NOVEMBER 13 SAINT FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI, VIRGIN MEMORIAL

[In the Dioceses of the United States]

674A
“Mother Cabrini”
artist and date were not cited.


 
Readings and Commentary: [2]
 
Reading 1: (from the common of Holy Men and Women, 4. For Religious)
Deuteronomy 10:8-9
 
Moses summoned all of Israel and said to them:
"At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi
to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD,
to be in attendance before the LORD and minister to him,
and to give blessings in his name,
as they have done to this day.
For this reason,
Levi has no share in the heritage with his brothers;
the LORD himself is his heritage,
as the LORD, your God, has told him."
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Commentary on Dt 10:8-9

This passage is a part of Moses’ discourse to the tribes, a renewal of the articles of the Covenant under which they are bound, to love and serve the Lord because he is above all that is. In this selection he singles out the tribe of Levi – from which the priests of Israel are derived. They are told that the Levites are set apart because they were not in existence at the time of the Aaronic Apostasy (Exodus 32-34) and need not atone for that sin. It became their role to bear the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy of Holies before the Hebrew people as they sojourned, and later became the priestly caste, serving the temple.

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Responsorial Psalm: (From the Common of Holy Men and Women 7.)
Psalm 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7b-8, 9

R. (1) Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or;
R. Alleluia.

Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Wealth and riches shall be in his house;
his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear
till he looks down upon his foes.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Lavishly he gives to the poor,
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7b-8, 9

In this section of Psalm 112 the virtues of faithfully following God’s commandments are extolled. The one who follows the Lord will be upheld by God “in everlasting remembrance.”

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Gospel: (From the Common of Holy Men and Women, 15. For Teachers)
Mark 9:34-37

Jesus' disciples had been discussing among themselves
who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
"If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all."
Taking a child he placed it in their midst,
and putting his arms around it he said to them,
"Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me."
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Commentary on Mk 9:34b-37

While the disciples clearly understand the Lord is to leave them, they do not yet grasp the nature of his mission as they are arguing about who among them will be greatest once victory is achieved. The Lord sees this in them, and when they don’t respond to his direct question, he gives them the example of servant leadership. He uses the example of a child so they can understand that it is through humility and innocence that God’s servants lead. Jesus tells them directly that their role (and by extension the role of all Christian disciples) is one of service. He probably uses the example of children to represent the “anawim,” the poor in spirit, the most vulnerable of the Christian faithful.

CCC: Mk 9:37 1825
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Reflection:
 
Maria Francesca Cabrini (1850-1917): There seems to be a large number of saints whose physical constitution make it almost impossible for them to pursue vocations to the priesthood or religious life.  Such was the case of “Mother Cabrini.”  She was the youngest and most frail of thirteen children born to farmers Agostino Cabrini and Stella Oldini in the Lombard region of Italy.  Of her brothers and sisters only she and three others survived to adolescence.  Initially, St. Frances wanted to join the Daughters of the Sacred Heart at Arluno, her teachers growing up, but was told she was too frail for the rigors of religious life. She had graduated with a teaching certificate and found that God’s call to some cannot be ignored.  She became headmistress of an orphanage and there drew a group of women to her and formed a small community.  She took religious vows in 1877 and in 1880, with the seven sisters who had taken vows with her, founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (M.S.C.).
 
St. Frances and her sisters established their rule and founded an orphanage and schools for the poor.  Her original intent was to become a missionary to China. However, when speaking of her desire to Pope Leo XIII in 1887, she was encouraged instead to go to the United States to help the Italian immigrants who had come in the thousands and needed spiritual guidance and assistance. She and six of her sisters came to the U.S. in 1889 and faced many hardships. Ultimately, under St. Frances' leadership, 67 schools, orphanages and hospitals were established.  Mother Cabrini died in Chicago (in a hospital founded by her order) in 1917 from complications from malaria which she contracted in one of her numerous trips to Central and South America.
 
We consider the journey of St. Frances.  She was called at a young age and tried to respond in spite of her frailty.  It is such instruments the Lord frequently uses to help us understand the truth of the beatitudes: “Blessed are the meek…”  It is not physical strength that often responds to the mission Jesus left for his disciples, rather spiritual strength.  That strength welling up in St. Frances accomplished amazing things against staggering odds. See our Gospel - "Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me." Think of how many children St. Frances touched, children in orphanages she founded, children in hospitals she served, children in schools were she taught.  If she received Christ in them, how blessed she must be in heaven.
 
We pray for her intercession on her feast day, that she ask the Lord who gave her strength in her weakness, to give us strength to carry out the Lord’s mission as well.
 
Pax

[1] The picture is “Mother Cabrini” artist and date were not cited.

[2] No proper texts for have been promulgated for St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, these selections are made by the author.  The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

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