Lectio et Oratio

Are human beings a composite of body and soul?

Yes. We read about another spiritual son of St Philip who faced very difficult temptations at the end of his life. The story brings out the distinction in us between our body and soul. Death is the separation of the body and the soul. But then, at that moment, what happens?

Did St Philip's knowledge of someone's future ever make him sad?

Yes. In this episode we read a really interesting case of a young man who showed the highest promise as an Oratorian. Everyone seemed to think he was on the road to great holiness. But then he decided he had to seek a more perfect form of life. He decided he needed to become a Dominican. At the clothing ceremony, God made known what would happen to this young man. St Philip wept. How careful we must be in our choice of a state in life!

Last episode we read about St Philip's ability to judge the state of someone's soul by looking at them in the face. He could be aware both of serious sin and serious holiness. St Philip awareness of what someone had done did not lead him to look down on the person. Instead, his zeal for their salvation and his sympathy for their situation showed itself. How gentle and winning St Philip was!

We read about the miraculous conversion of a young man set only on a life of pleasure. By God's providence he bumped into a friend in the streets who found a way to bring him to the Oratory. After hearing the discourses, he met St Philip. Talked into going to confession, he tried to make up a whole confession. But that was a big mistake with St Philip! This event led to his vocation as a friar.

Did St Philip's knowledge of someone's future ever make him sad?

Yes. In this episode we read a really interesting case of a young man who showed the highest promise as an Oratorian. Everyone seemed to think he was on the road to great holiness. But then he decided he had to seek a more perfect form of life. He decided he needed to become a Dominican. At the clothing ceremony, God made known what would happen to this young man. St Philip wept. How careful we must be in our choice of a state in life!

Last episode we read about St Philip's ability to judge the state of someone's soul by looking at them in the face. He could be aware both of serious sin and serious holiness. St Philip awareness of what someone had done did not lead him to look down on the person. Instead, his zeal for their salvation and his sympathy for their situation showed itself. How gentle and winning St Philip was!

Did St Philip look down on people when he, by divine help, knew their secret sins?

No! St Philip was never surprised by human weakness. He knew his own heart too well. He knew what the consequences of original sin made possible. Far from looking down on people in their weakness, he had sympathy for them. He suffered with them. He prayed for them. He encouraged them. He knew how harmful it is spiritually to keep our sins inside. He knew the human need to reveal what we have done wrong. St Philip wanted to make this easier for people. Why? Because he truly loved them with divine love.

Last episode we read about the discernment of spirits that God gave to St Philip. Not only was he able to know future things, he knew the secret and hidden things that men and women had done. God alone could know such thing. God alone could share this knowledge with St Philip. Through this gift of knowing the secret movements of human hearts, St Philip was used by God to convince others that God was real. St Philip became a living argument for the reality of the unseen world and the divine protection of the Church.