St. Camillus whom we honor today had what we would call a “troubled childhood”. He got into fights with neighborhood boys, he skipped school, he learned, but wouldn’t say his prayers, he was so quick to unleash his violent temper that his mother was actually afraid of him. At the age of 12, his mother died, and he was left to fend for himself.
Tall for his age, at the age thirteen he began to accompany his father, a mercenary soldier, from one military camp to another. And at 16, St. Camillus, joined his father in the Venetian army and fought in a war against the Turks.
Among the soldiers, Camillus picked up a lot of the vices of the military camp—swearing, drinking, visiting prostitutes. He and his father, Giovanni, even teamed up as a father and son con artists, swindling their fellow soldiers. They went from war to war when Camillus’ father fell seriously ill. Giovanni sent his son to fetch a priest, and after Giovanni made a good confession, repenting from all his sins and crimes, he received Holy Communion for the last time and died.
After the death of his father, Camillus was discharged from military service, due to his violent habits and found himself destitute. He picked up odd jobs here and there until a wealthy gentleman gave him a job doing menial construction work in the Italian village of Manfredonia. They were employed to construct a new Franciscan monastery, and while working Camillus began to acquire two virtues he had never tried to cultivate before: self-discipline and responsibility. His faith was kindled when one of the Friars at the monastery began to share the faith with him.
When his construction job was done he set out for Rome to work at the famous Hospital of San Giacomo where he fell in love with caring for the sick.
There too, he put himself under the spiritual direction of St. Philip Neri who encouraged Camillus to study for the priesthood. So at the age of 32, Camillus entered seminary. After his ordination he founded a religious order called the “Servants of the Sick” who were devoted for caring for the destitute sick.
What a beautiful conversion. God’s grace has the power to convert even the most hardened sinners. And look how God worked through the generosity of an employer, the simple faith sharing of a humble Friar, and the counsel of a holy spiritual director.
St. Camillus is a saint because Catholics saw beyond the violent, philandering con man, and showed him dignity by providing an opportunities for Camillus to practice virtue.
At many points in his life, it seemed unlikely that Camillus would come to such great holiness. So we must be patient with the people in our lives who are struggling to find the right path, and become God’s instruments to help them come to grace.
God is at work in the life of every human soul. As corrupt or lost they may seem, God is at work to bring about what we might deem as the most unlikely of converts. And instead of having knee-jerk reactions, turning away from people who aren’t living righteous lives by our standards, we do well to consider what we might do to help them, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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That the Holy Spirit may animate the lives of all Christians, deepening in them conviction for the conversion of sinners.
That our young people on summer vacation may be kept safe from the poisonous errors of our culture, and that their families may be places where the faith is practiced and cherished.
That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.
O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.
[EF Readings]
A reading from the first Epistle of St. John
Dearly beloved, Do not be amazed, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.
A continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. John
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples, This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends,* because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
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