Saints and Sense Of Humour

I spent the last few days in Vegas on vacation so I’ve been catching up with my blog reading and found that, a couple of days ago, Joe Heschmeyer from Shameless Popery wrote a great post entitled Preparing Ourselves as Tabernacles For The Lord. This is a subject related to my post below. I began writing this entry about a month ago and scheduled it for publishing today – I’m not copying you Joe, honest!

A couple of weeks ago it was the feast day of St. Philip Neri.

Philip was born in Florence in 1515. At about the age of eighteen he experienced a deep conversion of heart and moved to Rome with no money or plan, but simply trusted in God’s providence. He worked for two years as a live-in tutor, but otherwise led a simple life of solitude and prayer.

He studied Philosophy and Theology for about three years but then brought his studies to an abrupt close. He launched a mission to the people of Rome, which was fortunate since, at that time, both the people and the Church of Rome were in a particularly shabby spiritual state.

There are many praiseworthy aspects of Philip’s life which are worth sharing, but the episode I would like to recount here is one which demonstrates his rather cheeky sense of humour…

Mobile Eucharistic Adoration

Philip later became a priest and, during Mass, noticed that one member of his congregation would always leave straight after receiving Holy Communion (a practice still very much alive and well today :-().

One time, as the parishioner left the church, Philip sent two altar servers, both bearing candles, to follow the man and escort him through the streets. This was accompanied also, no doubt, by much laughing and pointing by those they passed!

Irritated, the man demanded to know why the acolytes were following him. They said that Fr. Neri had instructed them to do so. On hearing this, the man then went back to the church and asked the priest why he had done this. Saint Philip said:

“It is to pay proper respect to Our Lord, whom you are carrying away with you. Since you neglect to adore Him, I sent the servers to take your place.”

Philip’s point was that, after receiving the Body of Christ, we become living tabernacles of God in a particularly special way.  If ever there’s ever a time to kneel and pray in thanksgiving, it’s after receiving Holy Communion!

As you’ll be pleased to hear, Philip’s parishioner recognised his fault, asked for forgiveness and knelt before the altar in prayer.

St. Philip Neri, Saint and smart-aleck, pray for us!
May we have many more priests like you, but please, not in my parish.

Okay, now go read Preparing Ourselves as Tabernacles For The Lord….