SEEK, KNOCK, ASK
Thus saith the LORD GOD,
I will yet for this be enquired of.
Ye have not, because ye ask not
Ask and it shall be given unto you; seek and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for everyone that
asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him
that knocketh it shall be opened.
This is the confidence we have in HIM, that, if we ask any
thing according to HIS will, HE heareth us: and if we know
that HE hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have
the petitions that we desired of HIM.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of GOD, that giveth
to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be
given unto him.
Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.
The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and HIS
ears are open unto their cry The LORD heareth, and delivereth
them out of all their troubles.
Ye shall ask in MY name; and I say not unto you, that I will
pray to the FATHER for you: for the FATHER HIMSELF loveth
you, because ye have loved ME. Ask and ye shall receive, that
your JOY may be full.
AMEN and AMEN
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June 21st - St. Aloysius (Luigi, Louis) Gonzaga, SJ (RM)
Born at Castiglione delle Stivieri in Lombardy, Italy, on March 9, 1568;
died
about midnight between June 20 and 21, 1591; beatified in 1605; canonized
1726;
Benedict XIII declared him patron of young students and Pius XI proclaimed
him
patron of Christian youth. Everything about Saint Aloysius conspires to
make
him
the hero of a popular romance-his noble birth, his angelic life, and his
holy
death. But no novelist would dare to invent a life as perfect as his-it
would be
too incredible.
Aloysius was the eldest son of the Marquis Ferrante of Castiglione, who
served
Philip II of Spain, and Marta Tana Santena, lady-in-waiting to Philip's
wife.
His father's one ambition was for his eldest son to become a great
military
leader. At the age of four he was sent off to a military camp, where he
strutted
around in miniature armor with his miniature pike, set off a canon without
any
authority, then returned home full of strange oaths, which were a
life-long
mortification. Thus he was being prepared for his father's chosen
vocation,
but
at the age of seven he experienced a spiritual quickening and decided to
pursue
a religious life. He had said his morning and evening prayers from
infancy;
now
he began to recite the Office of the Blessed Virgin daily, as well as the
seven
penitential Psalms, and other devotions.
When he was nine, his father placed him and his brother Ridolfo in the
care
of
tutors in the household of Francesco de'Medici in Florence to teach them
Latin
and the pure Italian of Tuscany. But Aloysius made better progress in the
science of saints than in his studies. That same year he took a vow of
chastity.
From that time he never looked any woman in the face, not even his own
mother.
About two years later (November 1579), their father moved the boys to the
court
of the duke of Mantua, who had lately made him governor of Montserrat.
Already
at age 11, Aloysius had decided to renounce the titles and estates that
were
to
be his inheritance, even though he had already received investiture from
the
emperor. There he developed a painful kidney disease that was to trouble
him
for
the rest of his life. But this gave him an excuse to spend time in prayer
and
reading the lives of the saints by Surius. He began to practice severe
austerities-fasting every other day on bread and water, scourging himself
with a
dog whip, and allowing no fires to be built while he prayed even in the
coldest
weather.
Inspired by a book about the Jesuit missionaries in India, he began to
prepare
himself at age 12 to be a Jesuit missionary. He gathered a group of poor
boys
and taught them the catechism during his summer holidays in Castiglione.
In 1581, Don Ferrante was summoned to attend the Empress Mary of Austria
on
her
journey from Bohemia to Spain. His family accompanied him, and upon their
arrival in Spain, Aloysius and Ridolfo were placed in the service of Don
Diego,
prince of the Asturias in Spain, as pages. He was duty bound to attend on
the
young infante and share his studies, but he never curtailed his devotions.
During his time at Don Diego's court, Aloysius resolved to enter the
Society
of
Jesus. First he approached his mother, who gave her approval. However,
when
she
told his father that he requested to join the Jesuits, his furious father
refused permission. First he threatened to beat him until friends
mediated,
and
Don Ferrante relented to give his provisional consent. Nevertheless, after
the
infante died, releasing the boys from their court duties, the marquis
tried
to
distract his son by sending him to visit the courts of northern Italy upon
their
return in July 1584. He hoped that the boy would suc***b to the easy life.
