Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Year of Saint Joseph

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

National Back to School Month

Saints: Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Martyr, Co-Patron Saint of Europe (1891-1942); Saint Nathy (6th century); Saint Felim (6th century)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 56 The Abbot's Table

Mass: Dt 10:12-22; Resp Ps 147; Mt 17:22-27

God sends forth His command to the earth; swiftly runs His sword!

MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS,

PRAY FOR US.

As floods of memories come pouring in of late, partly due to just reading Jacqueline Winspear's (of the Maisie Dobbs series fame) memoir, This Time Next Year We'll Be Laughing, I share some of them. There are a few things I know about our saint of the day, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, also known as Edith Stein. For one, she is one of six co-patron saints of Europe. Saint Benedict of Nursia leads the way as principal patron, and the others in the illustrious group with Saint Teresa Benedicta include Saint Catherine of Siena, Saints Cyril and Methodius, and Saint Bridget of Sweden. Some other newsy news is that in the summer of 2010 when I was studying German in Freiburg, Germany, I spent some time with the Benedictine Sisters at Freiburg. One of their sisters of happy memory was a friend of Edith's. They were both Jewish converts to Catholicism. Edith used to spend time with the sisters at Freiburg and the room where she stayed is preserved and a very sacred space. I had the privilege of sitting in the room on occasion to soak up the atmosphere. More news is that Edith, who also worked as an assistant to Edmund Husserl at the University of Freiburg (I've seen the house where she lived), used to spend time at the Archabbey of Bueron in Germany, in the years between 1928-1933. The Abbot at the time was her spiritual director. There is a plaque at Beuron commemorating Edith and I have a postcard of it here. I also have a postcard with an aerial view of Bueron, and a holy card too. Edith is certainly one who did what the Lord asks of us, all the way until her death at Auschwitz on August 9, 1942. Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, please intercede for us and help us fear the Lord, our God, and follow His ways exactly, to love and serve the Lord, our God, with all our heart and all our soul, and to keep His commandments and statutes (Dt 10:12-14). 

When you seek truth you seek God whether you know it or not.

(Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)

SAINT TERESA BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS,

SAINT NATHY,

SAINT FELIM,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: A view from the Kuilai Ridge Trail, Kauai.

© Gertrude Feick 2021