Year of Saint Joseph
Other saints: Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr (1118-1170); Saint Trophimus, Bishop (?Third Century); Saint Marcellus Akimetes, Abbot (c. 485); Saint Ebrulf, Abbot (396); Bd William Howard, Martyr (1680)
Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 71 Mutual Obedience
Mass: 1 Jn 2:3-11; Resp Ps 96; Lk 2:22-35
Splendor and majesty go before Him; praise and grandeur are His sanctuary.
SAINT JOSEPH,
PRAY FOR US.
There is not much questioning to be done with this: "The way we may be sure that we know Jesus is to keep His commandments." And "This is the way we may know that we are in union with Him: whoever claims to abide in Him ought to walk just as He walked" (1 Jn 2:3, 5-6). Primarily we are to walk in the Lord's way of love, the way of light. Love is demanding as we know well from Saint Paul: "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrong-doing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things ... (1 Cor 13:4ff). So let's not be a resounding gong or a clashing symbol (1 Cor 13:1). May we instead love our brothers and sisters and remain in the light of love with all its joys, sorrows, struggles and contradictions. Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed (Lk 2:35).
The Son of God was born an outcast, in order to tell us that every outcast is a child of God. He came into the world as each child comes into the world, weak and vulnerable, so that we can learn to accept our weaknesses with tender love.
(Pope Francis, Twitter, December 29, 2020)
SAINT THOMAS BECKET,
PRAY FOR US.
Today's photo: A bit of beauty around 7:30 p.m. last night.
© Gertrude Feick 2020
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