Tuesday Time-Out - Saint of the Week

Following Jesus

Blessed Thomas of Florence | Florence, Italy | 1370-1446

A “Blessed” is a person who has beatified (the church has proved a heroic level of virtue from this person and there is a miracle attributed to their prayers) and whom the church says we should learn about and start to remember. They are not fully canonized Saints yet.

Blessed Thomas of Florence lived a wild start to his life and was unjustly accused of a serious crime and could find no one who would listen to his innocence – until he met a stranger who was a priest. The priest gave him shelter and eventually cleared his name.

Thomas eventually became a Franciscan Friar who shared the Gospel with his life. He preached against heresy and brought the Gospel to Asia. He founded several communities and inspired many young men to join the religious life. All because of an act of mercy.

Christian Virtue or Action to Practice: Mercy

Mercy is not the end. Mercy is the beginning. God’s unlimited mercy is available to all who seek it. However, mercy is not there to enable us to stay where we are. Mercy is there to keep us from letting our sin and shame hold us back. We are all called to be like Jesus and not one of us is can say that we don’t have room for growth. When we accept God’s mercy, we must be willing to change like Blessed Thomas of Florence. We must seek to become more like Jesus. When it comes to your relationship s, when you resolve an issue or a conflict, do you go forward resolved to change and grow? Mercy and forgiveness open the door for growth in life.

Question of the Week, Discovering Jesus

When was the last time you genuinely apologized for something?

When was the last time you made eye contact and apologized for a bad mood or a lack of attention? We all learn better by example than by admonishment and your apologies are a witness to Christ’s mercy.

Action Item, Sharing Jesus

#mercy@mealtime

Go order a pizza. No, really, I mean it, go order a pizza. Sometimes we just need a break. We don’t need to go out, we don’t need someone to bring them a meal, we just need a break. Order a pizza, have breakfast foods for dinner, pop a bag of popcorn and toss some grapes and cheese on the table. It’s okay. One day this week make the effort to put aside the menu, the extra stop at the grocery store, or the temptation to drive through the golden arches of an unnamed fast-food restaurant – order a pizza and remind yourself that you’re okay if every meal isn’t gourmet. Forgive yourself. What more important is that you sits down for a short time, together.