Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

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

Saint: Saint Macrina the Elder (c.340)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 2:30-32 Qualities of the Abbot

Mass: 1 Sm 8:4-7, 10-22a; Resp Ps 89; Mk 2:1-12

In the light of your countenance, O Lord, they walk.

JESUS, LOVER OF US,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

In the mood to share a poem today, I opened The Gift: Poems by Hafiz the Great Sufi Master. There are so many wonderful poems inside the treasure, which makes a great gift. How about this little gem ...

THE CONSTANT YEARNING

We are

 

Like lutes

Once held by God.

Being away from his warm body

Fully explains

This 

Constant

Yearning.

And sometimes we need a little help from our friends, like the four men in today's Gospel, who carried their paralytic friend to Jesus. So many were gathered in the room, the friends lowered the paralytic through the roof. Child, your sins are forgiven (Mk 2:5). May Our Lord find us with such faith. 

One of the saints profiled in Butler's for this date is Macrina the Elder. She was the paternal grandmother of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, whose elder sister is venerated as Saint Macrina the Younger (January, p. 98). How's that for a holy family. God is praised!

SAINT MACRINA THE ELDER,

SAINT BASIL THE GREAT,

SAINT GREGORY NAZIANZEN,

SAINT MACRINA THE YOUNGER,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Faithful reader LR strikes again with a photo from Redwoods, fitting with our Responsorial Psalm. 

© Gertrude Feick 2022