First Sunday of Lent

February is the month dedicated to the Holy Family

February 19th: Presidents' Day

Readings for the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week: Ch 15 The Times for Saying Alleluia - Ch 18 The Order of the Psalmody

He teaches the humble His way.

HOLY FAMILY, HIDDEN AND UNKNOWN IN NAZARETH,

MARY, QUEEN OF ANGELS,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US. 

Christ suffered once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that He might lead you to God.

(1 Peter 3:18)

Welcome to the First Sunday of Lent. Here we go, dear faithful readers, united as we are in faith and prayer. And we bring with us those preparing to enter the Church at Easter who will come forward today for the Rite of Election. May the grace of God be with us during this holy season of Lent, the forty days that run from Ash Wednesday up to but excluding the Mass of the Lord's Supper. During these days, the Alleluia is not said, so it no wonder that Saint Benedict has Ch. 15 "The Times for Saying Alleluia," in the Holy Rule. And it is the reading for February 18! Among other things, our holy father Benedict instructs us that "the alleluia is never added to the responsories except from Easter Pentecost" (RB 15:4). Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!

Voices this week all come from one voice, namely, C.S. Lewis. In addition to reading The Screwtape Letters, I stumbled across a little gem when working in the library the other day, A Mind Awake: An Anthology of C.S. Lewis, ed. C. S. Kilby (Harvest/HBJ, 1980). In one way or another, each quotation is fitting for this holy season of Lent. And as in today's Gospel, where Jesus is tempted in the desert, we are reminded to be on guard. The tempter is prowling; he is waiting to pounce. Repent, and believe in the Gospel (Mk 1:15). Kyrie eleison. 

The tempter always works on some real weakness in our own system of values: 

offers food to some need which we have starved.

(C.S. Lewis, "Equality," in The Spectator, August 27, 1943)

No good work is done anywhere without the aid from the Father of Lights.

(C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms, Ch. 11)

How little people know who think that holiness is dull. When one meets the real thing ... it is irresistible. If even ten percent of the world's population had it, would not the whole world be converted and happy before a year's end?

(C.S. Lewis, unpublished letter, August 1, 1953)

Virtue-even attempted virtue-brings light; indulgence brings fog.

(C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Book 3, Ch. 5)

There is a kind of happiness and wonder that makes you serious. It is too good to waste on jokes.

(C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle, Ch. 15)

 

It is not enough to want to get rid of one's sins. We also need to believe in the One who saves us from our sins ... Because we know that we are sinners, it does not follow that we are saved.

(C.S. Lewis, "I was Decided Upon," Decision, 1963)

If you continue to love Jesus, nothing much can go wrong with you, 

and I hope you may always do so. 

(Unpublished letter to a little girl, October 26, 1963)

BLESSED JOHN OF FIESOLE OP, Fra Angelico

SAINT FLAVIAN,

SAINT SIMON,

SAINT CONRAD OF PIECENZA,

SAINT FRANCISCO AND JACINTA MARTO,

OUR LADY OF FATIMA,

BLESSED ALVAREZ OF CORDOBA,

SAINT ELIZABETH ANN SETON,

BLESSED CHRISTOPHER OF MILAN OP,

SAINT ROBERT SOUTHWELL,

BLESSED JOSEPHA GIRBES,

BLESSED CONSTANTIUS OF FABRIANO, OP,

BLESSED THOMAS MARIA FUSCO,

SAINT VICTORINUS,

SAINT PETER DAMIAN, BISHOP, DOCTOR,

SAINT PETER THE APOSTLE, 

SAINT POLYCARP,

PRAY FOR US.

NB. A little bit about one of the saints we commemorate this week, namely, Fra Angelico. I have not only seen in person, along with my beloved sisters Kathy and Vicki, his fresco, The Annuciation, that hangs at the convent of San Marco in Florence, I visited his tomb several times at Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. And one time, my beloved sisters were with me. For this and for my beloved sisters, I give God the praise. 

Today's photo: This little flower follows in the footsteps of the Holy Family, hidden and unknown on 7th Street in Eureka, a bit hidden and no longer unknown if it ever was in the first place. ☺ In Your kindness remember me. 

© Gertrude Feick 2024