Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Year of Saint Joseph

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

National Back to School Month

Saints: Blessed Guerric of Igny, Cistercian Abbot (1078-1157); Saint John Eudes (1601-1680); Saint Ezekiel Moreno (1848-1906); Saint Oswin (-651)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 63:10-19 Community Rank

Mass: Jdgs 11:29-39a; Resp Ps 40; Mt 22:1-14

Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will.

HEART OF JESUS, KING AND CENTER OF ALL HEARTS,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

HEART OF MARY, IN UNION WITH THE HEART OF JESUS,

PRAY FOR US.

First, with something about where we are in the Rule of Saint Benedict. We began yesterday and conclude today the chapter on Community Rank, another one of the most beautiful chapters in the Holy Rule. You can see that here with some verses from today's passage: "The younger monks must respect their seniors, and the seniors must love their juniors ... wherever brothers meet, the junior asks his senior for a blessing. When an older monk comes by, the younger rises and offers him a seat, and does not presume to sit down unless the older bids him. In this way, they do what the words of Scripture say: They should each try to be the first to show respect to the other" (RB 63:10, 15-17). It seems that these essentials of civility and good manners could be applied wherever we find ourselves, in community, at home, at work, on public transport, and so on.

Second, with some words from two of our Saints of the Day, Blessed Guerric of Igny, a Cistercian Abbot directly influenced by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux who we commemorate tomorrow. Then we turn to Saint John Eudes, who, among other things, encouraged devotion to the Sacred Heart, and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

How faithful and worthy of a friend of Jesus is that voice, how pure that act of love which says: "It is enough for me that Jesus is still alive. If He lives, I live, for my spirit acts through His. Yes, He is my life, my all in all. For what can I lack if Jesus is still alive? Rather everything else may be taken from me so long as He lives. If He wishes then, let Him take no account of me. It is enough for me that He still lives even if He only lives for Himself.

(Blesse Guerric of Igny, Sermon 5 for Easter)  

A Christian has a union with Jesus Christ more noble, more intimate and more perfect than the members of a human body have with their head.

He longs to be in you, He wants His breath to be your breath, His heart in your heart, and His soul in your soul.

(Saint John Eudes)

Faith is a divine and celestial light, a participation in the eternal, inaccessible light, a beam radiating from the face of God.

(Saint John Eudes)

The air we breath, the bread which we eat, the heart which throbs in our bosoms, are not more necessary for man that he may live as a human being, than is prayer for the Christian that he may live as a Christian.

(Saint John Eudes)

BLESSED GUERRIC OF IGNY,

SAINT JOHN EUDES,

SAINT EZEKIEL MORENO,

SAINT OSWIN,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: These little beauties are simply busy doing just what they are supposed to be doing.

© Gertrude Feick 2021