Optional Memorial of Saint John of Capistrano, Priest

Brief Background:

St. John of Capistrano (1386–1456) was an Italian Franciscan priest who was originally a lawyer and governor. After being imprisoned during a political conflict, he experienced a conversion that led him to leave his career and enter the Franciscan Order.

He became a well-known preacher, traveling throughout Europe calling people to repentance, reform, and renewal of their faith. At the age of 70, he helped rally Christian forces during the 1456 Siege of Belgrade against the Ottoman Empire. He died later that same year.

He is the patron saint of military chaplains and jurists (lawyers and judges)

REFLECTION:

Have you ever tried to get a group of people to agree on where to go for lunch? You ask, "Where do you guys want to eat?" Someone says, "Anywhere is fine." Another person says, "I don't care." Everyone seems agreeable. Then you suggest a restaurant. "Oh, not there!" You suggest another place. "No, I don't feel like eating that today." And suddenly, something as simple as going out for lunch becomes a whole discussion!

It's funny, but isn't that how life sometimes works? We all want to get along. We all want peace. We all want unity. But the moment someone has a different opinion, a different personality, or a different way of doing things, unity becomes a little more difficult. Because unity requires effort.

In our first reading today, St. Paul tells the Ephesians to live with humility, gentleness, patience, and love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit. I find it interesting that Paul mentions these particular virtues. Think about it. We need humility when we think we're right. We need patience when someone is getting on our nerves. We need gentleness when we're frustrated. And we need love when someone is difficult to love.

You see, these virtues are not really tested when everything is going well. They're tested when things become difficult. And that's the thing about unity. Unity doesn't mean we all have to agree. It doesn't mean we all have to think alike. Unity means that despite our differences, we are willing to work together because something greater brings us together.

In today's Gospel, Jesus challenges the people because they can recognize the signs of the weather, but they cannot recognize what is happening spiritually around them. He then speaks about settling disagreements before things get worse. And perhaps Jesus is asking us something very simple today.

We are often very good at recognizing what's wrong with other people. We know who needs to change, who needs to apologize, and who needs to do things differently. But how often do we stop and ask, "Maybe I'm the one who needs to change? Maybe I'm the one who needs to take the first step?"

Today we remember St. John of Capistrano, a Franciscan priest who dedicated much of his life to preaching, reform, and calling people back to God. His own life was transformed when he recognized that God was calling him to something greater. His life reminds us that change begins with our willingness to respond to God's call.

My Friends, whether it's in our families, our workplaces, our parish, or our school, we all desire unity. But unity doesn't happen simply because we say we want it. It takes humility to listen, patience to understand, courage to reconcile, and love to keep us together.

So perhaps today, instead of asking God to change the people around us, we might pray: "Lord, help me recognize what I need to change in myself so that I can become an instrument of unity." Because unity is a gift from God, but preserving that unity requires effort from us.