When Martin Luther complained in the early 16th century that moral life in Rome was lax, he was correct. Other reformers who remained within the Church agreed. The main problem was how to overcome the spirit of worldliness that tainted Romans from the popes on down to the tradesmen. Nobody likes to be reformed! What was needed was not just a series of new rules imposed from above, but a new spirit working up from below. God now gave to the Eternal City several saints who served as new yeast. The most outstanding was St. Philip Neri. Despite the fact that the apostles Peter and Paul were revered as founders of Roman Christianity, Philip came to be known as the “Apostle of Rome.” Philip was not a native Romano. He was born in Florence, the son of a notary public. From childhood on, he had a winning way about him that attracted everybody. People even called the lad “Pippo buono” (“good little Phil”) He was slated for a business career: and he would, in fact, have proved a skilled salesman. But at age 18 he underwent a spiritual experience that completely redirected his career.
Converted totally to God, Philip, like many other Spirit-shaken persons in history, decided to become a hermit. But to do so, he went, not to a desert, but to the city of Rome. His “hermitage” was a little room under the eaves. There, nevertheless, he did withdraw as much as possible from social contacts for the next two years. He occupied himself with prayer and with forms of self-denial that were effective without being extreme. When two years were up, Neri suddenly left his little cloister and plunged into the crowds that coursed through the streets of the metropolis. Using his talent for friendliness, he would pick up conversations with those he met, especially promising young men. He won their attention by his cheerful work, his banter, and even by clowning around. Then, when he had won listeners, he would ask, “Well, brothers, when shall we begin to do good?” The program through which he led them, like a pied piper, included group pilgrimages to the catacombs and the “seven churches” of Rome; and ended up in the hospitals, where they volunteered to serve the sick.
About this time, Philip had one of his many mystical experiences. Praying for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, he saw a globe of fire plunge into his mouth and enter his heart. With it came an intense emotionality that evidenced itself afterwards whenever he thought about God. As a matter of fact his physical heart was so enlarged from that moment that his ribs were broken. Thus far, Neri was a layman. In 1551, urged by priests, he became a priest at age 36. Soon he and a few other reform-minded priests joined to form a society he called the “Congregation of the Oratory.” They scheduled regular group-devotions in the large church hall which they called their “oratory.” Crowds of people, from cardinals on down, gathered to give or listen to sermons, read church history and saints’ lives, discuss religious subjects, and pray. Music was also introduced, and the religious cantata called the “oratorio” probably derived its name from Philip’s “Oratory” program. Philip was available to all, and crowds called at his office. (One day an observer saw four cardinals visiting the saint at the same time.) His recommendation to all was frequent confession and daily communion.
Why did Philip Neri attract people as a magnet attracts nails? Partly because of his spontaneous challenges. Sometimes he would bully his pupils or box their ears, as a father might his son’s. Sometimes he would break their self-love by ordering them to do something absurd. But they didn’t mind. They recognized that he made closeness to God a social reality, and they kept coming to his services. By the end of his life, this “holy clown” had begun to alter the whole moral atmosphere of Rome. Philip, you see, firmly believed that “the soul of reform is the reform of the soul;” and he communicated to his followers the optimistic view that they could “begin to do good.” Typical of his homely piety were his axioms “God tries no one too far.” and “He leaves everyone some bone to gnaw.” By his own example he convinced people that serving God should be and could be a joyful experience.
-Father Robert F. McNamara
Scripture(Phil 4:4-9)
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Writings
(Year C)
1. The great thing is to become saints.
2. In order to enter Paradise we must be well justified and well purified.
3. Let the young man look after the flesh, and the old man after avarice, and we shall all be saints together.
4. Where there is no great mortification there is no great sanctity.
5. The sanctity of a man lies in the breadth of three fingers, (the forehead,) that is to say, in mortifying the understanding, which would fain reason upon things.
6. He who really wishes to become a saint must never defend himself, except in a few rare cases, but always acknowledge himself in fault, even when what is alleged against him is untrue.
