Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

July is the month dedicated to the Precious Blood of Our Lord

August is the month dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament 

Readings for the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week: Ch 48 The Daily Manual Labor - Ch 52 The Oratory of the Monastery

You open your hand.

BLOOD OF CHRIST, PLEDGE OF ETERNAL LIFE,

SAVE US.

SACRED HOST, SUMMIT AND SOURCE OF ALL WORSHIP AND CHRISTIAN LIFE,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

MARY, QUEEN AND MOTHER,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

 A great prophet has risen in our midst. God has visited His people.

Alleluia. 

(Gospel acclamation, Mass)

Welcome to the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time still in the month dedicated to the Precious Blood of Our Lord, while we also enter the month dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament. Both are fitting enough for today's Gospel reading. In any case, the summer marches on. I am on the boy in today's Gospel (John 6:1-15), the one who had only five barley loaves and two fish; not a lot of food, and certainly not enough to feed a large crowd, about five thousand men to boot. Unless, that is, Jesus is in town. Since Jesus is always in town, go ahead and allow Him to take what little you have and do His thing. Our Lord will transform what we see as only a little into more than we could ever imagine. There will be enough for everyone. So, go ahead, and give it up to and for the Lord. And you will bear fruit, fruit in abundance, with plenty left over. At the same time, remember something Saint Benedict says in Chapter 48 of the Holy Rule, that is, "all things are to be done with moderation on account of the fainthearted" (RB 48:9). And we are all fainthearted, in one way or another. 

We have been called, so have hope, united as we are one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (See Eph 4:1-6). Give God the praise. 

And now a word or two from our voices, one for each day of the week.

We need to own whatever it is that ails us, that prevents us from living (not just surviving, but living well and thriving), and we need to be willing to bring this to Jesus, to Him whose healing touch can make us well ... and let Him touch it; we need to find a courage that will overcome our shame ...

Faith is not really about Creeds, but about trust, a trust that finds the courage to risk reaching out for help; it is something that enables us to be vulnerable.

(Abbot Steele Hartman, ocso, Abbot of Tarrawarra Abbey, Victoria, Australia)

Make the sign of the cross! May your mind retain and your memory preserve this pact of hope, this pledge of salvation, this symbol of life, this guarantee of faith.

(Saint Peter Chrysologus, Doctor of the Church, 380-450)

If a man understands something and does not practice it, how can he teach it to his neighbor?

(Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, Poeman, 197)

Abba Paul the Barber and his brother Timothy lived in Scetis. They often used to argue. So Abba Paul said, "How long shall we go on like this?" Abba Timothy said to him, "I suggest you take my side of the argument and in turn I will take your side when you oppose me." They spent the rest of their days in this practice.

(Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, Paul the Barber, 1)

Abba Tithoes used to say, "Pilgrimage means that a man should control his own tongue."

(Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, Tithoes, 2)

As we commemorate the hosts of the Lord, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus of Bethany, this week, here are a couple of gems:

The fact that Mary's love radiates forth is a consequence of Martha's action in bringing the Lord into their house. Martha's action may be totally eclipsed by the brilliance of what follows upon it, but all the same it was the precondition for all that took place. It was the precondition for the Lord's coming: for the Lord's eternal Advent.

(Adrienne von Speyr, 1902-1967, Three Women and the Lord

Mary needs Martha. It is really thanks to Martha that Mary is praised.

(Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, Silvanus, 5)

SAINT VICTOR,

SAINT SAMPSON,

SAINT ALPHONSA MUTTATHUPADATHU,

BLESSED STANLEY ROTHER,

SAINTS MARTHA, MARY, AND LAZARUS OF BETHANY, HOSTS OF THE LORD,

SAINT PETER CHRYSOLOGUS, BISHOP, DOCTOR,

BLESSED SOLANUS CASEY,

SAINT JUSTIN DE JACOBIS,

SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA, PRIEST,

SAINT ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, BISHOP, DOCTOR,

OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS OF PORTIUNCULA,

SAINT EUSEBIUS OF VERCELLI, BISHOP,

 SAINT PETER JULIAN EYMARD, DOCTOR,

SAINT GERMANUS OF AUXERRE,

SAINT OSWALD,

SAINT AETHELWOLD,

SAINT NICODEMUS,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: This is the coolest, a find on the Oregon Coast. And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

© Gertrude Feick 2024

Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

July is the month dedicated to the Precious Blood of Our Lord

Readings for the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week: Ch 42 Silence after Compline - Ch 47 Announcing the Hours for the Work of God

Only goodness and kindness follow me.

