Numbers 12:1-13 / Matthew 14:22-36
There are many stories of why St. John Vianney became the patron saint of priests, and especially priests who serve in the parishes.
One particular story is about St. John Vianney and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He was noted as a confessor who spent many hours in the confessional. But there is something else about his ministry in the confessional.
When St. John Vianney was asked about his method in the confessional which caused even hardened sinners to melt, he replied, "My recipe is to give sinners a little penance and do the rest myself."
So St. John Vianney practiced penance not as his own work but as a minimal participation in Christ's sacrificial offering of His life on the cross for the salvation of sinners.
In the 1st reading, we heard how Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, even though Moses was the humblest of men.
The punishment was that Miriam became a leper, and when Aaron saw her turned into a leper, he begged Moses to intercede for them to the Lord.
And Moses cried out to the Lord and begged the Lord to heal Miriam. He did this as though he had sinned, although he was innocent.
That is the spiritual attitude of St. John Vianney and the saints. They took on the sins of the people and did penance for them in order that they may be saved.
In that way, they followed Jesus who came to save sinners and offered His life in sacrifice for their salvation although He was without sin.
So praying for the salvation of sinners must also be followed by doing penance for them. May we follow Jesus who died on the cross for sinners, and like St. John Vianney continue the work of salvation.