Thursday 4 August

St John Vianney

Numbers 20:1-13, Ps. 95, Matthew 16:13-23

Harden not your hearts

St John Vianney 1786-1859, was a young man who found study difficult. He was eventually accepted for ordination and when ordained a priest he was sent to the parish of Ars which he transformed by his preaching and his extraordinary compassion as a confessor. People came to him from all over the world seeking his help spiritually. St John Vianney did not allow his personal difficulties to prevent him from becoming who he was destined to become. He was a man of prayer whose heart was open to his God.

“Come let us kneel before the God who made us, for he is our God and we the people who belong to his pasture.”