Today we celebrate St. Gregory the Great —
pope, pastor, doctor of the Church,
the shepherd who sent missionaries
to carry the Gospel into England.
A man of wide vision, deep wisdom,
and a humble, steady soul.
And I’ll be honest…
I’ll never have the wisdom
of a doctor of the Church.
I’ll never stand in that kind of brilliance.
But there is hope for me.
Because today’s readings
pull my heart toward the "Holy Fools" —
those strange saints
who hide their wisdom,
reject pride,
and mock the world’s values
so they can cling to Christ alone.
They remind me
that God’s reality is warmer,
more beautiful,
more life‑giving
than any cold, mechanized world.
The prophets lived this way —
Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea —
startling the crowd
so sleepy hearts could wake up.
And Paul says,
“We are fools for Christ’s sake,”
because the wisdom of this age
cannot carry the weight of God.
I think of St. Francis,
barefoot on the road,
giving away everything,
preaching to the simple and the poor —
a holy fool
who saw the world
through heaven’s eyes.
Scripture tells us:
“If anyone considers himself wise,
let him become a fool
so as to become wise.”
Because God catches the proud
in their own cleverness.
And Jesus says to Simon,
“Do not be afraid…
from now on you will be catching men.”
That’s the holy fool’s calling —
to step out of the boat,
to trust grace more than reputation,
to follow Christ
even when the world laughs.
So today,
in Gregory’s shadow
and Francis’ footsteps,
let your heart settle into this truth:
The world’s wisdom fades.
God’s wisdom saves.
Become a fool for Christ —
and you will become wise.
Prayer —
Lord Jesus,
keep my heart humble
my vision wide.
Teach me the holy foolishness
that clings only to You.
Break the pride
that blinds me
to Your grace.
Make me wise in the ways
only heaven understands.
Amen
St Gregory the great, pray for us