BLOOD OF CHRIST, INCARNATE WORD OF GOD,

SAVE US.

MARY, MOTHER OF HOPE,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

The Lord, our justice.

(Jer 23:6)

For He is our peace ...

He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

(Ephesians 2:14, 17-18)

Welcome to the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. May the peace of Our Lord be with us. Thank you for tuning in. Today, and throughout this week, whether you are near or far, rest in the peace of the Lord; He is our peace. Go ahead, listen to Jesus: "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while" (Mark 6:31). May we have "the grace to set aside time to be with the Eucharistic Lord in silence and prayer, and to find rest in the heart of Christ." And since Saint Benedict reminds us this week to diligently cultivate silence at all times, especially at night (Rule of Saint Benedict, 42:1), may the last word we speak before settling in for the night be Mary, "O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary." Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

On the newsy news front, my brother in Indianapolis has sent a few reports of the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. The closing Mass was this morning at the Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts, and last night to some 50,000 people on their knees before the Blessed Sacrament during the nightly Holy Hours. How cool is that. There was also an "unbelievable" procession through downtown Indianapolis on Saturday. Give God the praise for the witness of these members of the faithful.

And now a word or two from our voices for the week. 

I am slowly going through a delightful little book by Elizabeth A. Johnson, Come, Have Breakfast: Meditations on God and the Earth (Orbis, 2024). Not a book I would normally select, it was recommended by a trusted mentor, and then gifted by a longtime friend. So, I am giving it a go and finding it just what the doctor ordered. I include, then, a couple of passages I've marked.

Rather than suppressing the gifts of the other, love brings about their flourishing. Rather than stifling the power to act freely, love promotes its growth.

(Elizabeth A. Johnson, Come, Have Breakfast: Meditations on God and the Earth, p. 20)

As God's good creation, the world becomes a free partner in its own becoming while the Creator enables its existence at every moment. To put this succinctly, God creates the world by empowering the world to make itself. Far from compelling the world to develop according to a pre-destined plan, the Spirit continually calls forth to a fresh and unexpected future.

Be imaginative for a moment. It is as if the Creator gave the world a push saying, "Go, have an adventure, see what you can become. And I will be with you every step of the way."

(Elizabeth A. Johnson, Come, Have Breakfast: Meditations on God and the Earth, p. 21)

As swimmers dare

to lie face to the sky

and water bears them,

so would I learn to attain

freefall, and float

into Creator's Spirit's deep embrace,

knowing no effort earns

that all-surrounding grace.

(Denise Levertov in Elizabeth A. Johnson, Come, Have Breakfast: Meditations on God and the Earth , p. 143) 

Always seek this beautiful virtue of humility, which the Blessed Virgin will teach you. She will make you live in the truth, so that you might love and serve only the Lord.

(Saint Maria Maravillas of Jesus, 1891-1974)

Do not be afraid. Open your hearts to Christ. The deepest joy in life is the joy that comes from God and is found in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is the hope of the world. Jesus Christ is your hope and mine!

(Pope Saint John Paul II, Teleconference with the Young People, Los Angeles, CA, September 15, 1987)

An echo from an earlier post, worth a repeat performance ...

Joy, with peace, is the sister of charity. Serve the Lord with laughter.

(Saint Padre Pio, 1887-1968)

And some parting words from "The Good Pope."

It's your Church, Lord, I'm going to bed. ☺

(Pope Saint John XXIII, when turning in for the night)

SAINT LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI,

SAINT MARY MAGDALENE,

SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN,

SAINTS PHILIP EVANS AND JOHN LLOYD,

OUR LADY, MOTHER OF DIVINE GRACE,

SAINT CHARBEL MAKHLOUF,

SAINT DECLAN,

SAINT JOHN BOSTE,

BLESSED ROBERT LUDLAM AND NICHOLAS GARLICK,

BLESSED JOHN SORETH,

BLESSED MARIA MERCEDES PRAT,

SAINT JAMES,

SAINT ANNA AND JOACHIM, PARENTS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY,

SAINT TITUS BRANDSMA,

BLESSED ROBERT SUTTON,

BLESSED RUDOLPH ACQUAVIVA AND COMPANIONS,

SAINT PANTALEON,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: All the days of my life.

