Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent

The Month of March Devoted to Saint Joseph

Saint: Saint Macartan, Companion of Saint Patrick (-506); Saint Catherine of Sweden, Daughter of Saint Bridget of Sweden, Friend of Saint Catherine of Siena (1331/2-1381)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 44 Satisfaction by the Excommunicated

Mass: Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22; Resp Ps 34; Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

SAINT JOSEPH, MOST JUST,

PRAY FOR US.

They said among themselves, thinking not aright ...

To us, [the just one] is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us.

Because his life is not like that of others, and different are his ways.

(Wisdon 2:1a, 14-15)

They (we) certainly were (are) not thinking aright. God's ways are not our ways (see Is 55:8); so high are His ways above our ways and His thoughts above our thoughts (see Is 55:8-9). I find all these prophetic words comforting. At the same time, it is possible to be uncomfortable with these words as were those presented to us in the reading from the Book of Wisdom, those who reviled the just one, those who tortured him and put him to the test and condemned him to a shameful death (see Wisdom 2:19-20). It is not easy to be called to task, to have weaknesses and wounds made more evident. However, God's grace is sufficient; His power is made perfect in weakness (see 2 Cor 12:9). May we stand unprotected before the Lord in prayer and ask for His mercy and kindness as we proclaim with Saint Paul, "I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me" (2 Cor 12:9).

Let us recall that we are always seen by God in heaven, that our actions everywhere are in God's sight and are reported by angels at every hour ...

We believe that the divine presence is everywhere and that in every place the eyes of the Lord are watching the good and the wicked.

(Rule of Saint Benedict 7:13; 19:1)

Love makes a demand that cannot leave me untouched. In love I cannot simply remain myself, but I always have to lose myself by having rough edges taken off, by being hurt. And it is just this-that it hurts me so as to bring out more of my potential-it seems to me, that constitutes the greatness of love, that is part of its healing power.*

SAINT MACARTAN,

SAINT PATRICK,

SAINT CATHERINE OF SWEDEN,

SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN,

SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA,

SAINT BENEDICT,**

PRAY FOR US.

* Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger in God and the World: Believing and Living in Our Times A Conversation with Peter Seewald (Ignatius Press, 2002), pp. 83-84.

** With two saints commemorated today, we end up invoking four others as they are all related by blood or friendship and all of them related in the bond of faith. That makes us related to them too! We give thanks and praise to God for the gift of faith and the continuity of tradition. United in faith and prayer, we carry it on. I believe, help my unbelief.

Today's photo: We have been busy this week with scenes from Laetare Sunday.  When the just cry out, the Lord hears them.

© Gertrude Feick 2023