Today, in our reading from Acts, we hear about St Paul missionary experiences in the city of Ephesus, where he met some disciples of Christ who had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not to be this nice comforting idea in our lives, but rather a force that fills us with Gospel joy and zeal for living out a life of discipleship through our words and actions. After Paul laying on hands on these disciples, and calling down the Holy Spirit on these men, they were definitely filled with the spirt.
The spirit leads us in different ways in life. Today we celebrate a very popular saint in our Church: St Rita. It surprised me to know that although Rita was born in the 14th century in Italy, she was not canonized until 1900. Even though she wanted to become a nun as a young woman, her family forced her into a marriage, in which she had two sons. Her husband was killed in an act of violence in the midst of a feud of vengeance and revenge between families. After several attempts, Rita was admitted into a convent of Augustinian nuns. Her life as a nun was characterized by devotion to pray, austerity, and charity. Developing a wound on her forehead, many saw this as being associated with Christ’s crown of thorns. She was particularly devoted to Christ’s passion. She had a deep devotion to nursing her fellow sick nuns and providing spiritual counsel to lay people. With he attempts to mend the violence that existed in her family and her community while she was married, she has become a saint similar to St Jude who helps us with our seemingly impossible causes. St Rita’s tomb is a popular pilgrimage site. Let us unite our prayers with the prayer of St Rita.
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