The Weak Things of the World

When looking at ourselves, it's usually our weaknesses and faults that dominate our self-assesment; these often become the excuse for our unwillingness to step out of our boxes and "go forth to make a difference."  If great founders such as Mother Cabrini or St. Marcellin had let their "poor me" attitude, paralize them,  the world would be much poorer, and, for one thing, you would not be nourishing your soul on Bro. Rene's Daily Bread.
 We honor St. Frances Xavier Cabrini today, the first American citizen to be canonized.  I well remember the excitement among Catholics in 1946 when her sainthood was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII.  Looking at her origins, this shouldn't have happened.  When as a young girl she tried to enter the convent, she was refused due to poor health.  She returned home to work on the family farm with her brothers and sisters, and later taught catechism in an all girls school so successfully that her Bishop asked her to found her own congregation, which became known as the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. She had founded several schools in Italy before Pope Leo commissioned her to come to the United States to minister to Italian Immigrants, which she did for the next 28 years.  So much for her poor health!  She was gifted with the grace of bi-location, being present in two cities at once on several occasions.  She founded hospitals, schools and orphanages from New York to Seattle, as well as schools  in Agentina, Brazil and Nicaragua  Her legacy continues to this day.
She, like St. Marcellin, reminds us of the oft-quoted verse from St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians:  "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." (1 Cor 2:7). Such being the case, none us has an excuse behind which to hide.  Mother Cabrini, St. Marcellin, help us to place our foolishness and our weakness in God's hands so that he can use us to help others enter the Reign of God.  Amen.