Monday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Labor Day

Readings of the Day
RB: Prol 45-50
Mass: 1 Cor 5:1-8; Resp Ps 5; Lk 6:6-11

Protect them, Lord, that you may be the joy of those who love your name.

HEART OF JESUS, ABYSS OF ALL VIRTUES,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

It has been said that the eyes are windows into the soul. It may well be that hands are the windows into the heart. If our hands are withered, our hearts are withered. Sometimes they become withered when we don't even recognize it due to suffering, grief, hardships, unfulfilled expectations and all else that comes our way, things that can leave us bitter and discouraged. Let us be bold like the man with the withered hand in today's Gospel. With courage, he was willing to stand in the midst of the people and present himself to Jesus. He was open to receive the healing touch of the Lord and respond to His command: Stretch out your hand (Lk 6:10). The man did so and his hand was restored (Lk 6:10). May we go before the Lord and receive his love and mercy. Jesus, Divine Physician, heal our withered hands, heal our withered hearts. And let us go forth and extend our healed hands and hearts with the love and mercy of Jesus Christ to all those we meet, without exception. Or, as Saint Benedict concludes the Prologue of the Holy Rule: But as we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God's commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love. Never swerving from His instructions, then, but faithfully observing His teaching in the monastery until death, we shall through patience share in the sufferings of Christ that we may deserve also to share in His kingdom. Amen. (RB Prol 49-50).

To celebrate Labor Day, the following is from paragraph 25 in the Encyclical from Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum On Capitol and Labor, given at St. Peter's in Rome, May 15, 1891.

But, if Christian precepts prevail, the respective classes will not only be united in the bonds of friendship, but also in those of brotherly love. For they will understand and feel that all men and women are children of the same common Father, who is God; that all have alike the same last end, which is God Himself, who alone can make either men or angels absolutely and perfectly happy; that each and all are redeemed and made children of God, by Jesus Christ, "the first-born among many"; that the blessings of nature and the gifts of grace belong to the whole human race in common, and that from none except the unworthy is withheld the inheritance of the kingdom of Heaven. "If sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and co-heirs with Christ." Such is the scheme of duties and of rights which is shown forth to the world by the Gospel. Would it not seem that, were society penetrated with ideas like these, strife must quickly cease? 

Today's photo: In the name of joy!

© Gertrude Feick 2020