Homily on the Memorial of St John Capistrano, Monday, 29th Week in OT, 23 Oct 2023, PIL Malaybalay
I’m glad to be here among you. Thanks to Msgr Boy for inviting me. It’s always a pleasure to come here to PIL and be part of this on-going liturgical renewal which Fr Ansgar started here in our country, esp. among our clergy. It is almost like going up to Mt Tabor to witness the transfiguration not so much of the Lord but of his disciples and ministers.
We are somehow nearing the end of the liturgical year which reminds us of the possible end of our life and the approaching day of judgment when we will render to the Lord an account of our entire life. In fact nine days from now we will be celebrating all souls day. Death seems to be just around the corner “nagpaparamdam” at “nagpapapansin”. Oh when that dreadful day comes may we not be found guilty of having used our ministry to amass worldly goods only for ourselves instead of making use of them selflessly to bless other people’s lives for God’s greater glory.
Today we celebrate the memorial of St John Capistrano, a Franciscan Friar and Priest, born in Italy on the feastday of St John the Baptist in 1386. After finishing law he was appointed governor of Perugia at 26 years old. However, when war broke out in his land he was put in prison because he chose to become an ambassador of peace, making negotiations between warring Perugia and the Malatestas. By God’s grace, it was during his imprisonment that he began to think more seriously about his soul. And he heard an inner voice calling him to follow Christ along the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi. And so when he was released, he decided to give up the world and soon became a Franciscan Friar. He studied Theology in Florence under St Bernardine of Siena who eventually became his model in pursuing a life of rigorous asceticism.
Five years later after being ordained a priest, he travelled to faraway places, to as far as Northern and Central Europe preaching God’s Word and the need of conversion. Big crowds came to listen to his preaching. And since the largest churches could not hold the great multitude of people, at times he had to preach in public squares, just like what happened in Brescia where more than a 100,000 people gathered to listen to him.
Aside from preaching, St John also spent time writing against the heresies of his time. And with St Bernardine he worked hard to reform the Franciscan Order. His brilliance and pastoral zeal soon reached the authorities that he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Austria.
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453 he was sent by the Pope to preach a Crusade against the invading military forces of the Ottoman Empire. The victorious campaign he led and fought for the Church against the Ottomans earned him the title “the Soldier Priest.” While he survived the fierce battles, he unfortunately fell victim to the bubonic plague which led to his death this day in 1456. He is invoked today as patron saint of military chaplains and jurists.
We thank God today for the gift of St John Capistrano to the Church. This saint showed extraordinary courage in leaving behind a noble career and all its worldly perks in order to serve the Lord and his mystical body the Church in the evangelical spirit of poverty, chastity and obedience. I pray that we too, most especially you, our dear participants in this course for “ordinandi”, may be blessed with that same extraordinary courage and generosity to dedicate our lives totally at the service of the Church. GiGsss!
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