Sunday, October 2, 2022

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Respect Life Month: Respect Life Sunday*

In other years: The Holy Guardian Angels 

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:35-43 Humility

Mass: Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4; Resp Ps 95; 2 Tim 1:6-8, 13-14; Lk 17:5-10

Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,
MARY, QUEEN OF THE MOST HOLY ROSARY,
SAINT JOSEPH, DEFENDER OF LIFE,
PRAY FOR US.

The just one, because of his faith, shall live.
(Habakkuk 2:4)

Welcome to Sunday, faithful readers. We could just keep three small words in our minds and hearts, and on our lips this day: Increase our faith (Lk 17:5). All it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed to uproot mulberry trees and plant them in the sea (Lk 17:6). Expect the unexpected then. I believe, help my unbelief. 

United in faith and prayer, we go forth, with courage, "for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord ... bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God" (2 Tim 1:7-8). For, as Saint Benedict includes in the fourth step of humility, Anyone who perseveres to the end will be saved (Mt 10:22), and again, Be brave of heart and rely on the Lord (Ps 27:14)" (Rule of Saint Benedict, 7:36). Ask your guardian angel to help you, "the angels are here; they are at your side, they are with you, present on your behalf. They are here to protect you and to serve you. But even if it is God who has given them this charge, we must nonetheless be grateful to them for the great love with which they obey and come to help us in our need ...we have only to follow them, stay close to them, and we shall dwell under the protection of God's heaven" (From a sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot, in Office of Readings, October 2). Amen.

How beautiful faith is! ... When it seems that a dark veil has been lowered over your eyes, we can know without a doubt that God is on the other side of it ... What does it matter if we can see Him or not? What matters is knowing that He is there. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.
(Rafael Arnaiz in The Collected Works: Saint Rafael Arnaiz, pp. 150-151)

HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELS,
PRAY FOR US.

*NB. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops remind us that "every October, we consider more deeply why every human life is valuable and reflect on how to build a culture that protects life from conception to natural death" (www.usccb.org). This year we focus on Saint Joseph, defender of life. We pray to Saint Joseph then and invoke him every day this month. 

Today's photo: Come, let us bow down in worship.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

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