September 19 2025 - St. Januarius - Why Miracles?

St. Januarius was a bishop of the early church in Benevento, Italy, not too far from where my own maternal grandparents families were from.  Januarius was martyred in Roman Empire’s last major persecution of the Church, that of Emperor Diocletian.  

It is said, that Bishop Januarius was arrested while visiting a fellow Christian who had been imprisoned for his faith and was awaiting execution.

Januarius is a saint beloved by the people of Naples who call him San Gennaro. And due to the large number of Napoletani in New York, a large multi-day festival is held each year. This year is the 99th annual San Gennaro festival in New York.  

There is a very unique relic connected to the feast of Januarius, a vial of the saint’s blood, which has dried up.  However, several times a year, including today, his feast day, the relic is brought out for public veneration, and the crusty, dried up blood liquefies.  This miracle has been occurring for over 600 years and it’s one of the most scientifically studied miracles in the world. Scientists have been unable to explain this miracle.  

Why does God perpetuate this miracle? Perhaps because it reminds the world that He is God of awe and wonder and awesome works and strange ways. The miracles of the saints show us that God is at work in human history. 

Miracles also humble us, reminding us that not all things can be explained by science.  Science is not the great savior of the world. There are limits to human reason, things which we must accept by faith. 

This miracle also reminds us that the blood of the martyrs continues to have power. The blood of Januarius, spilled for Christ, encourages us, and reminds us that God sees and treasures our sufferings for the Church. Their blood inspires us and encourages us to work for the Gospel with the same fervor, to seek to love God with the same love that filled their hearts.

Our efforts for God’s glory are precious in His eyes. Every drop of martyr’s blood, every ounce of suffering for the sake of goodness, for the kingdom has value—our fasting, our penance, our mortification, the mockery we endure for the faith—our venturing out of our comfort zones to help people, like St. Januarius visiting the imprisoned—it means something to God—our sufferings will be remembered for eternity and will be rewarded.

May the sufferings of Januarius and the martyrs continue to speak powerfully to our fallen world. May their blood continue to work the great miracle of the transforming our hardened hearts to love God more fully and to serve him more devotedly for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - -  

That religious indifference in our country and around the world may be transformed to radical commitment to the Gospel of Christ.

For the transformation of all attitudes which lead to war, violence, racial hatred, and religious persecution.

That Christians who are persecuted for their faith may be sustained by God’s love and the encouragement of the Body of Christ.

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.

O God, you 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.

September 19 2023 - St. Januarius - Courage in the Dark Valleys

 There is a very unique relic connected to the feast of Januarius, a vial of the saint’s blood, which has dried up.  However, several times a year, including today, his feast day, the relic is brought out for public veneration, and the blood liquefies.  This miracle has been occurring for over 600 years and it’s one of the most scientifically studied religious phenomenon in the world.  Scientists have been unable to explain this miracle.  

This feast is celebrated with great festivity in Naples where he is called “San Gennaro”. Over a million people will gather in the Little Italy section of New York City today for festivities. This year is the 97th annual San Gennaro festival in New York.  Italians in San Francisco have also begun to hold annual festivals for San Gennaro. 

Januarius was a bishop of the early church in Benevento, Italy, the home town of Bishop Pilla’s family, and not too far from where my own grandparents families were from.  Januarius was martyred in the last major persecution by the Roman Empire, that of Emperor Diocletian.  

It is said, the Bishop was arrested while visiting a fellow Christian who had been imprisoned for his faith and was awaiting execution. Can you imagine? This holy bishop, walking into a prison, to comfort and encourage a fellow Christian was would be killed for the faith!

Christians cannot live in fear of the worldly powers that can end our earthly lives. We cannot allow fear to silence our preaching of the Gospel, standing for truth amidst the errors of the world. It is not the logic of our argumentation that will win most souls, but the courage the animates us in standing against the powers of darkness. 

There are dimensions of each of our lives where we are tempted to recoil in fear—fear of speaking truth, fear of sharing faith, fear of reaching out in love. The first step of growing in courage is admitting your fears, admitting them to yourself and to God. And once you’ve admitted your fears, you can begin to stand against them, and to allow the Lord to lead you through those dark valleys. 

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for you are at my side.”

May the holy martyrs encourage us in our share of the mission of the Gospel, emboldening us to seek out souls lost in the darkness, in facing the darkness in our own souls, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

- - - -  

That Pope Francis and all Bishops and Clergy may humbly and faithfully pass on the Gospel of Christ in all its fullness. 

That young people may be kept safe from the poisonous attitudes of the world and that they and their families may be kept in close friendship with the Lord Jesus and his Church.

For the conversion of hardened sinners, those who have fallen away from the Church, and for an increase in virtue for all peoples.

 

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster and inclement weather, those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, the imprisoned, the unchaste, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families. 

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.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

September 19, 2017 - St. Januarius - Miracle of the blood

Saint Januarius or San Gennaro is the patron saint of Naples, Italy, and he died in the last great persecution by the Roman Empire, that of Emperor Diocletian. Little is known about his life other than in the year AD 305, he and his companions were beheaded for refusing to worship pagan idols. 
Connected with this feast is the miracle of the liquefaction of the martyrs’ blood, which is kept in a reliquary in Naples.  Four times a year—the first Saturday of May, today September 19 and some day during the octave of his feast, and sometimes on December 16—his blood which is kept in a large reliquary is brought out for the Church to venerate. 

This feast is celebrated with great festivity in Naples and many towns in southern Italy.  Over a million people will gather in the Little Italy section of New York today for festivities as well.  Both Pope Benedict and Pope Francis have made pilgrimage to Naples to witness this miracle.  You can even watch youtube videos of the miracle occurring.

This miracle has been going on for centuries and is one of the most scientifically studied religious phenomenon in the world.  Scientists have been unable to come up with an explanation. 
Why does God perpetuate this miracle? For one, it reminds the world that He is God of awe and wonder, and awesome works, and strange ways. The miracles of the saints show us that God is at work in human history. Just as the healing miracles of Jesus, as we heard in the Gospel, show us that God is at work, God can bring healing to desperate situations.

I think the miracle of the liquification of the blood also shows our modern world that not everything can be explained with science.  Science is not the great savior of the world. There are limits to human reason, things which we must accept by faith.

This miracle also reminds us that the blood of the martyrs continues to have power. The blood of Januarius, spilled for Christ, encourages us, and reminds us that God sees and treasures our sufferings for the Church.

Is every petition we make to God answered exactly as we wish? Is every request for a miracle granted? Perhaps not. But every drop of martyrs blood, every ounce of suffering for the sake of the kingdom has value in God’s eyes and power—our fasting, our penance, our mortification, the mockery we endure for the faith.

May the sufferings of Januarius and the martyrs continue to speak powerfully to our fallen world, and work the great miracle of the transformation of our hardened hearts for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
- - - - - - - - -

That religious indifference in our country and around the world may be transformed to radical commitment to the Gospel of Christ.

For the transformation of all attitudes which lead to war, violence, racial hatred, and religious persecution.

For deeper devotion to Immaculate Mary, for the conversion of Atheists, hardened sinners, lapsed Catholics, and the conversion of all hearts.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September: “That our parishes, animated by a missionary spirit, may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.”

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.

O God, you 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.