Nunzio Sulprizio was born in 1817 in Italy. His father died when he was Nunzio was three years old. He was treated poorly by his stepfather and at the blacksmith shop where he worked as a apprentice as a boy. Due to injuries from his ill heath and the abuse he endured, he entered a hospital in Naples. He always relied on his faith to survive. Through his uncle, he met a colonel in the Italian military who became his surrogate father. He aspired to be a missionary. But his ill health and the injuries he endured through ill-treatment caused him to die at the age of 19. He was known for his patience and his great faith. Nunzio was canonized in 2018 by Pope Francis. His canonization miracle involved the healing of a young man who had been injured in a motorcycle accident and who went into a coma which was expected to leave him in a vegetative state. A relic from Blessed Nunzio was placed in this young man’s room. After a week of prayers from his family, the young man woke from his coma.
As we hear about St Nunzio Sulprizio and the challenges he faced on his journey, we hear about the challenges Paul face in his travels in our reading from the Acts of the Apostles. In some villages, Paul is welcomed warmly and he is able to win over many converts for the faith. Yet, in one place as described in today’s reading, Paul is stoned and dragged to the outskirts of the city and left for dead. No matter how Paul is treated and no matter what obstacles and challenges stand in his way, he never gives up in spreading the Gospel throughout the land. He goes from town to town bringing Christ’s message wherever he goes. May these great examples of faith give us inspiration on our own journey and in the challenges we face.
No comments:
Post a Comment