint Quote:
"He has not true patience who is willing to suffer only what he pleases,
and
from whom he pleases. The truly patient man does not regard the length nor
the kind of his sufferings, not yet the person who makes him
suffer-whether
he be a superior, an equal, or an inferior; whether he be a holy man or
ill-disposed and dishonorable. His only aim is to suffer"
-Thomas a Kempis
We are told, in the Lives of the Fathers, of a young monk who dwelt
with
an aged monk who went every morning to the city to sell the articles which
they had both made on the preceding day, and who spent all they brought
upon
wine for himself, bringing home only a bit of bread for the youth. The
young
man bore this way of life for three years; but at last, finding himself in
rags and dying of hunger, he began to consider whether it would not be
well
to leave such a companion and go elsewhere. Then an angel appeared to him
and said: "Have patience a little longer, for tomorrow you shall be with
me
in Paradise" He told this vision to the old man, who did not believe it.
But
the following day, as they were discussing the matter, the holy youth
peacefully expired, and the old man was converted and mourned for his
previous life.
(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". April - Patience)
Bible Quote:
19 Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of
the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all
days, even to the consummation of the world. (Matthew 28:19-20)
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PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
O God, who didst deign to raise Thy blessed confessor Giles to the
height of extraordinary contemplation, grant through his intercession that
in our actions we may always direct our intention to Thee, and through it
arrive at the peace which surpasses all
understanding. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(From: The book of Franciscan Saints, 1959)
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