Lectio et Oratio

Was St Philip's heart itself unusual?

Yes. The heart as a whole was strong and muscular and larger than normal. Certain parts where twice the normal size. In this episode we hear about the basic parts of the human heart. If the human heart pumps blood to the rest of the body and blood symbolizes divine love being shared through the mystical body of Christ, who are those in the Church that help generate this divine love? Can we be the heart of the Church, helping others to love?

Last episode we read not so much about the heart itself, but the condition of St Philip's ribs and chest that seemed to have made room for this enlarged heart and its supernatural palpitations. May we also make room for growth in divine love. May we not put up any obstacles to allowing God's love to increase!

What strange thing did the doctors discover about St Philip's chest?

A large bulge. During the autopsy, the doctors discovered that two of St Philip's ribs were disconnected from the cartilage. They were arched upwards and formed a kind of dome on his chest over his heart. This strange condition puzzled the doctors. They had never heard St Philip ever complain of any pain. But as they learned more and more about what happened to St Philip in 1544, they formulated several supernatural explanations for his ribs being that way. God was making room for the effect of divine love on Philip's heart.

Last episode we began reading about the autopsy carried out on St Philip on the evening of May 27, 1595. We discussed the peculiar way St Philip's hands kept covering over his private parts. Fr Gallonio suggested a hypothesis for why God willed St Philip's body to act in this supernatural way. Another hypothesis was also discussed related to the supernatural character of purity. Purity, chastity, self-control in matters of sexuality is a gift from above. Let us pray for it!

As the autopsy of St Philip began, what was the most remarkable thing that happened at first?

St Philip's arms kept moving. The four doctors were astounded as they began to undress St Philip. His dead body began to do things that they had never seen. As strange as it sounds, St Philip acted, in a way, as if he were still alive! He seemed to be practicing modesty. The doctors thought the phenomenon to be a sign. Of what was it a sign?

Last episode we read about the events of May 26, 1595. St Philip died early in the morning of May 26, around 1am. The whole day following saw great crowds of people treating the body of St Philip as though it were a precious relic. Rome had been captivated by this simple priest. He was their apostle, the second apostle of Rome. Like St Philip, we too have a mission and a part of the Lord's vineyard to maintain.

What does St Philip"s final hours teach us?

Life is mixed with joys and sorrows. We read about St Philip's final evening before he died. We read about how happy he was. We read about how playful he was. But we also read about the frantic efforts of those close to him to keep him alive.

Last episode we read about St Philip's final day on earth. We saw how many lessons we were taught about the spiritual life from that final day:

• the Mass is most important,

Did great crowds of people of every walk of life want to venerate the body of St Philip?

Yes! From the poorest people to the richest people in Rome, men and women, friars and laity, the whole of Rome seems to have stopped by the Chiesa Nuova to honour the body of St Philip on the day he died. The Fathers had laid his body out on the bier for public veneration. What signs of love the people of Rome showed. What are we to make of the crowds and the variety of people who wanted to see the face of St Philip one last time?