Tuesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Respect Life Month

60th Anniversary of the Opening of the Second Vatican Council

Saints: Pope Saint John XXIII "Good Pope John" (1881-1963); Saint Kenneth (515-599); Blessed William Howard (1612-1680)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 8 The Divine Office at Night

Mass: Gal 5:1-6; Resp Ps 119; Lk 11:37-41

Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

MARY, QUEEN OF THE MOST HOLY ROSARY,

SAINT JOSEPH, DEFENDER OF LIFE,

MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

Only faith working through love.

(Gal 5:6)

It is the depth of God's love in each one of us that will inspire us and help us cleanse the inside of our cups and dishes (see today's Gospel Lk 11:37-41). United in faith and prayer, may we go to the depths and cleanse ourselves from any plunder and evil (Lk 11:39). We certainly do not want Jesus to be calling us fools (see Lk 11:40). Heart of Jesus, Source of Truth, Justice, Charity, and Liberty, have mercy on us.

Loving Savior, be pleased to show yourself to us who knock, so that in knowing you we may love only you, love you alone, desire you alone, contemplate only you day and night, and always think of you. Inspire in us the depth of love that is fitting for you to receive as God. So may your love pervade our whole being, possess us completely, and fill our senses, that we may know no other love but love for you who are everlasting. May our love be so great that the many waters of the sky, land and sea cannot extinguish it in us: many waters could not extinguish love.

(From an instruction by Saint Columban, abbot, in Office of Readings, Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday)

As we commemorate Pope Saint John XXIII, we ask him to intercede for us. "Good Pope John", as he was called, gave us eight Encyclical Letters. All of them can be found translated into a variety of languages on www.vatican.va. Here is something from Pacem et Terris, given two months before Good Pope John died.

The family, founded upon marriage freely contracted, one and indissoluble, must be regarded as the natural, primary cell of human society. The interests of the family, therefore, must be taken very specifically into consideration in social and economic affairs, as well as in the spheres of faith and morals. For all of these have to do with strengthening the family and assisting it in the fulfillment of of its mission.

(Pope Saint John XXIII, Pacem et Terris Peace on Earth, On Establishing Universal Peace in Truth, Justice, Charity, and Liberty, April 11, 1963, 16)

POPE SAINT JOHN XXIII,

POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II,

SAINT KENNETH,

BLESSED WILLIAM HOWARD,

PRAY FOR US.

Fun fact: Pope Saint John XXIII and Pope Saint John Paul II were canonized by Pope Francis on the same day, April 27, 2014. Mary, Queen of all saints, pray for us.

Today's photo: I will delight in your commands.

© Gertrude Feick 2022