But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

Have you ever heard your mother or father say, “You clean up your room, or you won’t be able to sit down for a week?” Or something similar? Did you think they hated you or wanted to maim you for life? Maybe at the time, but now you must realize they loved you and wanted you to grow up and be a happy, responsible person.

Capernaum and the nearby town of Chorazin were like a second home to Jesus. He certainly loved them and wanted the best for them. Saint Peter Julian Eymard was born when the prevailing opinion about humankind was that it was perverse and destined for hell. The heretical teaching of Jansenism was prevalent; this spirituality focused on the gravity of human sinfulness and, as a consequence, stressed our unworthiness in the presence of a transcendent and perfect deity.

But this was when God showed his great love for humankind and inspired Father Peter Julian Eymard near the end of his life, during a retreat, towards the spirituality of Christ-centered love, especially as he experienced that love in the Eucharist. This prompted him to be a tireless promoter of frequent communion. Saint Eymard wrote to a woman, “How happy we become when we discover this interior conversation with our Lord.” Saint Peter Julian Eymard’s lasting legacy was frequent communion and a personal relationship with Jesus. He and other saints, such as Saint Faustina, were inspired by the Holy Spirit to show God’s love and mercy toward all humanity.

Prayer:

God, send me your spirit, your gentle wind, to guide me in my life’s direction. You have known from the beginning what part I play in building your kingdom.