January 6

St. Charles of Sezze

1613 - 1670

John Charles Marchioni was born at Sezze, Italy, on October 19, of humble parents. A shepherd as a child; he wanted to become a priest. When unable to do so because of his poor scholarship (He barely learned to read and write), he became a lay Franciscan brother at Naziano. Served in assorted menial positions at friaries near Rome and became known for his holiness, simplicity, and charity. Once a friary superior ordered Charles, as porter, to give food only to traveling friars. While Charles strictly adhered to the new rule, simultaneously the alms to the friars decreased. He

 convinced the superior the two facts were related. When the friars resumed giving goods to all who asked at the door, alms to the friars increased.

He wrote several mystical works, and at the direction of his confessor, his autobiography, The Grandeurs of the Mercies of God. St. Charles wrote, “God does not command us to live in hair shirts and chains, or to chastise our flesh with scourges, but to love Him above all things and our neighbor as ourselves.” Fr. Severino Gori wrote, “The autobiography of Charles stands as a very strong refutation of the opinion, quite common among religious people, that saints are born saints, that they are privileged right from their first appearance on this earth. This is not so. Saints become saints in the usual way, due to the generous fidelity of their correspondence to divine grace. They had to fight just as we do, and more so, against their passions, the world and the devil.”

Charles lived a life of great mortifications, and worked heroically to help the stricken in the plague of 1656. He was sought out for spiritual advice, and the dying Pope Clement IX called Charles to his bedside for a blessing. He was canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1959.

The Desire of God to Save Sinners

1. It is indeed very surprising that man, a worm of the earth, should dare to offecd his Creator and turn his back upon him, by despising his graces after God has favoured and loved him as to lay down his life to save him. But it is still more surprising that God, after having been thus despised by man, should seek after him, invite him to repentance and offer him his pardon, as though God stood in need of us and not we of him. O Jesus! Though seekest me, and I sse after Thee. Thou desirest me, and I desire only Thee.
2. “For Christ,” says the Apostle, “we beseech you, be reconciled to God.” (2 Cor 5:20) “And does God,” exclaims St. John Chrysostom, “call thus upon sinners? And what does he ask of them? To be reconciled, and be in peace with him.” (In 2 Cor hom. II)
   My Redeemer, Jesus Christ, how could Thou have had so much love for me, who have so often offended Thee? I detest all my offences againtst Thee; give me still greater grief, still greater love that I may deplore my sins, not so much on account of the punishments I have deserved by them, as for the injury I have offered to Thee, my God, who aret infinitely good and amiable.
3. “What is man, that Thou should magnify him? Or why dost thou set thy heart upon him?” (Job 7:17) What good, O Lord! Has Thou ever derived from me? And what canst Thou expect from me that Thou lovest me so much, and comest so near to me? Hast Tou then forgotten all theinjuries and treasons which I have committed against Thee? But since Thou hast so much loved me, I a miserable worm, must also love Thee, my Creator and my Redeemer. Yes, I do love Thee, my God; I love Thee with my whole heart, I love Thee more than myself, and because I love Thee I will do everything to please Thee. Help me for the sake of that precisous blod which Thous hast shed for me. Help me aslo, O holy Mary! For the love of thy Son who died for me.

Prayer

Lord God, you kept St. Charles of Sezze faithful to Christ’s pattern of poverty and humility. May his prayers help us to live in fidelity to our calling and bring us to the perfection you have shown us in your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for every and ever.