Readings
I - Deu. 6: 4-13
II - Mt. 17: 14-20
ST. JANE FRANCES DE CHANTAL
Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, the founder of the Congregation of the Visitation of Our Lady. Jane was born in Dijon, France, in 1572. When she was married into a royal family. They had six children, two of whom died at a young age. Jane was welcomed the poor who came to the castle door looking for food. Jane lost her husband in a hunting accident. She was heartbroken and could not forgive the man who had caused the accident. She turned away from all the persons and things she loved. Even prayer did not help her to overcome her sadness. The effective sermon of Bishop, St. Francis de Sales on God’s love opened her heart again and she forgave the man who was the cause of her husband’s death. Jane persuaded Bishop Francis de Sales to be her Spiritual Guide. Bishop de Sales told Jane about his dream to establish an order of religious sisters who would live and work among the people they served. His dream became Jane’s dream and she founded the Congregation of the Visitation of Our Lady. St. Jane Frances de Chantal is invoked as the patron of widows and parents who are separated from their children.
In today’s Gospel passage Jesus speaks about the power of faith that can make even the impossible, a possible one. It was the faith of the saint of the day that made her to forgive that was impossible to her, it was faith that made her commit herself in realising the dream of St. Francis de Sales. If as Jesus says have a little of faith we too can becomes great in the sight of God.
