St Alphonsus Liguori was born in the kingdom of Naples in Italy in 1696, about a century after St Ignatius. He is primarily known for being the founder of the Redemptorists, a congregation known for its missionary work and for directing retreats. Liguori is a well-known Catholic spiritual writer and moral theologian, having published 9 editions of his Moral Theology during his lifetime. A major theme in his writings is God’s love. Here is a quote from him about God’s love: “Bear well in mind that you have neither friend, nor brother, nor father, nor mother, nor spouse, nor lover, who loves you more than God.” He served as the Bishop of Sant'Agata dei Goti in Italy. Prior to being ordained to the priesthood, he had a successful career as a lawyer. He died in 1787. Due to his contributions to spiritual writings and moral theology, he was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1871, given the title The Most Zealous Doctor. He is the patron saint of lawyers, confessors, and the city of Naples.
Our Gospel today’s talks about Jesus teaching in the synagogue, with the people being astonished at Jesus’ teachings. God has sent us great teachers after Jesus to give us spiritual insight and to help explain great mysteries of our faith. St Alphonsus Liguori and the other doctors of the Church represent these great teachers. We unite our prayers with the prayers of St Alphonsus Liguori and the entire community of saints today.
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