Reflection by: Fr. Alberto Bueno, T.O.R.

Sisters and Brothers, in today’s first reading (Wis 6:12-16), we encounter an interesting figure of the Old Testament. It is the image of the personification of Wisdom (Chokmah in Hebrew, Sophia in Greek), she is portrayed as a woman. This remarkable figure appears throughout several chapters of the Book of Wisdom, as well as several other books of the Bible, including Job, Sirach, Proverbs, and Baruch. Just who is she? In many ways she seems to be an attribute of God, possibly God’s communication to human beings through creation; we see this, for example, when she is depicted as preaching, warning, or teaching the people of God (eg. Prov 1; Prov 8:3-36; and Sir 24:2, 19). We see her also as representing God’s own creative work, since she was present before creation and was there for it (actively participating in creating), and she still fills the world. She is described as such a personal and intimate aspect of God, that some scholars suggest that she is an image of God’s own self. Perhaps in her, we can see the Holy Spirit “in disguise” in the Old Testament. After all, she is “a breath of the might of God/and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty” (Wis 7:25-26); that sounds a lot like the Spirit. She has sometimes been identified with the Second Person of the Trinity, Christ Himself, veiled in the Old Testament. After all, in the New Testament we find Christ referred to as “the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24). But however we look to her, she is a very real and present aspect of God, as well as a God given gift. Indeed, a most desirable gift! May we always seek her, that she may be God’s light in our darkness and the guide to the heart of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Hermanas y hermanos, en la primera lectura de hoy (Sab 6,12-16), nos encontramos con una figura interesante del Antiguo Testamento. Es la imagen de la personificación de la Sabiduría (Chokmah en hebreo, Sofía en griego), ella es representada como una mujer. Esta figura notable aparece a lo largo de varios capítulos del Libro de la Sabiduría, así como en varios otros libros de la Biblia, incluyendo Job, Sirácides, Proverbios y Baruc. ¿Quién es ella exactamente? En muchos sentidos, ella parece ser un atributo de Dios, posiblemente la comunicación de Dios con los seres humanos a través de la creación; vemos esto, por ejemplo, cuando se la representa predicando, advirtiendo o enseñando al pueblo de Dios (por ejemplo, Prov 1; Prov 8:3-36; y Sir 24:2, 19). También la vemos como representante de la propia obra creativa de Dios, ya que ella estaba presente antes de la creación y estuvo allí durante ella (participando activamente en la creación), y aún hoy llena el mundo. Se la describe como un aspecto tan personal e íntimo de Dios, que algunos estudiosos sugieren que ella es una imagen del propio Dios. Quizás en ella, podemos ver al Espíritu Santo “disfrazado” en el Antiguo Testamento. Después de todo, ella es “un soplo del poder de Dios/y una pura emanación de la gloria del Todopoderoso” (Sab 7:25-26); eso suena mucho como el Espíritu. A veces se la ha identificado con la Segunda Persona de la Trinidad, el propio Cristo, velado en el Antiguo Testamento. Después de todo, en el Nuevo Testamento encontramos que se refiere a Cristo como “la sabiduría de Dios” (1 Cor 1:24). Pero de cualquier manera que la veamos, ella es un aspecto muy real y presente de Dios, así como un don dado por Dios. ¡De hecho, un don muy deseable! Que siempre la busquemos, para que ella pueda ser la luz de Dios en nuestra oscuridad y la guía hacia el corazón de Dios, Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo.

On the Occasion of the Celebration of the 800^th Celebration of the Transitus of Saint Francis of Assisi 1226-2026

Our dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this year we are celebrating the 800^th anniversary of the death, or transitus, of Saint Francis. The ministers General of the whole Franciscan family have called all Franciscans to celebrate what they have called the Easter of Francis of Assisi. Additionally, Pope Leo XIV has invoked a Jubilee Year, often referred to as a holy year, for all believers to share in this commemoration of Saint Francis entering into heaven. What a wonderful gift for the whole Church!

In contemporary society, we rarely think about death, not only because it reminds us that we are limited creatures, but also because it exposes the false security we get from believing that we are masters over time and life. Saint Francis, on the other hand, welcomed Sister Death with song in his Canticle of the Creatures, the Canticle of Brother Sun, because he understood that death is not the termination of everything but the end that allows us to enter into full communion with God. Indeed, life is a gift that must be given back: “Hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves, that He Who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally!” (Francis of Assisi, Letter to the Entire Order #29)

At the end of his days, Saint Francis contemplated his life and discovered the presence and action of the Lord everywhere. Thus, in his Testament he repeats, like a refrain: “The Lord gave me, Brother Francis… The Lord gave me such faith in churches… The Lord gave me, and gives me still, such faith… And after the Lord gave me some brothers, no one showed me what to do, but the Most High Himself revealed to me that I should live according to the pattern of the Holy Gospel” (Testament 1-14).

The celebration of the 800^th anniversary of the Easter of Saint Francis invites us to contemplate our lives, both personally and as Catholics, with the eyes of faith, and by doing so, perceive the divine presence and action in everything, even in the difficult and dramatic situations we have experienced or are experiencing now.

It is an opportunity to thank God for all the gifts he has bestowed on us, particularly (on this occasion) for the gift of Saint Francis of Assisi and his evangelical life, which has become a light to the world reflecting the greater Light who is Christ for the world, and which today still has the strength to call out to women and men of all cultures, both inside and outside the Catholic Church.

And finally, celebrating the passing of the Poverello (the little poor one) is an occasion to remember that we are all called to holiness, and that like Saint Francis, we are invited to reflect the beauty of the gospel, because “holiness is the most attractive face of the Church” (Pope Francis, Gaudete et exsultate 9).

So, in this spirit we welcome all those who come to Saint Patrick in South Tampa to share in the light of the faith of Saint Francis, to experience the rich blessings of this Jubilee and Eighth Centenary of his transitus from this life to life with God. May you be inspired to, as Francis told his brothers at the end of his life: “Let us begin, brothers, to serve the Lord God, for up until now we have done little or nothing.”

Yours in Christ and Saint Francis,

Fr. Salvator M. Stefula, TOR                                                                                                                             Fr. Alberto F. Bueno, TOR

Pope Leo XIV Declares Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi | Gulf Coast Catholic

https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/letters/2026/documents/20260107-lettera-morte-sf.html

https://www.centenarifrancescani.org/index.php/en

BINGO & DINNER

Tuesday

2026 Dates: November 10th, December 1st

2027 Dates: January 12th, February th, March 9th, April 13th, May 11th, June 8th, July 13th, August 10th, September 14th, October 12th, November 9th, December 14th

St. Patrick Catholic Church

Social Hall

Dinner served between 5:30pm- 6:30pm. 

Bingo will start at 6:30pm.

Cost: $25.00

Includes 9 pack of 13 sheets (26 games)

and 4 specials. MUST BE 18 TO PLAY.

TICKETS SOLD AT THE DOOR ONLY.

*Meals subject to Change