THE INCORRUPTIBLES
“You
are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but
inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth.” – Matthew
23:27
What do Sts. John Mary Vianney, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, Francis
Xavier, Rose of Lima, Bernadette of Lourdes and Therese of the Child
Jesus have in common other than living lives of simplicity, honesty,
unselfishness and total dedication to Jesus? Well, they are just some of
the incorruptible saints whose remains phenomenally defy decay and
smell sweet without embalming.
They look peacefully asleep even if they’ve been dead for decades, even
centuries. The lifestyles of these saints, when they were alive,
exemplified deep devotion to Jesus, intense piety and kindness.
The purity of their lives has manifested in their physical bodies. For
them, no whitewashed tombs are necessary. Although enshrined in glass
cases, they bring inspiration to devotees, grant miraculous healing to
those who venerate, and teach us to live lives of significance.
C. S. Lewis said, “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a
body.” Truly, we are spiritual beings in a physical body. Leo Villarico (leovrico@yahoo.com)
Reflection:
“The soul hungers for God, and nothing but God can satiate it.
Therefore He came to dwell on earth and assumed a Body in order that
this Body might become the Food of our souls.” (St. John Mary Vianney)
May I seek only You, Jesus, so others will see You in me and I will see You in them.
St. Joseph Calasanz, pray for us.
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