© Gertrude Feick 2024

Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

July is the month dedicated to the Precious Blood of Our Lord

Readings for the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week: Ch 33:11 Monks and Private Ownership- Ch 41 The Times for the Brothers' Meals

Truth shall spring out of the earth.

BLOOD OF CHRIST, RELIEF OF THE BURDENED,

SAVE US.

MARY, MOTHER OF COMPASSION AND MERCY,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

Blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before Him. 

(Ephesians 1:3-4)

Welcome to the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, in the midst of a HOT July dedicated to the Precious Blood of Our Lord. Thank you for being there with this posting of late in the day.

I am most often attracted to the second reading for Mass on Sunday's, and this week's powerful, once again, words from Saint Paul. In short, let what Saint Paul writes to us sink in. He chose you; He chose me, to be holy and without blemish before Him, yes, He who loves us with an everlasting love. To the praise of His glory then, we keep going, with Saint Rafael Arnaiz who wrote to his Aunt: "The Lord asks me to keep going and not stop. What am I to do: look up, up high ... and keep going and not stop ... You ought to do the same." United in faith and prayer, may we do the same. Jesus and Mary, please help us. 

For our voices of the week, I turn to a book I reviewed, Mark O'Keefe and Maria Gonzalo-Garcia, To Live for God Alone: The Life and Spirit of Saint Rafael Arnaiz (Cistercian, 2023). There is no end to the number of quotations to be collected. So, all voices this week come from wisdom to be found in the book, both from Rafael and others as well. 

I enjoy flowers and birds and children. Everything is a reason to praise God: stars, nighttime, fields covered in light.

(Saint Rafael Arnaiz)

Once you understand the purpose of life, which is to live for God and for Him alone, there is nothing in the world that can trouble your soul.

(Saint Rafael Arnaiz)

The interior life ... the spiritual life, a life of prayer. "My God! that must be difficult!" But it's not at all. Get rid of everything in your heart that's in the way. And you'll find God there ... Behold the life of prayer. We don't need to add to something that's already there. Rather, we need to get rid of what's in the way.

(Saint Rafael Arnaiz)

We human beings can do nothing more than trust in His divine providence, knowing that what He does is well done, even if at first glance it might go against our desires. But I believe that true perfection is to have no other desire other than "may His will be done in us."

(Saint Rafael Arnaiz)

Forgetfulness of created things,

remembrance of the Creator,

attention toward inward things,

and loving the Beloved.

(Saint John of the Cross, "The Sum of Perfection")

If you take little account of yourself, you will have peace, wherever you live.

(Abba Poemen, 4th century desert father, in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection)

The specific value that draws a Christian into the 'desert' and 'solitude' (whether or not he remains physically 'in the world') is a deep sense that God alone suffices.

(Thomas Merton, in Contemplation in a World of Action)

SAINT CAMILLUS OF LELLIS,

SAINT KATERI TEKAKWITHA,

SAINT BONAVENTURE, BISHOP, DOCTOR,

SAINT SWITHUN,

SAINT OSMUND OF SALISBURY,

OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL,

SAINT HELIER,

SAINT KENELM,

BLESSED JOHN SUGAR, PRIEST, AND ROBERT GRISSOLD, MARTYRS,

BLESSED INACIO DE AZEVEDO,

BLESSED THERESE OF SAINT AUGUSTINE AND COMPANIONS,

POPE SAINT LEO IV,

SAINT ELIZABETH OF SCHONAU,

SAINT JOHN PLESSINGTON,

SAINT ARSENIUS,

SAINT APOLLINARIS, BISHOP, MARTYR,

BLESSED VIRGIN MARTYRS OF ORANGE, 

SAINT MARGARET OF ANTIOCH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: And justice shall look down from heaven.

© Gertrude Feick 2024

Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

July is the month dedicated to the Precious Blood of Our Lord

Readings for the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week: Ch 30 The Manner of Reproving Boys- Ch 35:11 Kitchen Servers of the Week  

Our eyes are fixed on the Lord.

