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Gospel: Matthew 4: 12, 17, 23-25
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness
have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
His fame spread to all of Syria,
and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases
and racked with pain,
those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,
and he cured them.
And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,
and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Often when we think about the Saints, we honor their courage; their willingness to suffer; or the extraordinary lengths they’ve gone to in order to spread the Gospel.
Think of people Saint Paul, Saint John of the Cross, and Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
Today’s feast, honoring Saint André Bessette, challenges that notion of “greatness” a bit. We might place André in the category of the “little” Saints, those who did nothing extraordinary in the eyes of the world … but are extraordinary in the eyes of the Church.
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André was orphaned at age 12. He grew up in very poor health with almost no formal education.
But by the age of 25, he discovered his purpose: God was calling him to religious life. After initially being rejected, André was admitted into the Society of Holy Cross Priests.
He was never ordained a priest, but became a religious brother, who spent his days as a doorman at Notre Dame College in Montreal. Aside from opening doors and greeting visitors, André prayed for those who were ill.
Miraculously, thousands were healed through his intercession during his lifetime. André credited the healings to Saint Joseph, whom he held a deep devotion to.
And so, after saving up $200 by giving haircuts for 5 cents each (that’s 4,000 haircuts!), André opened a shrine in thanksgiving to Saint Joseph on October 19, 1904. It became so popular that a basilica was later erected in its place, which you can still visit today!
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On January 6, 1937, Brother André died at the age of 91. During the week that his body lay in state, an estimated 1 million people braved the Canadian cold to pay their respects.
His intercession is still sought by many today.
If you or a loved one are in need of healing, ask Saint André to intercede:
Prayer to Saint André for Healing
Saint André,
I come to you in prayer for healing.
(state your intention)
You were no stranger to illness.
Plagued by stomach problems,
you knew suffering on a daily basis,
but you never lost faith in God.
Thousands of people have sought your healing touch
as I do today.
Pray that I might be restored to health
in body, soul and mind.
With St. Joseph as my loving Protector,
strengthen my faith and give me peace
that I might accept God’s will for me
no matter what the outcome.
Amen.
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Image credits: (1) Benefits Canada.com (2) The Catholic Defender, deeper-truth-blog (3) Saint Joseph’s Oratory, YouTube