Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Saints Marcellinus and Peter, martyrs (-304)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 7:35-43
Mass: 2 Pt 3:12-15a, 17-18; Resp Ps 90; Mk 12:13-17

Let your work be seen by your servants and your glory by their children.

Welcome to Ordinary Time.

We read about the fourth of twelve steps of humility in today's reading from the Rule of St Benedict. Several days are devoted to reflection on Benedict's Ch 7, "Humility", the longest chapter in the Holy Rule. Humility is essential for spiritual growth and development, and as our Catechism teaches, "humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that 'we do not know how to pray as we ought,' are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. '[We are] beggars before God'" (2559).

In the fourth step of humility, we find that "those who are patient amid hardships and unjust treatment are fulfilling the Lord's command: When struck on one cheek, they turn the other; when deprived of their coat, they offer their cloak also, when pressed into service for one mile, they go two (Mt 5:39-41)." Furthermore, "with the Apostle Paul, they bear with false brothers or sisters, endure persecution, and bless those who curse them (2 Cor 11:26; 1 Cor 4:12)" (RB 7:42-43). This is no small task and we need the grace of the living and true God to be humble people. Using the words of St Peter from today's first reading, we might pray with heart and mind: God of mercy and compassion, help us to "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen" ( 2 Pt 3:18).

We are made for the living God, holy, mysterious, infinite. He is always out ahead of us; he never fulfills our expectations but transcends them. In requiring humility of us he is not making some arbitrary demand; he is simply asking us to be like him in his humility and unselfishness, so that nothing may get in the way of our sharing his joy.

(Maria Boulding, Gateway to Resurrection)

SAINTS MARCELLINUS AND PETER,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: First time photo submission from friend of 20 years and faithful reader, JK in Beaverton, OR. Here she is with a Tigridia, a flower she discovered last year. Thank you!

© Gertrude Feick 2020