August 1: Saint Alphonsus Liguori / San Alfonso de Ligorio

St. Alphonsus Liguori, whose feastday we celebrate today, was a brilliant, articulate, and pragmatic preacher. He knew how to reach ordinary people who had limited education and very real needs. Because of the gift of his compelling homilies, those very people followed him from church to church and town to town to hear the message of “hope in Christ” for all people.
 Three great images, basic to the Christian faith, formed the heart of St. Alphonsus’ preaching and teaching – Jesus as an infant in the crib, Jesus crucified on the Cross, and Jesus vibrantly alive and filled with love for all people in the Eucharist. To this he added the image of Mary, the Mother of the Redeemer. When other theologians in his day were opposed to devotion to Mary, St. Alphonsus invoked her publicly and with zeal: “Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope.”

Pope St. John Paul II described St. Alphonsus as “a close friend of the people, a missionary who went in search of the most abandoned souls, a founder who wanted a group of fellow priests which would make a radical option in favor of the lowly, a Bishop whose house was open to all, and a writer who focused on what would be of benefit to ordinary people in the pews.” St. Alphonsus, pray for us.

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San Alfonso de Ligorio, a los 17 años, ya era un brillante abogado. Respondió a una inspiración y, obedientemente, decidió hacerse sacerdote para dedicarse a la Evangelización de los pobres. A este propósito fundó a la Congregación del Santísimo Redentor (familiarmente, Redentoristas) para predicar “misiones populares” a los pobres de los pueblos. Él es justamente reconocido y famoso por su equilibrada teología moral, su pasión por la fe, y su estilo humilde de servir.

Oremos. “Oh Dios de amor, San Alfonso fue un buen obispo, pastor, y predicador que hizo todo lo que pudo para dirigir al pueblo hacia ti, especialmente los pobres y sencillos. Danos pastores como él, que, con el ejemplo de su vida y con su trabajo pastoral, sepan mostrar el rostro humano de Cristo y que, por su entrega y amabilidad, puedan atraer a sus fieles, y llevarlos a conocer y amar profundamente a tu Hijo, que vive y reina por los siglos de los siglos. Amen.”