The Feast of St. Vincent Strambi, Passionist
Scripture:
Proverbs 30:5-9
Luke 9:1-6
Reflection:
"And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere."
Luke 9:2,6
Today is the feast of St Vincent Strambi CP. He was a companion of Paul of the Cross and one of the greatest missionaries of our congregation. He read the beautiful love story of the Passion according to John to the dying Paul of the Cross. He did this to envelop Paul with the overwhelming love of Christ. We read that Paul hearing the Passion "had a glow of heavenly radiance upon his dying face". "They looked {naw-bat’} unto him, and were radiant." Ps 34:5 The seriousness of the suffering and death of Christ is the greatest sign of God’s love. Thus, it is the greatest cause of joy! All who are dedicated to the suffering Christ, like Vincent Strambi, have a special charism of joy.
Despite the many sobering and fearful statements in the New Testament, the overriding mood is one of joyful news and healing. Gospel or jubilant news becomes an essential word to describe the message of Jesus. Hollywood loves to protray religious people as either hypocrites or morose. They think the ideals are too high so that it is impossible to live up to them, so people must be acting or wearing a mask. This is what the Scripture calls hypocrisy. They think they must be sad or morose because the followers of Christ often reject the only things that secular people think make you happy.
There is an astonishing number of different words for joy in New Testament. At the Annunciation Mary dances with joy {ag-al-lee-ah’-o} in God her Saviour. The unborn John the Baptist leaps for joy in the presence of the unborn Jesus: "the babe leaped {skeer-tah’o} in my womb for joy." Luke 1:44 The angels tell the shepherds: "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy {khar-ah’}!" This word for joy or {hkarah} appears some 59 times in Scripture. When the Magi "saw the star, they rejoiced {khah’-ee-ro} with exceeding great joy." Mt 2:10 This word khaheero appears 74 times in SS. In the story of the prodigal son the father says: "It was right that we should make merry {yoo-frah’-ee-no}, and be glad: for this your brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." Lk 15:32 Yoofraheeno (make glad) is used 13 times in New Testament. Joy is but a reflection of Our Father’s life in Heaven.
The Gospel comes to its culmination in the presence of the Risen Christ. The first words of Risen Jesus in Mt Gospel: Rejoice! {khah’-ee-ro} And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Mt 28:7 In Your presence is fullness of joy; Ps 16:11
Fr. Bob Weiss, CP, is an Itinerant Preacher who resides at St. Paul of the Cross Residence in Detroit, Michigan.