Lectio et Oratio

Episode 173 -- Life of St. Philip XV.173 -- Assisting Others in Soul and in Body

Could St Philip assist the dying from a distance?

At times. We read tonight about St Philip's awareness that a friend would die. The friend was a doctor. He was barely sick. But St Philip knew that this was what would happen and happen very soon. St Philip promised to assist him. And even though St Philip was far away, he was with him in spirit. But St Philip could also help people by being physically present. He healed the Pope by touching his hand. St Philip knew how to accept what he could not change and what he could.

Last episode we read about St Philip's great zeal for the unity of the Church. During his Mass, St Philip was able to obtain the healing of the Archdeacon of Alexandria who was in Rome to help reconcile his Church with the Holy See. How we should never forget the connection between the Eucharist and the Church. The Eucharist makes the Church. And the Church makes the Eucharist.

Episode 172 -- Life of St. Philip XV.172 -- Eucharist Makes the Church

Did St Philip have a special zeal for reconciling those raised in heresy to the Church?

Yes. We begin Fr Gallonio"s account of the last year of St Philip"s life. In October of that year, Barsum, the Archdeacon of Alexandria, Egypt came to Rome to be reconciled with the Church. Barsum was raised as a Monophysite Christian, that is, those who confess only one nature in Christ Jesus. This heresy partly arose out of a misunderstanding of the council of Chalcedon. During one of St Philip's long Masses, Barsum was restored to health by being able to sleep. Why is it so fitting that someone be helped to reenter the full unity of the Church through the Mass?

Last episode we read about St Philip seeing various spiritual children go to heaven. He saw their souls in the form of light. How we should ask St Philip to be our spiritual father. How he can still guide people to heaven. St Philip is a master for helping people in the world to seek and to find God. May he help guide each of us to that place of light where he is now with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Episode 171 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.171 -- Most Beautiful Thing in the World

Did St Philip ever get assurance that his spiritual children were in heaven?

Yes. We read about various visions that God gave to St Philip of the spirits of his deceased spiritual children. St Philip was allowed to know that those he had helped were in heaven. St Philip even used this knowledge to encourage others who were in spiritual danger.

Last episode we read about St Philip's remarkable encounter with the Blessed Virgin Mary a year before he died. God often gives great graces to encourage us. God also tells us things about Our Lady by that grace given to St Philip. Our Lady has a body in heaven. Our Lady has gone before us. There at the wedding banquet of the Lamb she looks down on those in need. Just as she interceded with her son at the wedding at Cana for those in need, so she continues to do so in heaven.

Episode 170 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.170 -- Loving Mary as the Summit of Creation

Did the Blessed Virgin Mary ever appear to St Philip?

Yes. We read about what people saw who were with St Philip. No one else saw the Blessed Virgin. But they could tell that St Philip was speaking to her and was hugging her. They also knew from the evidence of what happened next. St Philip went from being on the point of death to being perfectly well.

Last episode we read about St Philip's serious illness a year before he died. We heard about the medical men that were there. We read about the first things that St Philip said to Mary when she appeared to him. St Philip did not think himself worthy. St Philip gives us a lesson about the meaning of the Christmas season. God loves us. He sent his Son to us. His love does not respond in the first place to our goodness. God loves us first.

Episode 169 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.169 -- God’s Loving Initiative

What kinds of health difficulties did St Philip endure?

Mainly bad fevers. For many years of his life, St Philip suffered for extended periods of high fevers. One year before he died he spent 25 days in a feverish condition. This was followed by a very serious kidney trouble. St Philip was so weakened that everyone thought he was about to die. But then something happened. Someone came to save him. Never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection or sought your intercession was left unaided...

Last episode we read about St Philip's vision of angels after the death of his young penitent Elena Massimi. Elena showed remarkable spiritual maturity. She was very docile to her confessor and very devoted to the Eucharist and the Passion of Christ. Her path to holiness was the path showed by the Magi themselves. The path to Christ consists in following the graces that God gives us. Little by little, the Lord leads us to himself. But we have to follow his inspirations. We have to follow the "star" that he sends us.

Episode 168 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.168 -- Step by Step to Holiness

Did St Philip have experience directing people who experienced supernatural visions?

