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