Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary time

Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saint: Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Doctor of the Church (380-450)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 48:22-25 The Daily Manual Labor

Mass: Jer 26:11-16, 24; Resp Ps 69; Mt 14:1-12

See you lowly ones and be glad.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

Listen to the voice of the Lord your God.

(Jer 26:13)

Welcome to Saturday, a day customarily dedicated to the Virgin. It is also a day to commemorate Bishop of Ravenna, "the city of mosaics," Italy, and Doctor of the Church, Saint Peter Chrysologus, whose name means "golden speech." We also conclude our reading from another one of my favorite chapters of the Holy Rule of Saint Benedict, namely, Chapter 48 on the Daily Manual. It may just be that it is one where I am challenged as I am not necessarily a person of moderation. As it turns out, I read an article this morning entitled, "3 Tips for a Restful Sabbath," by Liz Montigny. The title alone prompts me to pass along some of Saint Benedict's wisdom from Chapter 48. And since tomorrow is the Sabbath, it all goes together. As we find in the Letter to the Hebrews, "therefore, a sabbath rest still remaims for the people of God. And whoever enters into God's rest, rests from his own works as God did from His" (Hebrews 4:9-10). What does Saint Benedict have to say about the sabbath of Sunday? Our holy father says that "on Sunday all are to be engaged in reading except those who have been assigned various duties" (RB 48:22). We have, then, another tip for a restful Sabbath. God is praised. Until tomorrow we go forth, united in faith and prayer. Thank you for being there. 

That the Creator is in His creature and God is in the flesh brings dignity to man without dishonor to Him who made him ...

He has made you in His image that you might in your person make the invisible Creator present on earth; He has made you His legate, so that the vast empire of the world might have the Lord's representative. Then in His mercy God assumed what He made in you; He wanted now to be truly manifested in man, just as He had wished to be revealed in man as an image. Now He would be in reality what He had submitted to be in symbol.

(From a sermon by Saint Peter Chrysologus, bishop, in Office of Readings, July 30)

With you

have been hidden the unfailing treasures

of truth and grace

of peace and pity

of salvation and wisdom

of glory and honor.

(Adam of Perseigne, c. 1145-1221, in Mary Most Holy: Meditating with the Early Cistercians) 

MARY, QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND EARTH,

SAINT PETER CHRYSOLOGUS,

SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: I love the colors of this one, sighted early the other morning, in our garden of delights. I think the Blessed Mother is pleased, along with Saint Peter Chrysologus.

© Gertrude Feick 2022