Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"
National Marriage Week
World Day of the Sick
Saints: Our Lady of Lourdes; Saint Gobnait (5th century)
Readings of the Day
Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 9 The Number of Psalms at the Night Office
Mass: 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 12:19; Resp Ps 81; Mk 7:31-37
I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.
MARY, HEALTH OF THE SICK,
PRAY FOR US.
It's a busy day. Every day is a busy day, thanks be to God, for there are many things and people to pray for. That will keep anyone busy, whether or not they are engaged in the usual "busyness". A perfect way to begin every day, with whatever it holds, is to begin each one with the verse: Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall proclaim your praise, as Saint Benedict prescribes for the beginning of Vigils (Rule of Saint Benedict, 9:1). And it's not a bad idea to honor and reverence the Holy Trinity afterwards: "Glory be to the Father ..." (RB 9:7). And when things get rocky at various times throughout the day, here is a powerful verse: God, come to my assistance; Lord, make haste to help me (RB 18:1).
We remain in the Year of the Family, celebrate National Marriage Week, and today is World Day of the Sick. So important are the sick in our midst, Saint Benedict devotes an entire Chapter to them, their care, and to the sick themselves, Chapter 36. It's ten verses and worth a look. I include it for you today so that you might apply it wherever you find yourself. If you can't go out, or don't have time for a personal visit to someone who is ill, then a phone call and/or writing a short note will do, and a prayer is always fitting. 😊
Care of the sick must rank above and before all else, so that they may truly be served as Christ, for He said: I was sick and you visited me, and, What you did for one of these least brothers you did for me. Let the sick on their part bear in mind that they are served out of honor for God, and let them not by their excessive demands distress their brothers who serve them. Still, sick brothers must be patiently borne with, because serving them leads to a greater reward. Consequently, the abbot should be extremely careful that they suffer no neglect.
Let a separate room be designated for the sick, and let them be served by an attendant who is God-fearing, attentive and concerned. The sick may take baths whenever it is advisable, but the healthy, and especially the young, should receive permission less readily. Moreover, to regain their strength, the sick who are very weak may eat meat, but when their health improves, they should all abstain from meat as usual.
The abbot must take the greatest care that cellarers and those who serve the sick do not neglect them, for the shortcomings of disciples are his responsibility.
OUR LADY OF LOURDES,
SAINT GOBNAIT,
PRAY FOR US.
Today's photo: Welcome back to the Hoosier State, another one from Tom and Benedict on a walk at Holliday Park in Indianapolis.
© Gertrude Feick 2022
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