Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

Pope Saint Pius V (1504-1572)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 72 The Good Zeal of Monks 
Mass: Acts 8:26-40; Resp Ps 66; Jn 6:44-51

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter

Saint Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church, (1347-1380): Co-Patron Saint of Italy (with Saint Francis of Assisi) and of Europe (with Saints Benedict of Nursia, Cyril and Methodius, Bridget of Sweden, Edith Stein).

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 71 Mutual Obedience
Mass: Acts 8:1b-8; Resp Ps 66; Jn 6:35-40

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter

Saint Peter Chanel, priest, martyr (1803-1841)
Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort, priest (1673-1716)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 70 The Presumption of Defending Another in the Monastery
Mass: Acts 7:51-8:1a; Resp Ps 31; Jn 6:30-35

Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness.

Monday of the Third Week of Easter

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 69 The Presumption of Defending Another in the Monastery
Mass: Acts 6:8-15; Resp Ps 119; Jn 6:22-29

Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord.

Third Sunday of Easter

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 68 The Assignment of Impossible Tasks
Mass: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Resp Ps 16; 1 Pt 1:17-21; Lk 24:13-

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the Lord, "My Lord are you."

Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 67 Those Sent on a Journey
Mass: 1 Pt 5:5b-14; Resp Ps 89; Mk 16:15-20

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Friday of the Second Week of Easter

Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, priest, martyr (1578-1622)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 66 The Porter of the Monastery
Mass: Acts 5:34-42; Resp Ps 27; Jn 6:1-15

I believe I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living.

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter

Saint George, martyr (-c.303); Saint Adalbert of Prague (956-997)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 65:11-22
Mass: Acts 5:27-33; Resp Ps 34; Jn 3:31-36

I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter

Blessed Maria Gabriella Sagheddu (1914-1939)
50th Earth Day

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 65:1-10 The Prior or Prioress of the Monastery
Mass: Acts 5:17-26; Resp Ps 34; Jn 3:16-21

The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter

Saint Anselm of Canterbury, bishop, doctor (1033-1109)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 64:7-22
Mass: Acts 4:32-37; Resp Ps 93; Jn 3:7b-15

The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

Monday of the Second Week of Easter

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 64:1-6 The Election of an Abbess or Abbot
Mass: Acts 4:23-31; Resp Ps 2; Jn 3:1-

Blessed are those who take refuge in the Lord.

Second Sunday of Easter (or Divine Mercy Sunday)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 63:10-19
Mass: Acts 2:42-47; Resp Ps 118; 1 Pt 1:3-9; Jn 20:19-31

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Saturday within the Octave of Easter

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 63:1-9 Community Rank
Mass: Acts 4:13-21; Resp Ps 118; Mk 16:9-15

God's mercy endures forever.

Friday within the Octave of Easter

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 62 The Priests of the Monastery
Mass Acts 4:1-12; Resp Ps 118; Jn 21:1-14

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.

Thursday within the Octave of Easter

In other years: Saint Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 61:6-14
Mass: Acts 3:11-16; Resp Ps 8; Lk 24:35-48

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

Wednesday within the Octave of Easter

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 61:1-5 The Reception of Visiting Monks
Mass: Acts 3:1-10; Resp Ps 105; Lk 24:13-35

O Lord, our God, how glorious is your name over all the earth!

Tuesday within the Octave of Easter

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 60 The Admission of Priests
Mass: Acts 2:36-41; Resp Ps 33; Jn 20:11-18 

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Monday within the Octave of Easter

In other years: Pope Saint Martin I (-655)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 59 The Offering of Children by Nobles or the Poor
Mass: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Resp Ps 16; Mt 28:8-15

Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

Easter Sunday

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 58:17-29
Mass:
The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night: Gn 1:1-2:2; Resp Ps 104 or Ps 33; Gn 2:1-18; Resp Ps 16; Ex 14:15-15:1; Resp Ps (Ex 15); Is 54:5-14; Resp Ps 30; Is 55:1-11; Resp Ps (Is 12); Bar 3:9-15, 32-4:4; Resp Ps 19; Ezk 36:16-17a, 18-28; Resp Ps (Is 12) or Ps 51; Rm 6:3-11; Resp Ps 118; Mt 28:1-10

Easter Sunday: Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Resp Ps 118; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; Sequence; Jn 20:1-9

By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.

