Saturday after Epiphany

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

Saint: Saint Nathalan of Abeerden, Bishop (-678); Saint Gudula, Patron Saint of Brussels along with Saint Michael (c.712); Saint Peter Thomas (1305-1366)

First Saturday of the Month

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 1:1-5 The Kinds of Monks

Mass: 1 Jn 5:14-21; Resp Ps 149; Jn 3:22-30

He adorns the lowly with victory.

THE LORD TAKES DELIGHT IN HIS PEOPLE.

(Psalm 149)

And God surely takes delight in all the saints we have commemorated this week, just as He takes delight in us, united as we are in faith, all of us responding to the universal call to holiness. It may be that what we know about one of our saints of the day is pure legend. However, we believe. It is said that Saint Nathalan of Abeerdeen "was a nobleman who believed that 'amongst the work of man's hands the cultivation of the earth approaches nearest to divine contemplation" and proceeded to put this 'closer to God in a garden' philosophy into effect, tilling the fields in time of famine giving all he grew to the poor" (Butler's Lives of the Saints, January volume, p. 59). It wouldn't hurt for all of us to put the closer to God in the garden philosophy into effect. Even if we live in a concrete jungle so to speak, we can put a plant in the windowsill. I don't live in a concrete jungle, yet I put an amaryllis bulb in the windowsill this morning. It needs more light. 🌞

Something should be said, too, about another saint of the day, Saint Gudula, who happens to be the patron saint of Brussels, Belgium, along with Saint Michael. When I reminded our senior member, herself a Belgian, about Saint Urdula, she said, "yes, there is the Cathedral dedicated to her in Brussels!" And yes, it is a beautiful cathedral you will find, Kathedraal van Sint-Michiel en Sint-Goedele, the Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Urdula. May Saints Michael and Gudula intercede for all Belgians, especially the people of Brussels.

We conclude, then, a week packed with powerful saints to intercede for us, many of them with American ties in one way or the other. Surely all of these saints joined John the Baptist in "He must increase; I must decrease" (Jn 3:30). May we do likewise.

The Lord works wonders with those who are lowly, with those who do not believe that they are great but who give ample space to God in their life. He extends His mercy to those who trust in Him, and raises up the humble.

(Pope Francis, Twitter, January 8, 2022)

SAINT NATHALAN,

SAINT GUDULA,

SAINT PETER THOMAS, 

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Late afternoon yesterday brought some sun and more blue sky. Thank you, God, Creator of heaven and earth.

© Gertrude Feick 2022