MEMORIAL OF ST JOHN VIANNEY, PRIEST.
MEMORIAL OF ST. JOHN VIANNEY: HOLINESS BEGINS IN THE HEART.
THE GOODNEWS:
"Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat."
Then Jesus called the crowd to Him and said to them,
"Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth that defiles."
Then the disciples approached and said to Him,
"Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?"
He answered,
"Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
"Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit."
(Matthew 15: 1 - 2, 10 - 14).
Tuesday, August 4th, 2026. Memorial of St. John Vianney, Priest.
The Pharisees judged holiness by external observances. Jesus directs our attention to something much deeper—the human heart.
"It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth that defiles."
Our words reveal the condition of our hearts. Words of kindness, mercy and truth come from a heart transformed by God's grace.
Harsh words, gossip, resentment and pride reveal areas of the heart still in need of conversion.
The Prophet Samuel taught the same truth:
"Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart." (1 Samuel 16: 7).
Today's saint, St. John Vianney, understood this Gospel better than almost anyone. He spent countless hours in the confessional because he knew that Christ came not merely to correct outward behavior but to heal the human heart.
Thousands travelled to Ars seeking God's mercy through his priestly ministry.
The Curé of Ars reminds us that holiness is not about brilliance but about fidelity. Though he struggled academically and was considered an unlikely candidate for the priesthood, his deep love for Christ transformed an entire village.
Spending long hours in the confessional, he became a living sign of God's mercy, drawing thousands to conversion.
His life proclaims a timeless truth: one holy priest—or one holy Christian—can change countless lives through prayer, sacrifice and unwavering love for God.
August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Mary's heart was completely open to God's grace. She teaches us that true purity begins within and is expressed in humble obedience to God's will.
For Prayers of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Litany, Promises of Mary to those who say the Holy Rosary, etc click the link below:
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