Third Sunday of Easter

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

Readings for the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week: Ch 60 The Admission of Priests to the Monastery - 64 The Election of an Abbot

Lord, let your face shine on us.

SACRED HOST, GREATEST AID TO HOLINESS,

HOLY SPIRIT, TEACH US TO PRAY WELL,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

MARY, STAR OF THE SEA,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US. 

Whoever keeps His word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.

(1 John 2:5a)

Welcome to the Third Sunday of Easter in the glorious month of April dedicated to the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Spirit. In other years, we commemorate Madagascan and Blessed Lucien Botovasoa (1908-1947). If you don't know his story, you might take a look at it. Wow! Husband, father, teacher, martyr ...what a man of faith. And not to be outdone is Dominican and Blessed Peter Gonzalez (1190-1246), invoked by sailors under the name "Saint Elmo." 

Something to do this week is STOP. Listen to His word. See. Recognize. No, it is not a ghost in your midst. So do not be troubled; do not be anxious. Look at Him; touch Him. Ahhh. Peace be with you, says the risen Lord. I am with you always. Let Him embrace you and open your mind to understand the Scriptures. 

We were blessed to have another nun from our Order with us for several days who delivered conferences on Cistercian father, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. Our voice this week is Bernard of Clairvaux, then, in some texts from his sermons and letters that you might find inspiring. We turn things over to you Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church, and "last of the fathers," also called Doctor Mellifluus*, a voice so pleasant to hear that we might as well hear plenty of it! 

Faith is a good shadow; it tempers the light to the eye's weakness and prepares the eye for the light; for it is written: He cleansed their hearts by faith.

(Sermon 31 on the Song of Songs)

We therefore who walk by faith live in the shadow of Christ; we are fed with His flesh as the source of our life. For Christ's flesh is real food.

(Sermon 31 on the Song of Songs)

It is the Word who enters without a sound; who acts without speaking, who touches the affection without striking the ears.

(Sermon on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

In the midst of His temple is His mercy, not in a corner or some out of the way spot, because God shows no partiality. It stands there open, it is offered to all, and no one is beyond reach save whose who reject it ... So let us then embrace the mercy we have received in the midst of the temple and let us, with blessed Anna, never leave the temple.

(Sermon on the Feast of the Purification)

The soul must grow and expand that it may be roomy enough for God. Its width is its love, as the apostle says, "widen yourselves in love" ... The size of a person's soul is judged by the amount of love they possess.

(Sermon 27 on the Song of Songs)

Heartfelt compassion benefits many, for a generous soul will blush to grieve someone who they see has genuine concern for them.

(Sermon 44 on the Song of Songs)

So when an offence is committed against you ... do not immediately rush, as a worldly person would do, to retaliate dishonorably against your brother; nor, under the guise of administering correction, dare to pierce with sharp and searing words one for whom Christ was pleased to be crucified; nor make grunting, resentful noises at him, nor mutter or murmur complaints, nor adopt a sneering air, nor indulge the loud laugh of contempt, not knit the brow in menacing anger. Let your disturbance die within, where it was born; do not allow this carrier of death an exit or it will wreak destruction. Then you can say with the Prophet: "I was troubled and I spoke not."

(Sermon 29 on the Song of Songs)

Lord, I am content to see my own darkness in your light ... When the darkness has been put to flight, then in your light alone we see light.

(Letter 85/87 to William of St. Thierry)

It is the nature of this universal vanity which is in us to wish for praise when we deserve blame, and to be loath to praise others when we know them to be praiseworthy. And this also is a vain thing: in our ignorance we often commend what does not exist and are silent about what does.

(Letter 18/19 to William of St. Thierry)

And as we go forth this week, united in faith and prayer, may we "learn not be tardy or sluggish in offering thanks. Learn to offer thanks for each and every gift" (Sermon 51 on the Song of Songs).

SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX,

BLESSED LUCIEN BOTOVASOA,

BLESSED PETER GONZALEZ, OP, “SAINT ELMO”,

SAINT BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS,

SAINT DONAN,

BLESSED BAPTIST SPAGNOLLI OF MANTUA,

BLESSED CLARA GAMBACORTA, OP,

BLESSED MARIA MANCINI, OP,

SAINT LASERIAN OR MOLAISE,

SAINT ATHANASIA OF AEGINA,

BLESSED MARIE-ANNE BLONDIN,

BLESSED MARY OF THE INCARNATION,

SAINT ALPHEGE,

BLESSED JAMES ALDO,

BLESSED ISNARD OF CHIAMPO, OP,

BLESSED SIBYLLINA BISCOSSI, OP,

SAINTS MARCELLINUS, VINCENT AND DOMNINUS,

SAINT BEUNO,

SAINT AGNES OF MONTEPULICIANO, OP,

PRAY FOR US.

*From the May 24, 1953, encyclical from Pope Pius XII, Doctor Mellifluus, on Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, "the last of the fathers, but certainly not inferior to the earlier ones" (1).

Today's photo: One with "my" riding mower, I stood on it for this one. You put gladness into my heart.

© Gertrude Feick 2024