Giving All for God's Glory!

The Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, a religious and a holy man. As he was being raised, Aloysius' mother instructed him in piety and he had a desire to become a religious. Aloysius eventually joined the Society of Jesus, Jesuits, but what he did before joining speaks volumes. He relinquished his inheritance to his brother so he could devote his time to serving God and people who were sick during the plague. Aloysius also contracted the disease and he died in 1591. Giving up all for the glory of God, for the sake of Christ, and the gospel. Truly an example to be imitated. Jesus says in the gospel for today, Matthew 6:19-23, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven." Our Lord goes on to say, "For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." Even Saint Paul tells his listeners to focus on the things that are above, rather than what is below. Our true home is heaven, while we are just passing through earth. We pray for Saint Aloysius Gonzaga to intercede for us that we may have the grace to give up all for the glory of God and focus on what is eternal. Here is a beautiful prayer that we can use to focus our minds and our hearts: "O Lord, you give all spiritual gifts. You brought together in the young Saint Aloysius Gonzaga the practice of penance and an admirable purity of life. If we have not imitated his innocence, grant us by his prayer and example the grace to imitate his renunciation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen" (Magnificat, 295). God Bless You!!!