Yes. We read about St Philip's young penitent, Elena. She died very young, but rooted her life in the Eucharist and Confession. But she also was given the grace to see saints and angels. St Philip taught her the importance of the love of God.

Episode 167 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.167 -- Getting the Grace to Accept God’s Will

We read about St Philip handing over the governance of the Oratory to Baronius. St Philip was able to make sure that the Congregation was well run by someone else before he died. Baronius did not think he was capable of this task. But God gave him the grace. God always gives the grace to do what he asks us to do.

Episode 166 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.166 -- Combining Humility and Magnaminity

Did St Philip ask to resign from being Provost?

Yes. We read about St Philip's decision to resign as the head of the Oratory. We read about his motivations. We read about the efforts to make him change his mind.

Last episode we read about St Philip and prayer. We read about the way the devil tries to get us to stop praying. But there are also temptations from within ourselves and from outside ourselves that seek to keep us from God. We have to pray to want to pray!

Episode 165 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.165 -- Joy and Peace and Prayer

Did the devil ever try to stop St Philip from praying?

Yes. We read about a little tactic the devil used to keep St Philip from praying. You might call it a dirty trick! We also read about a young wife who was very sick just after giving birth. Her husband persisted in getting St Philip to visit her. This story helps us see that while the devil tries to hinder prayer, other people can help us get closer to God.

Episode 164 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.164. -- Dealing With Scruples

We read about a friend of St Philip with scruples. Scruples are not just doubts or difficulties. Scruples are a spiritual condition that even saints in their early days went through, for example, St Francis de Sales and Bl. Anthony Grassi. Scruples involves seeing evil where there is no evil. A scrupulous person is always afraid that he or she has done something sinful. Scruples will cause a kind of spiritual paralysis. They leave a person without peace. Scruples are a terrible affliction that require, usually, a spiritual father to guide a person through. St Philip was given great graces to help those with scruples. He knew that one of the best remedies is to manifest to others what kinds of thoughts we are having.

Episode 163 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.163 -- Instantaneous Healings of Body and Soul

When St Philip was sick, did he ever ask some of his penitents to wait until he got better to go to confession?

Yes. We read about a forty day fever that St Philip had. During that time, some of his normal penitents went to other confessors. But there was a group of young men that St Philip asked to wait. He asked them not to confess to another priest, but to be patient. Why would St Philip do this? What lesson can we learn from this on the first day of the year?

Episode 162 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.162 -- Preparing for the End

We read about St Philip's awareness that death was imminent for certain people. St Philip wanted people to ponder the mystery of death. We know that Christ took upon himself this consequence of original sin and transformed it into the path to his Father in heaven. Let us thank God for any way in which he has helped me appreciate how close our own deaths are.

Episode 161 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.161 -- All the Old Testament Converges on Christ

Does the Pope himself ever baptize people?

Yes. We read about four young men whose uncle, their guardian, became a Christian. The boys were Jewish, but their uncle asked the Oratorians to help educate them. Their eventual baptism took place in a surprising way.

Episode 160 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.160 -- Family and Following Christ

We read about two young women who were sick. One was a nine year old girl with a strange disease on her nose. The other was a consecrated virgin who died suddenly when she was only 21. St Philip was asked by the nine year old girl's mother to help. He did so. When the sister of the consecrated virgin came to St Philip for confession, he told her to go visit her sister at once. No one knew she was even sick. But St Philip wanted her sister to help her at the end. It is true that God often makes his followers to sacrifice being in regular contact with their families. It is true that St Philip himself left his father and mother and gave up having a family of his own to serve the Lord. On the other hand, God called James and John to his service. They were brothers. Peter and Andrew were also brothers. Elizabeth and Mary, Jesus and John the Baptist were relatives. God sometimes calls close relatives to an even higher friendship. What matters in Christ. Our bond with him is primary!

Episode 159 -- Life of St. Philip XIV.159 -- Death and Nature and Christmas Hope

What should one do if seriously tempted to murder?

Go speak to St Philip! On this anniversary of the death of St Stephen, we will read about someone who was planning to murder another person. The potential murdered was actually a priest. He was so set on his plan that he stopped praying his office and saying Mass. But then he had an encounter with St Philip!

