Leland Chapman Gloves

March 8 St. John of God
(1495-1550)

discernment of their vocation is not always pass through flat, linear way. Witness John of God, which today is the feast according to the Roman Calendar. Born in 1495 in Montemoro-Novo, Portugal, Ciudad John suffered a first major trauma when, not yet ten years old, was mysteriously removed and to his family, and was taken to a shepherd in Spain, Oropesa. Then enlisted in the English army, egli percorse con scarsa fortuna e diverse disavventure la carriera militare, finché non decise di lasciare le armi per fare il venditore ambulante di libri a Granada. Secondo il suo biografo, qui avvenne l'incontro determinante con la predicazione di Giovanni di Avila: ne fu folgorato a tal punto che decise di diventare una sorta di folle per Cristo. Dopo un drammatico periodo trascorso in manicomio, egli ne uscì con una sola idea per la propria vita: assistere gli ammalati e i poveri abbandonati di Granada. Giovanni, che aggiunse a questo punto la qualifica «di Dio» al proprio nome, divenne il riferimento fondamentale per gli emarginati della città, e a lui cominciarono a unirsi altri uomini desiderosi di servire Cristo nei poveri e negli infermi. John of God died on March 8, 1550, and after his death, though he had never sought to found a religious order, thanks to his example were born, "Fatebenefratelli", so called from the greeting with which John and his disciples were used to begging for help for their sick in the streets of Granada.

SECOND READING
From "Letters" of St. John of God religious (Archives January Ord. Hospital., Notebook, "De las cartas .. . ', ff. 23-24, 27; O. Marcos, Cartas y escritos de nuestro glorious father St. Juan de Dios, Madrid, 1935) Christ is faithful and all shall

Looking at the mercy of God, shall never cease to do good whenever he has the chance. In fact, when, for God's sake, let the poor what he has given us, we promise a hundredfold in eternal bliss. O happy gain, or purchase blessed! `Those who do not donate to this great merchant who owns what, when by our interest and begs us with open arms to convert him and weep for our sins and to put at the service of charity towards us first and then to the next ? In fact, as the `water extinguishes fire, so charity away sin (cf. Sir 3, 29). There are many poor people, I often wonder how they can be MAINTAINED. But Jesus Christ provides everything and everyone feeds. Many poor people are in the house of God, because the city of Granada is great and very cold, especially now that it's winter. They live now in this house over one hundred and ten persons: sick, healthy, poor pilgrims. Since this is the house generally welcomes people with all sorts and conditions: shrunken limbs, crippled lepers, dumb, demented, lame, Tignosi, exhausted by old age, many children and also countless pilgrims and travelers, who come here and find fire , water, salt and containers in which to cook food. Not there are pecuniary appropriations for all of them, but Christ provides. So work with other people's money and honor are a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I'm so overwhelmed by debt, which often do not dare leave home because of the creditors to whom I must answer. D the other hand there are so many poor brothers, my neighbor, proved beyond all human possibility, both in soul and body, I feel great bitterness of not being able to help. But I trust in Christ who knows my heart. So I say: `Damn the man who trusts in men and does not trust in Christ. Like it or not, men will leave you. But Christ is faithful and unchanging. Christ truly provides for all. He always give thanks. Amen.

Giovanni di Dio, Lettera alla duchessa di Sessa Per vincere il mondo, il diavolo e la carne, è necessario non confidare in se stessi, perché si cadrà mille volte al giorno in peccato, ma confidare solo in Gesù Cristo e unicamente per il suo amore e per la sua bontà non peccare, né mormorare, né fare del male, né danno al prossimo, ma desiderare per il prossimo ciò che vorremmo facessero a noi; e desiderare che tutti si salvino; e amare e servire solo Gesù Cristo per quello che lui è, e non per timore dell'inferno.

RESPONSORIO Is 58, 7 8     Dividi il tuo pane con l'affamato e introduci in casa tua il povero senza tetto;  * allora la tua luce sorgerà come l'aurora, davanti a te camminerà la tua giustizia.
Vesti colui che è nudo, non distogliere gli occhi          from your own flesh

then your light break forth like the dawn,
before you walk out your goodness.

PRAYER Lord St John of God that you did shine your mercy, grant us also to express the works His charity to the poor and sick to be accepted among the elect, in your kingdom. For our

Lectio altera

Ex Epístolis sancti Ioánnis a Deo religiósi

(Archiv. gen. Ord. Hospit., Quaderno: De las cartas..., ff. 23(v)-24(r); 27(rv):
O. Marcos, Cartas y escritos de Nuestro Glorioso Padre San Juan de Dios, Madrid, 1935, pp. 18-19; 48-50)

Christus fidelis cuncta prævidet

Si Dei misericórdiam respicerémus, numquam, dum in nobis est potéstas, in bono faciéndo deficerémus; nam cum paupéribus, ex Dei amóre, quod ipse nobis tríbuit transférimus, centésimum in ætérna beatitúdine promíttit. O felix emoluméntum, o quæstus beátus! Quis huic mercatóri óptimo quidquid póssidet non donábit, cum negótium nostrum procúret, et brácchiis pansis flágitet, ut nos ad eum convertámur et peccáta nostra defleámus et caritáti serviámus in primis erga nos, dein erga próximos? Ut enim aqua ignem exstínguit, sic cáritas delet peccátum.

Tot namque páuperes huc véniunt, ut ipse sæpíssime mirer quo modo sustentári possint; sed Iesus Christus ómnia próvidet et omnes alit. Multi páuperes in domum Dei véniunt, quia urbs Granáta magna et frigidíssima est, nunc máxime témpore hiemáli. Plus centum et decem nunc hanc domum íncolunt infírmi, sani, fámuli, peregríni: cum enim hæc domus generális sit, ægros omnis géneris et condiciónis récipit: membris captos, mancos, leprósos, mutos, améntes, paralýticos, porriginósos et álios sénio conféctos et multos púeros, et ínsuper innúmeros peregrínos et viatóres, qui huc pervéniunt, et illis ignis et aqua et sal et vasa quibus cibos coquant præbéntur; et pro his ómnibus nullus est pecúniæ réditus, Christus tamen próvidet.

Itaque ære aliéno hic labóro, et sum captívus propter Iesum Christum. Et cum ita ære aliéno premar, ut sæpe domo exíre non áudeam propter débita quibus ténear, et cum vídeam tot páuperes fratres et próximos meos ultra vires pati, tantísque ærúmnis ópprimi sive in ánimo sive in córpore et néqueam eos leváre, ádmodum mæreo, sed Christo confído, novit enim cor meum. Ideo dico: Maledíctus homo, qui confídit in homínibus, et non in Christo tantum; ab homínibus enim seiúngeris, velis nolis; Christus tamen fidélis est et pérmanens, Christus namque cuncta prævidet. Ipsi iúgiter grátias agámus. Amen.

Responsorium           Cf. Is 58, 7- 8 .                                                                                
.Frange esuriénti panem tuum,                                            
et egénos vagos induc in domum;
* Tunc erúmpet quasi auróra lumen tuum,
et anteíbit fáciem tuam iustítia tua.                                       
Cum víderis nudum, óperi eum,                                      
et carnem tuam ne despéxeris.
Tuncerúmpet quasi auróra lumen tuum,
et anteíbit fáciem tuam iustítia tua.

Oratio 

Deus, qui beátum Ioánnem misericórdiæ spíritu perfudísti, da, quæsumus, ut, caritátis ópera exercéntes, inter eléctos in regno tuo inveníri mereámur. Per Dóminum.