Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

October is the month dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary

Readings from the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week: Ch 18 The Order of the Psalmody - Ch 21 The Deans of the Monastery

For great is the Lord and highly to be praised.

MARY, VIRGIN MOST VENERABLE,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

I am the Lord, there is no other.

(Is 45:6)

Welcome to the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, a week that begins on World Mission Sunday while we are still deeply immersed in October, the month dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. At the same time, it is not too early to begin preparation for the new Liturgical Year 2023/2024 that commences on the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2023. You may remember last year that I suggested choosing a patron saint for the New Year, or rather, letting a patron saint choose you as a companion for the year. My faithful companion for Liturgical Year 2022/2023 is Saint Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad (1870-1957), a Briggintine nun. Sadly, I do not remember her enough. However, I trust that she remembers me. That is something saints do - they do not forget all of us here on earth still responding to the universal call to holiness.

On the subject of saints, in other years we would commemorate the great Pope Saint John Paul II on October 22. I had the privilege of attending his beatification, May 1, 2011. I could go on about that forever. However, put simply, it was an awesome gathering of thousands of people from all over the world. And it is true that we may be inspired by the words of a saint, like ones below from our saint of day, or at least I hope so. That is one reason most of our voices for the week come from the mouths of saints. I am inspired by what they have to say to me, and perhaps you will be inspired too. Inspired, you just may decide to learn about a particular saint's life and be further inspired. In an article, the author Father Michael Rennier writes about the importance of knowing the lives of saints: "Through their lives-not simply by their words-the saints bring theological concepts to reality."* So maybe you have read, or will read, the words of a particular saint included in our voices for the week that is coming through loud and clear. Is there a saint that is inviting you to learn more about his or her life, and then inviting you to have a new patron saint for the Liturgical Year 2024? Remember to be open, your patron beckons in unexpected ways. 

With all this and more in mind, then, some of our voices come from saints commemorated this week, others not. 

Our first voice, though meant for clerics, is relevant for all the faithful and a nice one to help us "put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light" (Rm 13:12). 

You are the light of the world. Now a light does not illumine itself, but instead it diffuses its rays and shines all around upon everything that comes into its view. So it must be with the glowing lives of upright and holy clerics ... Their own lives should be an example to others, showing how they must live in the house of the Lord.

(From the treatise Mirror of the Clergy by Saint John of Capistrano, priest, 1386-1456, in Office of Readings, October 23)

The love of Christ arouses us, urges us to run, and to fly, lifted on the wings of holy zeal. The man who truly loves God also loves his neighbor ... The zealous man desires and achieves all things and he labors strenuously so God may always be better known, loved and served in this world and in the life to come, for this is holy love without end.

(From a work by Saint Anthony Mary Claret, bishop, in Office of Readings, October 24)

But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. On those who waver, have mercy.

(Jude 20-22)

To be always close to Jesus, that's my life's plan.

The Eucharist in my highway to heaven. 

The Rosary is the ladder to climb to Heaven.

(Blessed Carlo Acutis, 1991-2006)

I need nothing but God and to lose myself in the heart of Jesus.

(Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, 1647-1690)

To live without faith, without a heritage to defend, without battling constantly for truth, is not to live but to "get along"; we must never just "get along."

(Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, 1901-1925)

If the saint is to become himself, he must become himself in Christ.

(Father Gregory Pine, O.P., Friar of the Province of Saint Joseph)

And we conclude with a prayer for the week, united as we are in faith and prayer. May we follow the example of Saint Paul, and, as he wrote to the Thessalonians, give thanks to God for each other, remember each other in prayer, and remember that each one of us is loved by God (see Th 1:1-5b). God, come to my assistance; Lord, make haste to help me (Rule of Saint Benedict, 18:1/Ps 70:2). Keep going.

O Virgin Mother,

guide and sustain us

so that we may always live

as true sons and daughters

of the Church of your Son.

Enable us to do our part

in helping to establish on earth

the civilization of truth and love,

as God wills it,

for His glory.

(Pope Saint John Paul, II, 1920-2005, Christifideles Laici The Lay Members of Christ's Faithful People, 64)

POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II,

SAINT JOHN OF CAPISTRANO,

SAINT ETHELFLAEDA,

SAINT ANTHONY MARY CLARET,

SAINT MAGLIORE,

FREI GALVAO,

SAINT CHAD,

SAINT CEDD, 

SAINT OTTERAN,

SAINTS SIMON AND JUDE, APOSTLES,

PRAY FOR US.

*Father Michael Rennier, "Knowing the Lives of Saints Will Transform Your Lives," in Aleteia, September 17, 2023.

Today's photo: Coming from the "House on the Hill" the other day, I stopped and looked. With awe and reverence, the words heard later from Anne Frank (1929-1945) now ring true: "I looked up in the sky and trusted in God." It is in Him that we live, and move, and have our being. Give God the praise. 

© Gertrude Feick 2023