7. What we know of the virtues of the saints is the least part of them.
8. The relics of the saints ought to be venerated, and we may laudably keep them in our room; but it is not well, unless for some grave occasion, to wear them on our persons, because it will often happen then that they are not treated with all the respect which is becoming.
9. The old patriarchs possessed riches, and had wives and children, but they lived without defiling their affections with these things, although they possessed them, because they only allowed themselves the use of them, and were ready to abandon them in whatever way the Majesty of God might require of them.
10. We ought to pray God importunately to increase in us every day the light and heat of his goodness.
11. It is an old custom with the servants of God always to have some little prayers ready, and to be darting them up to heaven frequently during the day, lifting their minds to God from out of the filth of this world. He who adopts this plan will get great fruit with little pains.
12. Tribulations, if we bear them patiently for the love of God, appear bitter at first, but they grow sweet, when one gets accustomed to the taste.
13. The man who loves God with a true heart, and prizes him above all things, sometimes sheds floods of tears at prayer, and has in abundance of favours and spiritual feelings coming upon him with such vehemence, that he is forced to cry out, “Lord! let me be quiet!”
14. But a man ought not to seek for these sweetnesses and sensible devotions forcibly, for he will be easily deluded by the devil, and will run a risk of injuring his health.
15. When the soul lies resignedly in the hands of God, and is contented with the divine pleasure, it is in good hands, and has the best security that good will happen to it.
16. To be entirely conformed and resigned to the Divine Will, is truly a road in which we cannot get wrong, and is the only road which leads us to taste and enjoy that peace which sensual and earthly men know nothing of.
17. Resignation is all in all to the sick man; he ought to say to God, “Lord, if You want me, here I am, although I have never done any good: do with me what You will.”
18. Never make a noise of any sort in church, except for the greatest necessity.
19. Patience is necessary for the servant of God, and we must not be distressed at trouble, but wait for consolation.
20. When seculars have once chosen their secular state, let them persevere in it, and in the devout exercises which they have begun, and in their works of charity, and they shall have contentment at their death.
21. The vocation to the religious life is one of the great benefits which the Mother of God obtains from her Son for those who are devoted to her.
22. There is nothing more dangerous in the spiritual life, than to wish to rule ourselves after our own way of thinking.
23. Among the things we ought to ask of God, is perseverance in well-doing and in serving the Lord; because, if we only have patience, and persevere in the good life we have begun to lead, we shall acquire a most eminent degree of spirituality.
24. He is perfect in the school of Christ who despises being despised, rejoices in self-contempt, and accounts himself to be very nothingness.
25. The way which God takes with the souls that love him, by allowing them to be tempted and to fall into tribulations, is a true espousal between Himself and them.
26. In temptations of the flesh, a Christian ought to have immediate recourse to God, make the sign of the cross over his heart three times, and say, “Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”
27. As to temptations, some are mastered by flying from them, some by resisting them, and some by despising them.
28. In order to acquire prudence, and to make a good judgment, we must have lived long and been intimate with many people.
29. It is a great perfection in a heart when it is discreet and does not overstep the limits of convenience and what is befitting.
30. We must seek Christ where Christ is not, that is, in crosses and tribulations, in which truly He is not now, but we shall find Him in glory by this road.(Maxims; November)
Musical Selection
God never moves without purpose or plan
When trying His servant and molding a man
Give thanks to the Lord though your testing seems long
In darkness He giveth a song
O Rejoice in the Lord
He makes no mistake
He knoweth the end of each path that I take
For when I am tried
And purified
I shall come forth as gold
I could not see through the shadows ahead
So I looked at the cross of my Savior instead
I bowed to the will of the Master that day
Then peace came and tears fled away
Now I can see testing comes from above
God strengthens His children and purges in love
My Father knows best, and I trust in His care
Through purging more fruit I will bear
O Rejoice in the Lord
He makes no mistake
He knoweth the end of each path that I take
For when I am tried
And purified
I shall come forth
I shall come forth
I shall come forth as gold
Collect
Father, who continually raises up the faithful to the glory of holiness: in your love kindle in us thefire of the Holy Spirit who sofilled the heart of Philip Neri. Grant this through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, now and for ever. Amen.(English Missal)