Saturday of Holy Week (Holy Saturday)

In other years: Saint Stanislaw (1036-1079)

Reading of the Day:
RB: Ch 58:1-16 The Procedure for Receiving New Members

Lord my God, I call for help by day.

Friday of the Passion of the Lord (Good Friday)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 57 The Artisans of the Monastery
The Celebration of the Passion of the Lord: Is 52:13-53:12; Resp Ps 31; Hb 4:14-16; 5:7-9; Jn 18:1-19:42

By his stripes we were healed.

Thursday of Holy Week (Holy Thursday)

Maundy Thursday

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 56 The Abbot's Table
Mass: Is 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9; Resp Ps 89; Rev 1:5-8; Lk 4:16-21

I will call upon the name of the Lord.

Wednesday of Holy Week

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 55:15-22
Mass: s 50:4-9; Resp Ps 69; Mt 26:14-25

Lord, in your great love, answer me.

Tuesday of Holy Week

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 55:1-14 Clothing and Footwear
Mass: Is 49:1-6; Resp Ps 71; Jn 13:21-33, 36-38

I will sing of your salvation.

Monday of Holy Week(Jn 12:

United Nations International Day of Sports for Development and Peace

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 54 Letters or Gifts
Mass: Is 42:1-7; Resp Ps 27; Jn 12:1-11

I believe I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living.

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 53: 16-24
Mass: Mt 21:1-11; Is 50:4-7; Resp Ps 22; Ph 2:6-11; Mt 26:14-27:66

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

HEART OF JESUS, IN WHOSE FULLNESS WE HAVE ALL RECEIVED,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

As we enter the most sacred Holy Week and the most important days in the life of any Christian, we are united in faith, prayer, and the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. As the rain falls steadily, I sit at my desk with an image of one of my favorite paintings, Rembrandt's St Peter's Denial. It is in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. I was privileged to see it in person some years ago when it was on loan at the Portland (OR) Art Museum. You will find it on the Rijksmuseum website. It is worth a look.

What impacts me every year when I look at my postcard image of the work, is Jesus in the background. It is as if looking through a window, one can see Jesus, in the shadows and in the company of soldiers and others. Jesus' hand are bound behind His back. Our Lord's body is turned away from Peter, while His head is turned to see Peter, and likely listen to his denial. Even so, I can sense the love that emanates from Jesus; the unconditional love He has for Simon Peter. Jesus knows what is going on, what Peter is doing. Peter, the one who exclaimed, "Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be … even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you" (Mt 26:33, 35). Jesus' love for Peter never fails. Jesus' love for you, for me, never fails. No matter what.

Please take time this day to prayerfully read and reflect upon St Matthew's account of the Passion (Mt 26:14-27:66) . If you are gathered with others, you might take turns reading out loud. If alone, read the text out loud, taking time to pause and reflect. We journey with Jesus to Jerusalem. We pray for unwavering faith, to have open minds and hearts to die to the non-essentials in our life, carry our crosses, and to not deny the LOVE that died for us. At the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Ph 2:10-11).

The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

(Is 50:7)

We pray with the Holy Father:

Let us hold close spiritually those who are sick and their families, and all those who self-sacrificingly care for them. Let us pray for the deceased in the light of the paschal faith. Everyone is present in our hearts, in our thoughts, in our prayers.

MARY, HEALTH OF THE SICK,

PRAY FOR US.

© Gertrude Feick 2020

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent

First Saturday of the Month
Saint Isidore of Seville, bishop (560-636)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 53:1-15 Reception of Guests 
Mass: Ezk 37:21-28; Resp Ps (Jer 31); Jn 11:45-56

I will turn their mourning into joy.

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 52 The Oratory of the Monastery
Mass: Jer 20:10-13; Resp Ps 18; Jn 10:31-42

I love you, O Lord, my strength.

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Saint Francis of Paola, hermit (1436-1507)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 51 Those Sent on a Short Journey
Mass: Gn 17:3-9; Resp Ps 105; Jn 8:51-59

Look to the Lord in his strength; seek to serve him constantly.

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 50 Those Working at a Distance or Traveling 
Mass: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Resp Ps (Dn 3); Jn 8:31-42

PRAYER NEVER CANCELLED.