So many people in our world are
burdened and labored. So many are need
of physical rest – many more are in need of spiritual rest. The Lord reaches out to all who are heavy
burdened today, telling them that they will find rest for themselves by
embracing Jesus, by following his teachings and his laws.
The saint we celebrate today – St
Camillus – is well-known for the order of the Ministers of the Sick that he
founded, which is now known as the Order of St. Camillus. The ministry of this international religious
community of men, both brothers and priests, is to care for the sick and the dying,
the marginalized and the poor. St
Camillus is also the patron saint of nurses.
As a child, as a teenager, and a youth, St Camillus seemed destined for
trouble. He got into fights all the
time, he developed a bad gambling habit, and he skipped school a lot. However, God gave him opportunities to
serve. While serving in the military as
a soldier, Camillus developed a leg infection that caused him much pain and
suffering. Indebted and nowhere to go,
he worked at a hospital in Rome where he served the sick. He was ordained a priest, and decided to
found a religious order that would serve those in Rome who suffered from the
plague and other epidemics. Camillus
died in 1614 and was canonized by Pope Benedict 14th in 1746. Camillus’ motto for his order was this: “We
want to assist the sick with the same love that a mother has for her only sick
child.”
In the midst of his weaknesses and
brokenness, Camillus found a way to bring rest to so many of the sick he
encountered. May his prayers and
intercessions help us in our own weaknesses as well.
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