Thursday of the Second Week of Easter

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

Saints: Saint Peter Chanel, Martyr (1803-1841); Saint Louis Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716); Blessed Maria Guggiari Echeverria (1925-1959)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 70 The Presumption of Striking Another Monk at Will 

Mass: Acts 5:27-33; Resp Ps 34; Jn 3:31-36

His praise shall be ever in my mouth.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

In today's account from the Acts of the Apostles, the Sanhedrin has had just about enough from Peter and the Apostles. They just would not stop teaching in the name of Jesus. So fed up, the Sanhedrin became infuriated and wanted to put Peter and the Apostles to death. Saint Peter Chanel faced many of the same challenges. However, opposition didn't stop Peter and the Apostles and it didn't stop Saint Peter Chanel, who preached the name of Christ to the people on the island of Futuna in the Pacific Ocean. As related in a eulogy of Saint Peter Chanel, "he could never refuse anything to the Futunians, even to those who persecuted him; he always made excuses for them and never rejected them, even though they were often rude and troublesome. He displayed an unparalleled mildness towards everyone on all occasions without exception" (in Office of Readings, April 28). Eventually martyred, Peter Chanel's witness and work could not be destroyed. "One the day before his martyrdom he had said: "It does not matter if I die. Christ's religion is so deeply rooted on this island that it cannot be destroyed by my death'." And furthermore, "the blood of this martyr benefitted, in the first place, the natives of Futuna, for a few years later they were all converted to the faith of Christ. But it benefited as well the other islands of Oceania, where Christian churches, which claim Peter as their first martyr, are now flourishing." 

United in faith and prayer, we go forth. The harvest is rich but the laborers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to His harvest (Responsory, Office of Readings).

And with a few words from another one of our saints of the day:

As all perfection consists in our being conformed, united and consecrated to Jesus it naturally follows that the most perfect of all devotions is that which conforms, unites, and consecrates us most completely to Jesus. Now of all God's creatures Mary is the most conformed to Jesus. It therefore follows, that, of all devotions, devotion to her makes for the most effective consecration and conformity to Him. The more one is consecrated to Mary, the more one is consecrated to Jesus ...

This devotion consists in giving oneself entirely to Mary in order to belong entirely to Jesus through her.

(From "On Devotion to the Virgin Mary," by Saint Louis Grignion de Montfort, in Office of Readings, April 28)

VIRGIN MOST RENOWNED,

PRAY FOR US.

SAINT PETER CHANEL,

SAINT LOUIS GRIGNION DE MONTFORT,

BLESSED MARIA GUGGIARI ECHEVERRIA,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: This early morning shot comes from Carmichael, CA. Rise and shine and bring God your glory.

© Gertrude Feick 2022