The Collect for the Memorial of St. Philip Neri, Priest:
“O God, who never cease to bestow the glory of holiness on the faithful servants you raise up for yourself, graciously grant that the Holy Spirit may kindle in us that fire with which he wonderfully filled the heart of Saint Philip Neri. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reign with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.”
Reflection
St. Philip Neri lived from 1515 to 1595 in Florence and Rome. He was a priest, a powerful preacher, a teacher, and a man of great joy. Drawing on this, we praise God for giving Philip this grace because it is the Holy Spirit and not Philip’s own talents that made him holy. During Pentecost one year, Philip Neri’s heart was supernaturally enlarged and broke two ribs – a supernatural sign of the greater reality that the Holy Spirit truly filled his heart. Drawing on this miracle, we pray that we too have hearts filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit, even though we don’t really want or need broken ribs to prove it.
So, for your daily contribution to the Church’s collection of prayer,
Contemplate how much room you give the Holy Spirit in your life. Pray to God that you can know the fire of love and joy that comes from truly living by the guidance of the Spirit. Then spiritually unite that prayer to all the Masses throughout the world today. That way, when the priest says “Let us pray,” you can be a part of that “us” even if you don’t get to attend Mass.
