Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God/Week before the Epiphany of the Lord

December is the month dedicated to Advent and Christmas and the Immaculate Conception

January is the month dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus

World Day of Peace

Readings from the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week: Ch 73 This Rule Only a Beginning of Perfection - Prologue

Glory in His holy name.

MARY, CONCEIVED WITHOUT ORIGINAL SIN,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

JESUS, SON OF THE LIVING GOD.

HAVE MERCY ON US. 

And in whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to Him through God.

(Col. 3:17)

Welcome to the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, World Day of Peace and entry into the New Year 2024, all on the week before the Epiphany of the Lord. Alleluia. And that is not all, faithful readers. On January 4, we commemorate "wholly American," first born in the USA American citizen, wife, mother, foundress of the Sisters of Charity, Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton. For all this we give God the praise. And remember that a grateful person is a happy person and happy person is a grateful person. We are God's chosen ones, so we put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bear with one another and forgive one another. Over all these, though, we put on love, that is the bond of perfection, and be thankful. May peace control our hearts (see Col 3:12-21). Lord, give us the grace. Mary, Queen of peace, pray for us.

And now, since we also begin our first read through of the year 2024 of the Holy Rule of Saint Benedict, why not consider our holy father's first words and spend this year by listening. "Listen carefully," says Saint Benedict, "with the ear of your heart" (Prologue 1). 

The coming forth is from the days of eternity.

But at the end of the ages

His coming forth

is from the womb of the woman

who encompassed Him.

If the Lord wrought something

new upon earth

still the fragrance of this wonderful news

filled the heaven.

A woman will encompass a man

as a crown encompasses the head.

For the head of the Church is Christ.

(Gilbert of Hoyland, 1110-1170)

God far exceeds all words that we can here express. 

In silence He has heard, in silence worshipped best.

(Angelus Silesius, 1624-1677)

Different men have different names, which they owe to their parents or to themselves, that is, to their own pursuits or achievements. But our great pursuit, the great name we wanted, was to be Christians, to be called Christians.

(From a sermon by Saint Gregory of Nazianzen, 330-389/390, bishop, in Office of Readings, January 2)

Write what you will, I shall not relish it unless it tells of Jesus. Talk or argue about what you will, I shall not relish it if you exclude the name of Jesus. Jesus is to me honey in the mouth, music in the ear, a song in the heart.

(Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, On the Song of Songs, 15, III, 6)

God will provide; that is all my comfort.

(Mother Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, 1774-1821)

We are never strong enough to bear our cross; it is the cross which carries us. Nor are we so weak as to be unable to bear it, since the weakest become strong by its virtue.

(Mother Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, 1774-1821)

In whatever distress you may be, I beg you to let me know. 

And I will help you according to my ability.

(Saint John Nepomucene Neumann, prayer from his diary)

One must never dialogue, brothers and sisters, with the devil. Never! You should never argue. Jesus never dialogued with the devil; He cast him out. And with the wilderness, [the] temptations, He did not respond with dialogue; He simply responded with the words of Holy Scripture, with the Word of God. Be careful: the devil is a seducer. Never dialogue with him, because he is smarter than all of us and he will make us pay for it. When temptation comes, never dialogue. Close the door, close the window, close your heart. And so, we defend ourselves against this seduction, because the devil is astute, intelligent. He tried to tempt Jesus with quotes from the Bible! He was a great theologian there. With the devil you do not dialogue. Do you understand this? Be careful.  We must not converse with the devil, and we must not entertain ourselves with temptation. There is no dialogue. Temptation comes, we close the door. We guard our heart ...

And we must ask for this grace of learning to guard the heart. It is a form of wisdom, how to guard the heart. May the Lord help [us] in this work. But he who guards his heart, guards a treasure. Brothers and sisters, let us learn to guard the heart.

(Pope Francis, General Audience Catechesis, December 27, 2023)

We go forth, united in faith and prayer, and pray for each other, that we learn to guard our hearts. Mary, Mother of the Word Incarnate, please cover us in your protective veil. We join the Holy Father and pray: "May Mary, Queen of the family, help us marvel every day at the good, and to know how to see it on the faces of those nearest to us" (Angelus Address, December 31, 2023)

MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD,

THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH,

SERVANT OF GOD JEROME LEJEUNE,

SERVANT OF GOD ELIZABETH LESEUR,

POPE SAINT SYLVESTER I, 

SAINTS BASIL THE GREAT AND GREGORY NAZIANZEN, BISHOPS AND DOCTORS,

SAINT MUNCHIN,

SAINT GENEVIEVE,

SAINT KURIAKOSE ELIAS CHAVARA,

BLESSED STEPHANA QUINZANI,

MOTHER SAINT ELIZABETH ANN SETON,

SAINT JOHN NEPOMUCENE NEUMANN,

SAINT ANDRE BESSETTE,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Mary, the Holy Mother of God, with Her child Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. "You too are mothers of the Child who has been born for you and in you ... Keep watch in your care for the newborn Child" (Guerric of Igny, 1070/80-1157)

© Gertrude Feick 2023/2024