BLOOD OF CHRIST, STREAM OF MERCY,

SAVE US.

MARY, MOTHER OF OUR SAVIOR,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL, 

PRAY FOR US.

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.

(2 Cor 12:8)

Welcome to the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time, in the month dedicated to the Precious Blood of Our Lord, and a week when we celebrate our holy father Saint Benedict, the principal patron saint of Europe as declared by Pope Saint Paul VI in the Apostolic Letter, Pacius Nuntius, October 24, 1964. Indeed, Saint Benedict was a "messenger of peace, maker of unity, the master of civilization, and especially the herald of Christianity and the author of monasticism in the West." And his voice continues to resound throughout all the earth. San Benedetto, prega per noi.

The second reading from today's Mass (2 Cor 12:7-10) is powerful. In fact. it is not a bad idea to read the entirety of Chapter 12 in Saint Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians. Paul went to the Lord and begged Him about the thorn in his side; Paul went to the Lord not one time, but three times. Lord, remove the thorn from my side; Lord, remove the thorn from my side; Lord, remove the thorn from my side. And what did Our Lord say? My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. Let that sink in. Power in weakness. How does Paul respond to the words of Our Lord? I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, then, in order that the power of Christ my dwell in me. I am content, says Paul, with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, I am strong. A question, then, is, "Who doesn't want the power of Christ to dwell in them?" The question is not so different from one Saint Benedict poses in the Prologue of his holy rule: "Is there anyone here who yearns for life and desires to see good days?" (RB Prologue 15). Yes, we want the power of Christ to dwell in us. Yes, we yearn for life and desire to see good days. Go to Our Lord with your thorns, your weaknesses. His grace is sufficient for you. If you are going to boast, then, make your boast in the Lord, for His grace, for His power is made perfect in your thorny weaknesses. The love of Christ must come before all else ... prefer nothing whatever to Christ (RB 4:21/72:11).

For our voices of the week, we turn to the wisdom of our holy father Saint Benedict contained his Holy Rule.

The fourth step of humility is that in this obedience under difficult, unfavorable, or even unjust conditions, his heart quietly embraces suffering and endures it without weakening or seeking escape. For Scripture has it: Anyone who perseveres to the end will be saved, and again, Be brave of heart and rely on the Lord.

(Rule of Saint Benedict, 4:35-36)

Whenever we want to ask some favor of a powerful man, we do it humbly and respectfully, for fear of presumption. How much more important, then, to lay our petitions before the Lord God of all things with the utmost humility and sincere devotion.

(RB 20:1-2)

He will regard all utensils and goods of the monastery as sacred vessels of the altar, aware that nothing is to be neglected.

(RB 31:10)

Care of the sick must rank above and before all else, so that they may be truly served as Christ.

(RB 36:1)

Your way of acting should be different from the world's way.

(RB 4:20)

You must honor everyone.

(RB 4:8)

The younger monks, then, must respect their seniors, and the seniors must love their juniors.

(RB 63:10)

We go forth, then, united in faith in prayer, and "then with Christ's help, keep this little rule that we have written for beginners" (RB 73:8). May Christ bring us all together to everlasting life (RB 72:12). Amen.

BLESSED PETER TO ROT,

SAINT MAELRUAIN,

SAINT KILIAN,

SAINT AQUILA AND PRISCILLA,

SAINT WITHBURGA,

SAINT AUGUSTINE ZHAO RONG AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS,

THE MARTYRS OF GORCUM,

SAINT PAULINA OF THE HEART OF THE DYING JESUS,

SAINT LEO IGNATIUS MANGIN, PRIEST, MARY ZHU WU AND COMPANIONS, MARTRYS,

BLESSED JANE SCOPELLI,

VENERABLE AUGUSTUS TOLTON,

SAINT AMALBERGA, or SAINT AMELIA,

OUR HOLY FATHER SAINT BENEDICT, ABBOT,

SAINT JOHN JONES,

SAINTS LOUIS MARTIN AND MARIE AZELIE GUERIN,

SAINT VERONICA,

SAINT HENRY,

POPE BLESSED EUGENE III,

SAINT JOHN GUALBERTI, ABBOT,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Pleading for His mercy.

© Gertrude Feick 2024