Sep 16 - "Bl." Thomas of Foligno - Franciscan Saint of the Day

[Music] september 16th blessed thomas of fulinho confessor third order thomas was a tertiary hermit in the diocese of nocara italy he lived for 24 years with blessed peter of gualdo another holy hermit of the third order of saint francis and when this hermit died in his arms he began to lead a still more rigorous life he chose a very narrow cell for himself the door of which was walled up there was a small window in it through which devout persons brought him food on sundays and thursdays the remaining days of the week he ate nothing at all he lived in close union with god the devil quite naturally annoyed him with severe temptations but thomas manfully overcame them all it was the earnest wish of blessed thomas to spend the remaining days of his life in his cell and to die in it but god had other plans in mind for him someone registered a complaint with the bishop that thomas was an odd character and had no regard for the precepts of the church or for obedience to the spiritual authorities the bishop therefore sent for him at once the servant of god left his enclosure and went to his spiritual superior when the bishop recounted the complaints that had been lodged with him thomas cast himself upon his knees but said nothing not until the bishop urged him to speak did he state that he had the permission of the pastor of the place who also administered the sacraments to him the pastor was summoned confirmed the statements of the servant of god and highly praised the sanctity of thomas the bishop then dismissed him with his good wishes and his blessing but when thomas again came to the entrance of his enclosure an angel appeared to him it is believed that it was really our lord in the form of an angel and charged him to go to umbria the march of ancona in tuscany the people there had rebelled against the authority of the pope and no longer observed the precepts of the church thomas was to preach to them and exhort them to practice obedience to spiritual authority such as he had just practiced so admirable admirably at first thomas hesitated feeling that he was unfit for this task but he began timidly to exhort the people and our lord himself placed the words upon his tongue many persons ridiculed and mocked him but he gradually took courage and warned them of the judgments to come urging them to do penance a reform soon set in among the people they heeded his admonitions god confirmed his words by miracles and many thousands returned to the allegiance they owed the church thomas then returned to his hermitage at fellinio and died there on september 15 1377. his feast is annually celebrated in the church of saint augustine at fellini where his body has been laid to rest although the title of blessed is given to him in popular devotion this cult has not been officially approved by the holy see on obedience to spiritual authority consider the importance of obedience to spiritual superiors as blessed thomas so zealously preached it and so punctually observed it in his own life when our spiritual superiors give a command it is as if god himself gave that command christ says of spiritual superiors as the father has sent me i also send you john 20 21 and he who hears you hears me and he who despises you despises me luke 10 16 he who is obedient to spiritual superiors follows the path that leads to god he who lets himself be turned from this path permits himself to be deceived by the devil as our first parents did in paradise that is why persons who have done extraordinary things in life have always been tried in their devotional practices by the test of obedience toward their spiritual superiors and that test determined by what spirit they were being led would your practices stand the same test consider why it is necessary in christian life to be guided by obedience as a result of original sin the mind and heart of man are inclined towards evil inordinate inclinations assert themselves and a person readily becomes their slave unless a higher guide directs him and frees him from his slavery to shield us from that danger and show us the way to the freedom of the children of god holy mother church makes use of the saving force of her authority which after all makes us truly free who shall say it is a disgrace to subject oneself to such restraint consider that the church has precepts that affect all catholics for instance those which bind us to observe the holy days of obligation to attend holy mass with devotion on sundays and holy days to observe the days of fast and abstinence and at least once a year to go to confession and receive holy communion again there are special precepts laid down for certain vocations such as the religious state moreover amid unusual circumstances and dangers she may prescribe special regulations over and above this the church places a shepherd in charge of each parish whose duty it is to protect his flock from spiritual harm resolve always to obey your spiritual superior so that you may not exclude yourself from the flock of christ for our lord says if he will not hear the church let him be to you as the heathen and matthew 18 17. prayer of the church oh god who has to united the several nations of the gentiles in the confession of thy name give us both the will and the power to obey what thou commandest that thy people called to eternity may have one faith in their minds and show one devotion in their actions through christ our lord amen blessed thomas of bellino [Music] so [Music] you

Channel: franciscanfriars

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Keywords: anchorite, hermit, Obedience, recluse, spiritual authority, Thomas of Foligno, Fr. Ignatius Manfredonia, Franciscan St of the Day, Franciscans of the Immaculate, Christianity (Religion), Catholic, Spirituality, Faith, God, Jesus Christ

Id: rSl_h5gNrxU

Length: 8min 47sec (527 seconds)

Published: Thu Sep 16 2021