July is the month dedicated to the Precious Blood of the Lord
In other years: Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and his companions, Martyrs (1648-1930); The Martyrs of Gorcum (-1572); Saint Paulina of the Heart of the Dying Jesus (1865-1942); Saint Leo Ignatius Mangin, Priest, Mary Zhu Wu and Companions, Martyrs (-1900); Blessed Jane Scopelli (1428-1491)
Readings of the Day
Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 31 Qualifications of the Monastery Cellarer - Ch 36 The Sick
Mass: Zech 9:9-10; Resp Ps 145; Rm 8:9, 11-13; Mt 11:25-30
Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord.
MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,
MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH,
SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,
PRAY FOR US.
BLOOD OF CHRIST, RELIEF OF THE BURDENED,
SAVE US.
He shall proclaim peace to the nations.
(Zechariah 9:10)
You are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you ... if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
(Romans 8:9, 13)
Welcome to the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time and the week when we celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Benedict (July 11) and commemorate other powerful intercessors such as Saints Louis Martin and Marie Azelie Guerin (July 12), who were not only the first spouses in the Church's history to be canonized, they were the parents of the Little Flower, Saint Therese of Lisieux; and Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, known as "Lily of the Mohawks," and "Genevieve of New France" (July 14). Saints Louis and Marie Azelie and Saint Kateri were beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI. The pontiffs and the Church certainly bestowed proper honor on many of our great saints. However, all of our saints are great, those officially recognized, and all of us "saints in the making." Lord, help us as we respond to the universal call to holiness. Give God the praise!
With all these saints to lead us, then, may we have the open hearts and inquiring minds of little ones so that Jesus can help us to know the Father. Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom. Alleluia (Gospel Acclamation, Mass).
And now with our voices for the week, a little of this and a little of that. And if things get tense or heavy, or you feel overwhelmed with this and that, remember what Jesus tells us in today's Gospel. Come to me, He calls, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light (Mt 11:28-30). United in faith and prayer as we are, let us "run on the path of God's commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love" (Rule of Saint Benedict Prologue 49), place our hope in God alone (RB 4:41), and declare with the Saint Paul and Saint Benedict: "By God's grace I am what I am," and remember, "He who boasts should boast in the Lord" (RB Prologue 31-32). Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give the glory! (Ps 115:1). ☺
And with the above in heart and mind, how about these words I just read from the "wholly American," Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton: "Keep your hearts at rest. Never can you find a surer way of obtaining all your desires than that of leaving all to God, Who delights to grant the wishes even for this life if you are full of confidence." Amen.
When Jesus is loved, everything is joy!
(Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes, 1900-1920)
Be afraid neither of the world, nor of the future, nor of your own weakness. The Lord has allowed you to live in this moment in history, so that, by your faith, His name will continue to resound throughout the world,
(Pope Benedict XVI, 1927-2022)
Gratitude is the memory of the heart.
(Saint Mary Euphrasia Pelletier, 1796-1868)
One thorn of experience is worth a whole wilderness of warning.
(James Russell Lowell, 1819-1891)
Freedom [is] not the strength to do what I [want] and overcome obstacles on my own; instead it [is] fully embracing my weakness, knowing that my only protection, the only thing to rely on, is God's love.
(Kimberly Shankman, Ph.D., academic dean, Benedictine College, Atchinson, KS)
The true believer practices what he believes. But of those who only pay lip service to the faith, Paul has this to say: They profess to know God, but they deny Him in their works. Therefore James says: Faith without works is dead.
(Pope Saint Gregory the Great, 540-604)
We should love and feel compassion for those who oppose us, rather than abhor and despise them, since they harm themselves and do us good, and adorn us with crowns of everlasting glory while they incite God's anger against themselves. And even more than this, we should pray for them and not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by goodness. We should heap good works like red-hot coals of burning love upon their heads, as our Apostle urges us to do, so that when they become aware of our tolerance and gentleness they may undergo a change of heart and be prompted to turn in love to God.
(From a sermon to fellow members of his society of Saint Anthony Zaccaria, priest, 1502-1539)
SAINT AUGUSTINE ZHAO RONG AND COMPANIONS,
THE MARTYRS OF GORCUM,
SAINT PAULINA OF THE HEART OF DYING JESUS,
SAINT LEO IGNATIUS MANGIN, MARY ZHU WU AND COMPANIONS,
BLESSED JANE SCOPELLI,
SAINT AMALBERGA,
SAINT BENEDICT,
POPE SAINT PAUL VI,
SAINT JOHN JONES,
SAINTS LOUIS MARTIN AND MARIE AZELIE GUERIN,
SAINT THERESE OF LISIEUX,
SAINT HENRY,
SAINT JOHN GAULBERTI,
SAINT TERESA OF LOS ANDES,
SAINT CAMILLUS OF LELLIS,
SAINT KATERI TEKAKWITHA, "LILY OF THE MOHAWKS, "GENEVIEVE OF NEW FRANCE,
POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II,
SAINT BONAVENTURE,
SAINT SWITHUN,
SAINT OSMUND OF SALISBURY,
VENERABLE AUSGUSTUS TOLTON,
PRAY FOR US.
Today's photo: More happy flowers even when not at their peak. Are not flowers the stars of the earth? (Clara Lucas Balfour).
© Gertrude Feick 2023
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