“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
ST. GERARD:
PATRON SAINT OF?
INTRODUCTION
Today - October 16 - is the feast day of St. Gerard
Majella - a Redemptorist brother from way back in the time of Saint Alphonsus.
For a homily my thoughts and my title would be, “St.
Gerard: Patron Saint of?
Let me give 5 possible patron saint “of-fers” for St.
Gerard.
First of all:he’s
already known as the patron saint of mothers- or those wanting babies.This
is a total surprise - a young celibate Religious Brother - named the Patron
Saint of Mothers.Yet,in Italy especially - but also in Redemptorist Parishes all around the world,
this title became a push - because he was prayed to for a
woman having trouble in child birth and she and the baby survived.
Second of all: he’s the patron saint of those who are
bullied. Peers, fellow workers, a bishop, and several others really bullied
him.One bishop he went to work for had
the reputation of hiring workers who only last 3 days. St. Gerard last three
years.
Third: he’s the patron saint of being
underestimated.He was rejected by the
Capuchins - and then rejected by the Redemptorists - after asking to join them
after they preached a mission in his town. He ran after them. When he caught up
with them he nagged a Redemptorist
priest to give him a try out as a brother and wow did he surprise everyone.
Fourth: he’s the patron saint of those falsely accused
and he kept his mouth shut - till the girl who accused him of messing with this
other girlwrote a letter to St.
Alphonsus saying she lied.
Fifth and last he’s the patron saint of those dying
young. He died at 29.
CONCLUSION
Let me end this short sermon this way: if I was named a
saint after my death, what would I be the Patron Saint of?
