Friday thinking

Of course, today we honor St. Joseph of Cupertino. He was exceptional from a young age, and Our Lady had already taken him under her care. I am going to give a shortened version of his life, since I want to talk about another thing.

SAINT JOSEPH of CUPERTINO
Franciscan Priest
(1603-1663)

Joseph Desa was born in the little city of Cupertino, near the Gulf of Tarento, in 1600. It is said in the acts of the process of his canonization that at the age of five he already showed such signs of sanctity that if he had been an adult, he would have been venerated as a perfect man. Already in his youth he was ravished in ecstasies which literally tore him away from the earth; it has been calculated that perhaps half of his life for some sixty years was spent literally above the ground. But much remains to be said of Saint Joseph, apart from his visible divine favors.

He almost died at the age of seven from an interior abscess, which only his prayer to Our Lady cured. He learned to be a shoemaker to earn his living, but was often absent in spirit from his work. He treated his flesh with singular rigor.

Saint Joseph proved himself many times to be perfectly obedient. His humility was heroic, and his mortification most exceptional. His words bore fruit and wakened the indifferent, warned against vice and in general were seen to come from a man who was very kind and very virtuous. He was finally granted the habit. He was ordained in 1628. During his life, he was blessed with heavenly wisdom, prophecy, the reading of hearts, the grace of healing, among other gifts.

Toward the end of his life all divine consolations were denied the Saint, including his ecstasies. He fell victim to an aridity which was unceasing, and he could find no savor in any holy reading. Then the infernal spirits inspired terrible visions and dreams. He shed tears amid this darkness and prayed his Saviour to help him, but received no answer. When the General of the Order heard of this, he called him to Rome, and there he recovered from the fearful trial, and all his joy returned. Remember, satan cannot make a humble man, or make a man humble.

He still had combats with the enemy of God to bear just the same, when the demons took human form to attempt to injure him physically. Other afflictions were not spared him, but his soul overcame all barriers between himself and God. He died on September 18, 1663, at the age of 63, in the Franciscan convent of Osino. He had celebrated Holy Mass up to and including the day before his death, just as he had foretold he would do.



Now, on to what I have been thinking of, and usually do on Fridays. It concerns the Passion of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

When I think about this horrible yet glorious day, I try to place myself within the crowd somehow. What would I have been doing at various times during this ordeal? When I think about Him in the garden, and getting laden down with all of the sins of the world, from the beginning of time til the end, many of them mine, it's no wonder that it is hard for Him to move. It must have felt like a leaden suit, somehow.

When He is receiving His Crown of Thorns, am I one of those beaten the the thorns into His Head? When He is scourged, am I just a spectator, or am I one of those doing the deed? (Keep in mind this: Mary of Agreda, who wrote 'The City of God' in the 1600's, stated that Our Lady told her that Jesus received 5115 wounds just from the scourging.) Is any of this getting to me in any way? When He is carrying the Cross, up the hill to Calvary, am I one of those continually goading Him on, or am I in the crowd spitting on Him? Or, am I one of those weeping?

When He is nailed to the beam of the Cross, am I doing the pounding of the nails into His Sacred Flesh, of am I just nonchalantly watching the spectacle? When He finally dies, am I glad, or have I suddenly become sad? Do I thrust the spear into His side just because I was told to, or is it done reluctantly? Do I finally realize that maybe something was wrong about this whole thing?

In the following days, weeks, and years, will I be in the number of those torturing the Nazareans, or have I joined them? Will I lose my soul forever, or will I wake up, confess my sins, join the believers, and finally be on the road to potential eternal happiness?

WHAT WOULD I HAVE BEEN DOING DURING THIS DAY?

We have been given the opportunity to do the right thing with the promise of eternity with Jesus and His Mother, Mary, Joseph, and all the saints. Now, what will be do with it?

Remember, we have NOT been saved yet (since we're still breathing); but, we have been redeemed. Big difference!