Advent Prayer Service [Homily]
A reflection on the Gospel from Matthew [25:14-25] a Gospel that is very familiar to us. Tonight, I want to look at the servant who received one talent. You just heard what he did with it, he buried it. What are you doing with your talent to proclaim the Kingdom of God?
Let me share the stories of two people to whom God gave one talent. These two people used their talent to proclaim the Kingdom of God. St. Andre Bessette [a.k.a. Brother Andre] & Blessed Solanus Casey.
André Bessette was small and unassuming, yet Brother Andre was great in the Kingdom of God, his ministry to the sick and needy became widely known and many thousands visited him to ask for prayers.
In 1870 he joined the Congregation of the Holy Cross and was assigned the porter of the College …. throughout the years his reputation steadily grew. Visitors – Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and unbelievers – came to him for the healing. When an epidemic broke out at a nearby college, André volunteered to nurse. Not one person died. The number of sick people coming to his door became thousands. He eventually he needed four secretaries to handle the 80,000 letters he received each year.
Blessed Solanus Casey quietly listened to each person who came to him, and he prayed for them. He was a porter/doorman for his religious order because he only had one talent. Blessed Solanus spent his life serving God’s people. As porter he met thousands of people from every age and walk of life and became known as "The Doorkeeper." He would listen to anyone day or night….and encouraged each person who came to him to “thank God ahead of time.” He believed that each person was loved by God and had a part in God’s Kingdom.
These two Doorman lived simply and shared their listening hearts with anyone who came to them. Spend a few minutes in silence and listen to God, find out what God wants you to do to proclaim His Kingdom with your talent or your talents.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. Andre Bessette, intercede for us.
St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.
“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.” [St. Brendan the Navigator]
May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.
*The image is available at the Salesian Shop https://www.salesianshop.com/the-sacred-artwork-of-bro-mickey-mcgrath/
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