Feast: March 8th
Patronage: Booksellers and firefighters
St John of God, a man whom followed the promptings of the Holy Spirit, oppose to his own human temptations.
At the young age of eight he ran away to join the priesthood. He travelled with travelling priests until he fell ill and was left with a kind farm owner to be nursed back to health. He joined the army to escape a marriage, he was not a model Saint at this stage in his life. He drunk, gambled and was not living out a Christian life. His impulsive nature lead him down a path away from Christ. Yet the Holy Spirit drew him back, when at the last minute he was saved from being hung, and again when he was about to be captured by the enemy and by using his impulsive nature he vowed to change his way of life. His first point of change was going to confession.
He travelled from Spain and Africa seeing many injust actions, and many people straying from God. He followed obedience yet needed to repent for his sins after hearing St John of Avila sermon. He was criticized for his open, impulsive actions for Christ. For example, he once roared back to the little bookshop he once worked at and ripped any and all of the secular books.
John’s impulsive heart was used for good once he discerned to followed God’s will as best he could. One day he ran into a burning hospital to save people and once all the patients were out he went to the roof to ensure no one was hurt, he fell through the burning roof. But God spared his life once again.
Saint John could never see suffering without doing something about it.
St John of God, pray for us.
Source
1) http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=68
Originally posted 2015-03-02 07:00:32.