4 August 2020
Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest
The prophet Jeremiah in today’s reading reveals that God desires to heal the brokenness of his people and that no sin is too great that God does not burn with Love to be reconciled with a lost sheep. Today’s memorial of St. John Vianney offers us a more contemporary model for God’s prophecy through Jeremiah. John Vianney was well known for his heroic obedience. A few times in his life he desired to run away from his parish and live a monastic life, and yet what kept him in his parish duties was his fidelity to his bishop who asked him to remain. John Vianney was being faithful to his bishop’s charge to him when he was first missioned to his parish in Ars: “There is not much love for God in that parish, you will bring some into it.” His charge was simple, but it was not easy. Ars was like a wet log that John was trying to light on fire for God. However, the radiance of his own life and his personal love for the Lord – combined with his tireless work for and love of the people there – soon made the love of God begin to kindle in their hearts, their parish, and then their city. John dedicated his life to the parish at Ars and to inspiring people by his words and deeds to reconcile to God and to love God as John did. The bishop’s simple charge to John, and John’s example in response, stills rings out to us today. Reflect on the places you inhabit – work, parish, family, etc. Where and how might the Lord be inviting you to be his ambassador of love within one or all of those places? Like St John Vianney, let us not be daunted by the smallness of the location, or the challenge of the task, but rather let us pray that our love for the Lord might increase so that we might radiate it to others not daunted by their coolness, but confident in God’s mercy and love of us and them.