Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time: Saint Anthony (d. 356)

 Readings of the day: RB 3:67-13
Mass: 1 Samuel 17:32-33; Resp. Psalm 144; Mark 3:1-6

With plenty to say about today’s readings, I offer instead two items, not unrelated, I read this morning. First, the Holy Father’s Tweet:

We pray to God for the courage to ask forgiveness and
to learn how to listen to what he is saying to us.


Second, from the Life of Saint Anthony by Saint Athanasius:

Having learned that we should always be praying, even when we are by ourselves, [Anthony] prayed without ceasing. Indeed, he was so attentive when Scripture was read that nothing escaped him and because he retained all he heard, 
his memory served him in place of books.

Today we might pray for the grace to pray without ceasing; to ask forgiveness from God; for the courage to ask forgiveness from someone we have offended or hurt; to be better listeners by opening our ears and hearts to the WORD and to those with whom we live and work. We might memorize one verse of our favorite psalm and hold it in our hearts while keeping it on our lips throughout the day—only one way to assist in praying without ceasing. Are you in?

Forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.

O God, come to my assistance.
O, Lord, make haste to help me.

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