Wednesday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Saints: Saints Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions, Martyrs (17th-19th century) 

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 45 Mistakes in the Oratory

Mass: Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28; Resp Ps (Dn 3); Lk 21:12-19

Give glory and eternal praise to him.

JESUS, INFINITE GOODNESS,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

I was thinking this morning that it is not as if Jesus did not warn us, as He does in today's Gospel: You will be hated because of my name (Lk 21:17). He continues though: Not a hair on your head will be destroyed (Lk 21:18). As Our Lord says, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute (Lk 21:15). We meet adversaries in small and not so small ways, and sometimes in the least likely circumstances, or from the least likely people. The many martyrs we commemorate this week bear witness to that. May we, like them, persevere, for by our perseverance we will secure our lives (Lk 21:19). In whatever form martyrdom comes, we can remember words of Venerable Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan: "Martyrdom does not place limits on loving the Lord". We are united in faith and love as we continue our week of gratitude and blessing, thanking God from whom all blessings flow. Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life (Gospel versicle, Mass). 

I close today with a prayer offered by Pope Francis, at the conclusion of this morning's General Audience catechesis.

Saint Joseph, 

you who guarded the bond with Mary and Jesus,

help us to care for the relationships in our lives.

May no one experience that sense of abandonment

that comes from loneliness.

Let each of us be reconciled with our own history,

with those who have gone before,

and recognize even in the mistakes made,

a way through which Providence has made its way,

and evil did not have the last word.

Show yourself to be a friend to those who struggle the most,

and as you supported Mary and Jesus in difficult times,

support us too on our journey. Amen.

SAINTS ANDREW DUNG-LAC AND COMPANIONS,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: I spotted this treasure yesterday morning.

© Gertrude Feick 2021