Friday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary

The Holy Guardian Angels

First Friday of the Month

Grandparents Day

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 7:35-43

Mass: Ex 23:20-23; Resp Ps 91 or Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5; Resp Ps 139; Mt 18:1-5, 10

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.

JESUS, JOY OF ANGELS,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

We begin this glorious day with something from Saint Benedict and the Holy Rule. In Ch 19 on the Discipline of the Psalmody, we heed this: "We must always remember, therefore, what the Prophet says: Serve the Lord with fear, and again, Sing praise wisely; and, In the presence of the angels I will sing to you. Let us consider, then, how we ought to behave in the presence of God and his angels, and let us stand to sing the psalms in such a way that our minds are in harmony with our voices" (RB 19:3-6). 

We go forth with words from Saint Benedict, and also from Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, and Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB.

And so the angels are here, they are at your side, they are with you, present on your behalf! They are here to protect you and to serve you. But even if it is God who has given them this charge, we must nonetheless be grateful to them for the great love with which they obey and come to help us in our great need. (Saint Bernard of Clairvaux)

SUDDEN BREEZE

by Jeremy Driscoll

Across

water like glass

a fast 

and sudden 

wind

races.

In two directions almost the same:

a flash of ripples.

An angel slicing

    the waters

    of

    the pond,

delivering a message

to the bottom.

Fast again to heaven returned,

the waters all smooth,

the earth blessed.

HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELS, 

PRAY FOR US.

© Gertrude Feick 2020