It was a tense afternoon in the September of the year 1594.

The Bishop of Geneva in France, had convoked a meeting of all his clergy.

>> There was an urgent need for priests to go to a place named Chablais.

Chablais was a territory in Geneva, which had been under political and religious siege.

>> Around fifty priests in this place had been banished.

>> Many churches had been burnt and devastated.

Chablais had become a place of terror for the Catholic Church.

>> Chablais became infamous for its terrible persecution of the Catholic Faith.

It’s in this horrifying situation, that the Bishop of the place had called for a meeting…

… to ask for volunteers to go to this place and renew the faith.

But none came forward…

>> None were willing to risk their lives…

It’s at this point, that there came a gentle yet firm voice – “My Lord, if you think that I am capable of it, command me, I am ready!”

>> The voice was of St Francis de Sales.

His own father considered this decision as “utter madness”

>> Perhaps, the other priests and clergy would have also felt this decision as a “crazy one”

The risk of being driven out, failing in his undertaking and of becoming a laughing stock of the world was great indeed.

>> But St Francis de Sales stood firm to His decision.

It was a decision…

… which perhaps defied reasons…

… which perhaps seemed out of senses…

>> But this decision was to become the turning point of a spiritual revolution!

The one…

… who has eyes fixed on one’s goals is indeed a mad person!

… who is filled with God’s love is indeed an obsessed person!

>> Mad for one’s aim … obsessed in love……passionate about one’s goals!

The Gospel of the Day is a narrative of a parable which describes of a “mad and passionate” Sower…

… a Sower of the Word of God!

“The Parable of the Sower” is a very popular one.

One of the striking messages of this Parable is the “unknown, unexpected and unexplored” manner in which the Word is Sown.

Going through the various places in which the Seed was sown would probably make one to say…

… “why was it that so much Seed was simply wasted – on the wayside, on the rock, among the thorns – places where there was hardly any possibility of growth?”

>> “Why was it that the Sower was so unscientific, so lacking in common sense and so careless in simply broadcasting the precious seeds haphazardly?”

Probably, a logical answer and a reasonable explanation to these questions is to be found in the fact that the Seed has a tremendous power and potential.

>> And therefore, the Sower ‘takes the risk’ of broadcasting the Seed everywhere.

The Sower was, in that sense, “mad” and “out of mind!”

His generosity was so much, that He would be lavish to sow the Seed!

>> His passion for spreading the Seed (of the Word) was so much that He went beyond “normal thinking!”

Yes, the one…

… who is filled with God’s love is indeed an obsessed person!

… who has eyes fixed on one’s goals is indeed a mad person!

>> The one who is fully convinced of Spreading the Seed of the Word, goes beyond the realms of “normal human thinking!”

One is…

… obsessed in love

… mad for one’s aim

… passionate about one’s goals!

The Bible and the Church is a gigantic collection of deeds and acts of such people who were “mad” and who took “crazy” decisions in life…

>> Abraham was “crazy” to have faith in God, to have children, even at the ripe old age of hundred!

>> was “mad” to trust God to lead a tiny nation from the clutches of the imposing Egyptian empire!

>> Mother Mary was “crazy” to give up her promising life and instead consent to an Angel to become the Mother of God!

>> St Peter was “mad” to abandon his career and family to follow Jesus for a ministry of unknown and uncertain future!

>> St Paul was “crazy” to undergo tremendous sufferings and agonizing troubles for the sake of the spread of the Gospel!

>> St Francis De Sales was “crazy” and “mad” to undertake risk of going to the Chablais mission and renew the faith of the people!

When one is really passionate towards one’s mission, there is an element of “craziness”!

>> When one is really zealous about one’s purposes, there is an element of “madness”!

Do I have and reflect this “mad” passion and zeal for God’s love?

… by seeking Him in all our works, activities and plans

… by reaching out His love to the needy and the disadvantaged

… by spreading hope, courage and optimism in this broken world

Today we celebrate the Feast of St Francis de Sales.

>> He is the Doctor of Love!

>> He is the Gentleman Saint!

And today, he invites and encourages us to embrace this path of love and gentleness!

Let us dare to walk and live the path of the Crucified Lord…

… the One who was called mad and insane

… the One who was misunderstood and unaccepted

>> Because He chose to live and die for His convictions of Love!

Let us not be worried… let us not be anxious…but trust in our Loving God!

In the words of St Francis De Sales: “God takes pleasure to see you take your little steps; and like a good father who holds his child by the hand…

… He will accommodate His steps to yours and will be content to go no faster than you.

>> Why do you worry?”

Happy Feast of St Francis De Sales!

>> With joy and love, let us proclaim with him, in his words: “Vive Jesus…Live Jesus!”

God Bless!