Episode 158 -- Life of St. Philip XIII.158 -- Purity and Preparing for Christmas

We read about a man who was offended, scandalized, by the way St Philip was light hearted. To be scandalized is to be "tripped up" in one's spiritual life. In this case, however, the person should not have been scandalized. He had a very narrow view of what holiness is. He judged St Philip as not being spiritual because he did not conform to his own inexperienced view of the life of grace. St Philip read his soul when he came to confession. He encouraged him to confess all his sins in confession. Come, Holy Spirit, help us be pure in heart to celebrate Christmas!

Episode 157 -- Life of St. Philip XIII.157 -- What is Magnanimity?

We read about St Philip's closeness to Pope Gregory XIV and many leading Cardinals. But we saw how magnanimous St Philip was. He was "great (magna) spirited (anima), great-souled." He wanted to do great things for the Lord. He did not consider the favour or men, even Popes, to be truly great. His heart was set on heaven. His heart was set on loving God and living for his glory. Let us pray for the same grace!

Episode 156 -- Life of St. Philip XIII.156 -- True Mercy at the End of Life

Did St Philip ever ask God to allow someone to die?

Yes. So far we have heard about St Philip praying for people who are sick and their getting better. But in this episode we read of a different scenario. There was a woman who was suffering so much that God inspired St Philip to ask for God's mercy. After he prayed, St Philip later had an inspiration. He went back to the woman. And he asked God to allow her soul to leave her body.

Last episode we read about two different priests who were suffering. We read about St Philip's gift of prophecy and healing. These are charismatic graces that are meant for the common good of the Church and to bring people into a living relationship with God. There are special charismatic graces for helping to persuade people of the faith (word of wisdom, word of knowledge, word of faith). There are special charismatic graces for confirming the proclamation of the Gospel (prophecy, miracles, healing, discernment of spirits). And there are charismatic graces for being able to clearly express the faith (tongues, and interpretation of tongues). St Paul mentions these in 1 Corinthians 12. These gifts of the Spirit help the Church to spread faith in Christ. We need to ask God to give his Church these graces. But what are all these gifts without being a friend of God by charity?

Episode 155 -- Life of St. Philip XIII.155 -- Praying for Charisms and Charity

Do priests all get treated in the same way by the Lord?

No. We read about two sick priests. One of them was very sick. The doctors had given up on him. The other was not very sick at all and the doctors did not even suspect that his illness was fatal. St Philip was going to visit both. But he made a prediction that surprised everyone. He said that the very sick priest would recover and the barely sick priest would die. His prophecy came true. God's ways are not always our ways. God does not promise his priests that they will avoid sudden deaths. No two souls are led to God in exactly the same way.

Last episode we read about another priest, an Oratorian, a very hard working priest. God allowed him to know the date of his death. Such graces are given through prayer to some. But when Fr Gigli was getting close to death the devil tried to trick him. St Philip became aware and not only prayed for him, but offered Mass for him. During that Mass, the assaults of the devil were dramatically overcome. Great graces and demonic attacks can go hand in hand. Whenever he received a special favour in prayer, a special consolation, St Philip began praying for protection. He knew that some cross was just around the corner.

Episode 154 -- Life of St. Philip XIII.154 -- Being Unknown and the Power of Prayer

Are priests who are faithful to their vocation free from attacks from the devil?

No. We read about one of the most faithful of St Philip's original Oratorian priests, Fr Niccolo Gigli. The Lord even let him know the day of his death. But as that day approached, the devil tried various tactics to discourage and dishearten Fr Gigli. St Philip went to pray for him during Mass. While he prayed, loud noises were heard as if boulders were being thrown around. The various Fathers who heard all these things were able to piece together that those sounds were connected with a massive victory over satan in the life of Fr Gigli. We do not know the details of the story. But what we know is this: prayers and the Mass are crucial to our salvation.

Last episode we read about the reaction of the doctors to Manzoli's recovery. We read about Manzoli's own reaction. God willed that Manzoli not die before St Philip. But we know that God therefore allowed Manzoli to witness St Philip's death and to live without him. God knows what is best for each of us. He may take away our loved ones and friends. He may throw us among strangers. Still, in the words of St John Henry, "He knows what he is about."