The Longest Day

The northern hemisphere will enjoy 15 hours and 18 minutes of daylight today, the longest day, and the first official day of summer.  And at this writing it is truly and bright and beautiful day.  Jesus comments that "the lamp of the body is the eye.  If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light." (Mt 6:22).  A sound eye, in addition to being a healthy eye, is one that sees goodness and beauty everywhere, even in the shadows which haunt the human condition.  This is also the Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, the young Jesuit priest of the early 17th century, whose innocence of life is acclaimed by the Church and held up to us as an approach to life to be emulated.  St. Alysius died the age of 23 from the plague, which he contracted while caring for its victims, fearlessly and innocently putting himself in harms way.  His eyes filled his body with the light even of the suffering.  One wonders if such an innocent approach to life is possible today.  No need to wonder. It is.
Last night I attended the weekly gathering of a group about 20 young adults called "The Pure in Heart" at St. Clement's Church in Boston where we participated in Mass, prayed the rosary, spent time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, listened to an inspiring talk on St. Anthony of (Lisbon) and Padua, and took part in group discussions based on the talk.  Some were going through some very hard times, others seemed as innocent as St. Aloysius, but all were striving for the eyes to behold the light within and around them.  It was a very uplifting and encouraging experience to be with young adults who love being Catholic and are trying their best to live their faith, thus being light for the world.  The Longest Day will pass in 24 hours and days will begin to get shorter, but the eyes and hearts of these young men and women will extend the light of Christ into a prolonged Longest Day of faith and vitality for the Church.
Bro. Rene