Blessed Gonzalo and a Bottle of Chianti

This week’s obscure holy person is Blessed Gonzalo de Amarante. Gonzalo lived in the 15^th or 16^th century and was from Portugal. He was a Dominican hermit whose feast day is January 7.

Now writings about Gonzalo state he performed miracles and quite frankly, is a bit hard to believe. It’s almost like he was the original Travel Channel host of the first reality TV show as well as Miley Cyrus’ publicist. He excommunicated bread (as an example to followers, so don’t go boycotting Sunbeam Bread). The bread immediately went nasty (like Miley’s career) and when he un-excommunicated the bread, it went back to being carb-y goodness (back to Hannah Montana?).

He also made pilgrimages to the Holy Land and commanded fish to jump out of the water to feed some worker, as well as wine spurting through a rock. In conclusion, he was one busy miracle worker.

There are days, well most days, I wish I could be like Gonzalo. Kids whining about being hungry when you get them from school? Bam! Hit the passenger seat and it spews forth Happy Meals. Kids still whining when you get home? Bam! Kick the fridge and out pops a chilled Chianti from Tuscany.

I have to keep reminding myself that Gonzalo did everything for the glory of God, not the glory of most perfect mother in the school. So what if the chocolate chip cookies are store bought at 6:45 a.m. after you burned the homemade batch because you were refereeing a fight between your kids.

My husband once told me that I need to give myself permission to fail. I have no illusions of being perfect and the medical bills prove that when I fail, I fail in spectacular form. Just keep repeating to yourself “My flesh and my heart diminish; but the rock of my heart is God, God is my lot forever" (Psalm 73:26). It doesn’t hurt, though, to keep a bottle of Chianti in the fridge.