Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

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

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Saints: Saint Angela Merici, Virgin, Foundress of the Ursulines (1470-1540); Blessed Edward Oldcorne (1561-1606); Saint Henry de Osso (1840-1896); Blessed Marcolino of Forli OP (1317-1397)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:10-18 Humility

Mass: 2 Sm 7:18-19, 24-29; Resp Ps 132; Mk 4:21-25

In her will I dwell, for I prefer her.

A LAMP TO MY FEET IS YOUR WORD, A LIGHT TO MY PATH.

(Gospel versicle, Mass)

How blessed we are to commemorate another great one in Saint Angela Merici. Born in Desenzano, she eventually settled in nearby Brescia, both in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy, where she devoted herself to the Christian education of girls from poor families. And she had plenty of offers to do other work for the Church. For example, when Angela was in Rome in the Jubilee Year 1525, Pope Clement VII (1478-1534) invited her to take charge of a Congregation of nursing sisters in Rome, and Angela was offered a similar post from the duke of Milan. Nevertheless, Angela declined both offers, convinced as she was that her calling lay with care of the local girls. One might say she was a lover of her place and its peoples. Fascinated by Saint Ursula from youth, and later a Franciscan tertiary, Angela eventually founded the Ursulines in 1535, the "'oldest and most considerable teaching Order in the Roman Catholic Church'" (Butler's Lives of the Saints, January volume, p. 199). By way of interest, Angela Merici was busy doing her thing for Lord at about the same time that Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was busy doing his! Saint Angela Merici, and Saint Ignatius of Loyola right along with her, certainly did not place their lamps under a bushel basket or under a bed. Rather, they put them on the lampstand where they belonged (Mk 4:21). One of Angela's last pieces of advice was: "'Do in life what you would have wanted to do in death'" (Butler's, p. 200). Anyone who has ears ought to hear, says the Lord (Mk 4:23).

On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we invoke Saint Maximillian Kolbe and Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, along with our other saints of the day. 

SAINT ANGELA MERICI,

SAINT URSULA,

SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA,

BLESSED EDWARD OLDCORNE,

SAINT HENRY DE OSSO,

BLESSED MARCOLINO OF FORLI,

SAINT MAXIMILIAN KOLBE,

SAINT TERESA BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS, 

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: From a walk in our grove. Thanks, LR!

© Gertrude Feick 2022