In other years: Pope Saint Sixtus II and his companions (-258); Saint Cajetan (1480-1547); Blessed Nicholas Postgate (1598-1679); Saint Albert Trapani (c.1240-1307)
Readings of the Day
Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 55:1-14 The Clothing and Footwear of the Brothers
Mass: Wisdom 18:6-9; Resp Ps 33; Heb 11:1-2, 8-19; Lk 12:32-48
Our soul waits for the Lord.
MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,
HEART OF MARY, UNITED TO THE HEART OF JESUS,
PRAY FOR US.
Arise, O God, and defend your cause, and forget not the cries of those who seek You.
(Entrance Antiphon, Mass, in part)
In today's Gospel, the Lord answers Peter's question with a question of His own: Who then is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? (Lk 12:42). It may be that a faithful and prudent steward is, among other things, someone who pays attention. Someone who, as we sing praise at the end of a psalm, pays attention and gives Praise to the God who is, praise to the God who was, praise to the God who is to come, for ages unending. Amen. So many things pass by without us noticing. Or rather, pass by without me noticing. For example, the beauty of God's creation that surrounds us at every moment. It just so happens that I was paying attention late yesterday afternoon when I went looking for a flower to use with today's reflection. And you can see what I found instead. Stay awake and be ready! For you do not know on what day the Lord will come (Gospel acclamation, Mass). Mary Oliver puts it this way:
Messenger,
by Mary Oliver (1935-2019)
My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird-
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.
Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters.,
which is my work,
which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,
which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.
It is entirely up to you. If you want Christ to love you and help you, you must love Him and always make an effort to please Him. Do not waver in your purpose, because even if all the saints and every single creature should abandon you, He will always be near you, whatever your needs.
(From a letter by Saint Cajetan, priest, in Office of Readings, August 7)
POPE SAINT SIXTUS II AND HIS COMPANIONS,
SAINT CAJETAN,
BLESSED NICHOLAS POSTGATE,
SAINT ALBERT TRAPANI,
PRAY FOR US.
Today's photo: See text above. 😊 May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us.
© Gertrude Feick 2022
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