When
that did not work, his father tried diplomatic pressure. He had his
relatives,
including the duke of Mantua, try to talk the boy out of his vocation. As
the
next step in his tactics to dissuade Aloysius, Don Ferrante engaged him in
a
number of secular commissions in the hope of awakening interest in worldly
affairs. Unchanged by his travels, Aloysius renewed his plea. Don
Ferrante's
last attempt used the leading dignitaries of the Church to talk the matter
over
with his son. Finally his father was persuaded when the imperial
commission
arrived transferring the succession to Ridolfo. In 1585, he allowed
Aloysius
to
join the Jesuits in Rome.
On November 25, 1585, he was received into the Jesuit novitiate at the
house
in
Sant'Andrea. He was an ideal novice. Aware of his delicate health, the
Jesuits
requested that he curb his austerities. He was obliged to take recreation,
to
eat more, and forbidden to pray more than the set hours. They sent him to
Milan
to study, where he had a revelation during his morning prayer that he
would
not
live much longer. This filled his heart with joy. His poor health forced a
return to Rome.
In 1587, he was professed. That same year (or in 1591) plague struck Rome.
The
Jesuits opened a hospital of their own, in which the father general
himself
and
many other Jesuits ministered personally to the sick. Aloysius requested
and
was
permitted to join them in service. This son of privilege instructed and
exhorted
patients, washed them, made their beds, and performed the meanest chores
of
the
hospital. He eventually caught the plague from patients but surprisingly
recovered after receiving the last rites.
Later, however, he later fell into a low-grade fever that lasted for three
months and severely weakened him. As long as he was able, he would arise
at
night and wor****p before the crucifix and kiss his sacred pictures, then
kneel
in prayer, propped between the bed and the wall. Very humbly and anxiously
he
asked his confessor, Saint Robert Bellarmine, whether it was possible for
someone to go straight to heaven without experiencing purgatory.
Bellarmine
said
"yes," and knowing Aloysius, encouraged him to hope that this grace might
be
his. Aloysius immediately fell into an ecstasy that lasted throughout the
night.
During that time he learned that he would die on the octave of Corpus
Christi.
On that octave day he seemed so much better that the rector spoke of
sending
him
to Frascati. Aloysius, however, maintained that he would die before
morning
and
again received the viati*** from Father Bellarmine. In the evening, as he
was
thought to be in no immediate danger, all but two or three watchers were
told to
go to bed. Nevertheless, Father Bellarmine recited the prayers for the
dying
at
the request of Aloysius. Afterwards Aloysius remained very still,
occasionally
murmuring, "into Thy hands." Between ten and eleven a change came over him
and
it was evident that his life was ebbing. With his eyes fixed on the
crucifix
and
the name of Jesus on his lips, he died about midnight at the age of 23.
After
his death, Saint Robert Bellarmine testified to his holiness, claiming
that
it
was his opinion that Aloysius never in his life committed a mortal sin.
Aloysius is the patron of young students, those choosing their profession
(Roeder), and Catholic youth (White). He is invoked against eye troubles
and
the
plague (Roeder).
Quote:
There is no more evident sign that anyone is a saint and of the number of
the
elect, than to see him leading a good life and at the same time a prey to
desolation, suffering, and trials.
He who wishes to love God does not truly love Him if he has not an ardent
and
constant desire to suffer for His sake.
- Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
Bible Quote:
39 And he spoke also to them a similitude: Can the blind lead the blind?
do
they
not both fall into the ditch? 40 The disciple is not above his master: but
every
one shall be perfect, if he be as his master. (Luke 6:39-40)
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GRACES
All around are fruits of glory,
Sweet and ripened on the vine;
Pluck these seeds of untold story,
Eat of fruits that are divine!
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