Saint of the Week - July 14th

Saint of the Week

San Francisco Solano (feast day, July 14th)

is a Spanish-born Franciscan saint with a gift for preaching and a desire for deep contemplation. The strength he drew from his contemplative prayer is clear. God called him in so many ways beyond the wisdom and focus he gathered in his quiet time with God. He was a spiritual companion during a time of plague, a gifted preacher, a converter of souls of African slaves (on a ship no less!), and a courageous voice is the face of the Christian colonist’s corruption. He encouraged the colonists back to their baptismal call – to become disciples. He was known as a most joyful example of faith, but was also very committed to activities and rituals or prayer and reconciliation that focused his heart back on his purpose – spreading the Gospel.

Still today, in Humahuaca, Argentina, every day at precisely 12 noon heavy doors on the city hall belltower open and a life-sized animated wooden, dramatic-looking statue of San Francisco Solano appears for about two minutes and gives his blessing to the silent crowd amassed on the village plaza.

We are not all called to travel the world and bring the Gospel to indigenous people. That said, in our post-Christian world, many of the people around us on a daily basis have not heard or seen the Good News of Jesus in action. We don’t have to go very far to have an opportunity, like San Francisco Solano, to live a life that makes people stop and ask, “Why are you so joyful? Why do you have peace in this chaotic world?” Will your answer be Jesus?