Fifth Sunday of Easter

April is the month dedicated to the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Spirit

May is the month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Readings for the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week:  Ch 70 Mutual Obedience - Prologue 20

They who seek the Lord shall praise Him.

JESUS, DWELLING IN THE TABERNACLES OF THE WORLD,

SPIRIT OF BENIGNITY AND GOODNESS,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

MARY, QUEEN OF ALL THINGS,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.

(1 John 3:20)

Welcome, dear faithful readers, to the Fifth Sunday of Easter, still in the month of April dedicated to the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Spirit. I am sorry that today's offering is late. However, it is still Sunday and time to start thinking about the great Doctor of the Church who we commemorate tomorrow; she is Saint Catherine of Siena, another one of my favorites. For now, though, let's be about bearing much fruit this week. Attached to Jesus the vine, we are the branches. Without the vine, we are nothing. As Jesus tells us, "Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit." So we might think about one fruit of the Holy Spirit that we especially want to cultivate this week. What will it be ... charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity. Those who keep His commandments remain in Him, and He in them, and the way we know that He remains in us is from the Spirit He gave us (1 John 3:24). 

And once again, the moment we've been waiting for, that is, to hear from a voice here, there, and everywhere. Blessed as we are to enter the holy month of May this week, the glorious month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, we hear first from now Venerable Servant of God Fulton J. Sheen, whose cause for canonization as a saint was officially opened under the leadership of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, in 2002 (see The Catholic University of America, "Cause for Canonization"). Not surprisingly, there have been a few bumps along the path for the Archbishop of happy memory. God is in charge, however. So, we will see. Secondly, we hear from Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort, who was especially devoted to Mary, Virgin and Mother. You may be familiar with his True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

God, who made the sun, also made the moon. The moon does not take away from the brilliance of the sun. The moon would be only a burnt-out cinder floating in the immensity of space were it not for the sun. All its light is reflected from the sun. The Blessed Mother reflects her Divine Son; without Him, she is nothing. With Him, she is the Mother of Men.

(Fulton Sheen, 1895-1979, The World's First Love)

All the gifts, virtues and graces of the Holy Ghost are distributed by Mary, to whom she wishes, when she wishes, the way she wishes and as much as she wishes. It is by her that He applies His merits to His members, and that He communicates His virtues, and distributes His graces. She is His Mysterious canal; she is His aqueduct, through which He makes His mercies flow gently and abundantly ...

If then we are establishing sound devotion to Our Blessed Lady, it is only in order to establish devotion to Our Lord more perfectly, by providing a smooth but certain way of reaching Jesus Christ.

(Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort, 1673-1716)

Following Jesus means nothing other than reproducing His virtues in ourselves, in order to do all things well. It is trying to assume His imprint on our bodies and our souls that we might be entirely transformed into Him.

(Blessed Concepcion Cabrera de Armida, 1862-1937)

If we have lost confidence, God reopens us to faith; if we are discouraged, God awakens hope in us; if our heart is hardened, God softens it with His love.

(Pope Francis, Wednesday General Audience, April 24, 2024)

What is it that today makes true followers of Christ cast luxuries aside, leave pleasures behind, and endure difficulties and pain? It is living faith that expresses itself through love. It is this that makes us put aside the goods of the present in the hope of future goods. It is because of faith that we exchange the present for the future.

(From a eulogy for Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, priest and martyr, in Office of Readings, April 24)

The essence of prayer is that I raise my mind to God. I turn my attention from every other thing. I empty my mind of every other thought. I give my whole mind wholly to God to be filled only by God, so that nothing, literally nothing, stands for the moment between my soul and Him.

(Monsignor Philip Hughes, 1895-1967)

Receive Holy Communion; put fire in your heart, which alone will do the work of conversion and your sanctification; warm up your cold hearts, and light them with love, and change the worldly man into a saint.

(Blessed Honoratus Kozminski, 1829-1916)

O Light of Truth, dispel these shadows from me today and drive away the fog! Feed me with the bread of life and understanding and give me the water of wisdom to drink.

(William of St. Thierry, 1075/80/85-1148)

SAINT PETER CHANEL,

SAINT LOUIS MARY GRIGNION DE MONTFORT,

BLESSED MARIA GUGGIARI ECHEVERRIA,

SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH,

POPE SAINT PIUS V,

SAINT MARIE OF THE INCARNATION,

OUR LADY, MOTHER OF AFRICA,

SAINT ATHANASIUS,

SAINTS PHILIP AND JAMES,

SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKER,

THE ENGLISH MARTYRS,

BLESSED MARIE-LEONIE PARADIS,

SAINT CONLETH,

THE BEATIFIED MARTYRS OF ENGLAND AND WALES,

SAINT JOSE MARIE RUBIO,

BLESSED ANGEL PRAT HOSTENCH AND COMPANIONS,

BLESSED EMILY BICCHIERI, OP,

SAINT FLORIAN,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: May your hearts live forever!

© Gertrude Feick 2024