My brothers and sisters in Christ, today's readings and the life of St. Bruno give us three essential guideposts for our journey of fait...
My brothers and sisters in Christ, today's readings and the life of St. Bruno give us three essential guideposts for our journey of faith, all starting with the letter 'S': Surrender, Service, and Solitude.
In the First Reading, we meet Jonah, who tried to flee from God's command. He boarded a ship, running away from his mission to Nineveh, only to be tossed into a violent storm. It wasn't until he surrendered his will—telling the sailors to throw him overboard—that the storm abated, and he was saved by the great fish. The message is clear: when we run from God's call, we create our own storms. Peace only comes with surrender to His divine will.
The Gospel gives us the perfect example of surrender in action: the Good Samaritan. The priest and the Levite passed by the wounded man, but the Samaritan stopped. He didn't ask "Who is my neighbor?" first; he simply practiced service, extending mercy and compassion without hesitation or calculation. True surrender to God always leads to radical service to others, especially the one in need before us.
Finally, we look to St. Bruno, the founder of the Carthusians, a priest who was not running from God, but running to Him through solitude. His life was one of intense prayer and withdrawal. This reminds us that a life of service and surrender must be continually nourished. The Good Samaritan's compassion and Jonah's eventual obedience come from a heart connected to God—a connection we forge best in moments of quiet solitude and reflection.
So, let us strive to be like the Samaritan and St. Bruno: surrender to God's plan, which then compels us to service our neighbor, and sustain both through moments of solitude and prayer. Amen.
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