Friday, December 10, 2021

Friday of the Second Week of Advent

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Saints: Our Lady of Loreto; Pope Saint Melchiades (d. 314); Saint John Roberts, Martyr (1575-1610); Saint Edmund Jennings, Martyr (1567-1591); Saint Eustace White, Martyr (1559-1591); Saint Polydore Plasden, Martyr (1563-1591); Saint Swithin Wells, Martyr (c.1536-1591)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 57 The Artisans of the Monastery

Mass: Is 48:17-19; Resp Ps 1; Mt 11:16-19

Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners.

HEART OF JESUS, MOST WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE,
HAVE MERCY ON US.

Rejoice this day with so many saints to intercede for us, a large number of them English martyrs. May they intercede for us, and especially for the people of the United Kingdom.

It seems like a good day to heed the words of the Lord that come to us through the Prophet Isaiah: Thus says the Lord, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go (Is 48:17). For, as Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) writes, "The whole opening scene of the good news is filled with waiting people. And right at the beginning all those people in some way or another hear the words, "Do not be afraid. I have something good to say to you.'" Yes, as Jesus says, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (Jn 8:12), and as we sing in today's responsory, "Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life". We do everything then, so that in all things God may be glorified (RB 57:9/1 Pt 4:11).

Just as in the Second Coming we will go to meet Christ, our bodies rising in exaltation, so we must greet His first coming with hearts straining with desire and leaping with joy.
(Guerric of Igny)

The Lord delays so that He can be merciful to you ... If you are wise, give an eye to yourself and see how you are using this delay. If you are a sinner, do not be heedless but take the opportunity to repent. If you are holy the time is given to you to progress in holiness, not to slip away from the truth.
(Guerric of Igny)

OUR LADY OF LORETO,
POPE SAINT MELCHIADES, 
SAINT JOHN ROBERTS,
SAINT EDMUND JENNINGS,
SAINT EUSTACE WHITE,
SAINT POLYDORE PLASDEN,
SAINT SWITHIN WELLS,
SAINT JOSEPH,
PRAY FOR US. 

Today's photo: I've been waiting to use this one. This classic photo was sent shortly after the photographer and I had a conversation about shoes at the side of the road. I asked if she had noticed that there is usually only one shoe on the side of the road, not two. Except for when a pair of shoes is hanging over an electrical wire. And just how did they get up there? I recall only once that I saw a pair of shoes, but they were flipflops, in the Safeway parking lot in Silverton, OR. 

© Gertrude Feick 2021

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