8/17/2012 – St Roch – Friday of 19th week in ordinary time – Isaiah 12:2-6

      The psalm we hear today is not actually from the book of psalms, but is from the book of the prophet Isaiah.  Sometimes we don’t know what words to say in our prayers, so the words we hear from the psalms, from the prophets, and from the other books of the Bible help us express our feelings to the Lord.  In the words of Isaiah, we hear from someone who places his trust in the Lord, as he says: “I am confident and unafraid, my strength and my courage is in the Lord…. With joy, you draw water at the fountain of salvation.”   Even in the midst of our fears, our doubts, our frustration, our confusion, we are called to turn to the Lord for strength, for consolation, for courage.  That is not always an easy thing to do, but the more we do it, the easier it will become.

         Today is one of that days that we traditionally celebrate one of my favorite saints – St Roch.  He is known as St Rocco or St Rock or St Roque in different countries.  He lived way back in the 13^th century in France.  His dad, the noble governor of Montpellier, died when Roch was 20, spurring Roch to go on a pilgrimage to Rome.  Legend has it that Roch cared for the victims of the plague in Rome and in various other cities until he came down with the plague himself.  He was banished to the forest, where he set up a small shelter where he lived.  The dog of one of the villagers came to visit Roch each day, bringing him a piece of bread in his mouth to eat and licking his sores.  Roch recovered, but was imprisoned when he came back to Montpellier, having been accused of being a spy.  Roch refused to divulge his true identity, not wanting to revel in world glory, and he died while imprisoned.  Roch’s interesting story and example of holy life made him a very popular saint in Europe in the Middle Ages. 

         We pray to God for courage and strength. We pray that we have the ability to praise God in whatever circumstances we experience in our lives.  We pray for the intercessions of St Roch, that we might have the courage to serve God and our brothers and sisters no matter where we are on our journey. 

Prayer to St Roch –

O Great St. Roch, deliver us,

we beseech you,

from the scourges we face in life;

through your intercession,

preserve our bodies from contagious diseases,

and our souls from the contagion of sin.

Obtain for us salubrious air;

but, above all, purity of heart.

Assist us to make good use of health,

to bear suffering with patience;

and, after your example,

to live in the practice of penance and charity,

that we may one day enjoy the happiness

which you have merited by your virtues.  AMEN