June 21, 2013 
Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious
Saint of the day
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591)
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga was born to a wealthy Italian family in the late 1500s. Inspired by the lives of the saints and his love of prayer, Aloysius gave up a life of luxury and comfort to join the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits. While Aloysius was studying in Rome, a great plague broke out. He went out into the streets, on a regular basis, to care for plague victims, soon catching the disease himself. He died at the age of 23. (Taken from "The Church: Christ in the World Today.")
Reflection
The central act of our Christian faith consists of Jesus, our God and Savior, sacrificing his very life to save us. Throughout the New Testament, we are told to emulate Jesus, which of course includes his greatest act of sacrifice and selflessness. Saint Aloysius Gonzaga truly strove to imitate Jesus, to the point that he, like Jesus, was willing to sacrifice his life. Would you be willing to live in this way?
Prayer
Dear Jesus, help me to imitate your life, even when it is incredibly difficult.
Liturgical season information
Lectionary: 369
Place in Year: Ordinary Time
Color of decorations and priest's vestments: White
Daily readings
Reading 1: 2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:2-3,
Gospel: Matthew 6:19-23
View complete readings on USCCB.org
