Brief Background:

St. Charles Borromeo (1538–1584), Bishop of Milan, was a leading figure in the Catholic Counter-Reformation following the Council of Trent. He dedicated his life to reforming the Church, improving the formation of priests, strengthening religious education, and caring for the sick, especially during the plague in Milan.

He is the patron saint of: Seminarians and those preparing for the priesthood, bishops, catechists and catechetical instruction, spiritual directors, Church reformers, and those suffering from stomach and intestinal disorders

REFLECTION:

I know I've shared this story before, but when I first told my mother that I wanted to become a priest, her response wasn't, "Oh, that's wonderful! I'm so proud of you!" No! Her response was, "Then learn to wake up in the morning!" And she had a point! Because apparently, before I could learn how to celebrate Mass, preach, or lead a parish, I first needed to learn how to get myself out of bed!

But you know, whenever people ask me about my nine years in seminary, and what was the best thing about that experience, my answer has always been the same: "You learn a lot about yourself." You discover your strengths, but you also discover your weaknesses. You learn what you're good at, but more importantly, you begin to recognize the things about yourself that need to change.

And that's really what formation is about. It's not simply about gaining knowledge. It's about allowing ourselves to be transformed.

Today, we celebrate St. Charles Borromeo, who understood the importance of formation, especially in the priesthood. He helped establish seminaries because he knew that if priests were going to lead and form others, they themselves needed to be properly formed. But this isn't just about priests.

Think about it. In our families, parents are the first ones to form their children. They teach them respect, responsibility, discipline, and faith. In our schools, teachers don't simply teach math, science, or history. They help form young people into responsible and compassionate individuals. And in the Church, through catechesis, we continue to form adults in their understanding and practice of the faith. But here's the thing. Formation doesn't end when we graduate, receive Confirmation, or even get ordained.

In today's first reading, St. Paul tells us, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For God is the one who works in you." In other words, God is constantly working within us, shaping us and helping us grow. But we must be willing to cooperate with him. And notice what Paul says next: "Do everything without grumbling or questioning."

Isn't that interesting? Because sometimes the hardest part of formation isn't learning something new. It's being corrected, being challenged, or being told that something about us needs to change.

We don't always like that!

Yet, that's often where real growth begins. And Paul tells us why all of this matters: so that we may "shine like lights in the world."

My Friends, we spend so much of our lives trying to form others—our children, our students, our parishioners, and those entrusted to our care. But perhaps today, through the example of St. Charles Borromeo, we should ask ourselves: Am I still willing to be formed? Am I still willing to learn, to be corrected, and to change? Because formation is not simply about how much we know. It's about how much we have allowed God to transform us.

And maybe my mother was teaching me something more profound than simply waking up in the morning. Before we can help others grow, we must first be willing to grow ourselves.