Known from his boyhood for his piety, Philip Neri was born in 1515 to parents who came from a noble heritage but were financially poor. After a mystical experience at the age of 18, rather than apprentice for a relative he left his family for Rome. There he worked as a tutor, helped the sick and poor, and lived as a hermit in the middle of the bustling city. During the vigil of Pentecost, he experienced an intense ecstasy while in prayer in the catacombs, and with the fire of the Holy Spirit he went forth with apostolic zeal. Philip was ordained a priest and preached, prayed with people, and spent hours every day listening to confessions. “The Apostle of Rome” became a trusted advisor to kings, popes, and cardinals, and never stopped until his death at age 80.
CHALLENGE
St. Philip Neri was known for being kind and gentle, and he went out of his way to make friends with many of the penitents he counseled. He was also a practical jokester, usually with himself as the punch line. He would sometimes show up to meetings with half his beard shaved off, or purposely mispronounce words. Too often we take ourselves too seriously. Today, give others the opportunity to laugh and keep yourself humble by purposefully making a fool of yourself.
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