Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

August is the month dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament 

Readings for the Rule of Saint Benedict for the Week:  Ch 53 The Reception of Guests - Ch 57 The Artisans of the Monastery

The glorious deeds of the Lord and His strength. 

SACRED HOST, IN WHICH THE SOUL IS FILLED WITH GRACE,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

OUR LADY, MOTHER OF THE AFFLICTED,*

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

Put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God's way of righteousness and holiness of truth.

(Ephesians 4: 22-24)

Welcome to the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time in the month dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament in this Year of Eucharistic Revival. This is a "Year of Mission" dear faithful readers, when we bring Christ to wherever we find ourselves, to our parishes, to our communities of faith. And this week, we are sandwiched between two rich Gospel texts on the Bread of Life. I am the bread of life, Jesus tells us, whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never thirst (John 6:35). Moreover, I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world (John 6:51). For the life of the world! We join the disciples on the road to Emmaus and proclaim: Were not our hearts burning within us when we listened to Him speaking! Listen to Jesus; listen and believe. And remember, "One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. Alleluia." 

This week's voices all point to the wonders of God's creation. As an intro, we hear from the great Saint and Doctor, Augustine of Hippo. Then we turn to the word of God. Let Our Lord speak! And here's a fun fact for the week. Did you know that the North Pacific Whale, the largest animal on earth, consumes some 35,000 pounds of krill a day in the summer?** That's a lot of krill folks. Let the name of the Lord be praised!

Others, in order to find God, will read a book. Well, as a matter of fact there is a certain great big book, the book of created nature. Look carefully at it top and bottom, observe it, read it. God did not make letters of ink for you to recognize Him in; He set before your eyes all these things He as made. Why look for a louder voice? Heaven and earth cry out to you, "God made me." Yes, you can read what Moses wrote. But in order to write it, what did Moses read, a man living in time? Observe heaven and earth in a religious spirit.

(Saint Augustine, 354-430, Sermon 68, 6)

When I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh.

(Genesis 9:13-15)

Ask the beasts and they will teach you;

the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

ask the planets of the earth and they will teach you.

Who among these does not know

that the hand of the bountiful Lord has done this?

In God's hand is the life of every living thing,

and the breath of every human being.

(Job 12:7-10)

God heals the brokenhearted,

and binds up their wounds;

counts out the number of the stars,

and calls each one by name.

(Psalm 147:3-4)

Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;

praise and exalt Him above all forever.

(Daniel 3:75)

All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;

praise and exalt Him above all forever.

(Daniel 3:81)

The stars shone in their watches and were glad;

God called them, and they said, "Here we are!"

They shone with gladness for the One who made them.

(Baruch 3:34-35)

OUR LAEY OF THE SNOW,

BLESSED FREDERIC JANSSOONE,

SAINT EMYGDIUS,,

POPE SAINT SIXTUS II AND COMPANIONS,

SAINT CAJETAN,

SAINT DOMINIC,

SAINT TERESA BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS,

SAINT LAWRENCE, DEACON,

SAINT JEAN-BAPTISTE-MARIE VIANNEY, CURE OF ARS,

BLESSED FREDERIC JANSSOONE,

BLESSED NICHOLAS POSTGATE,

SAINT ALBERT OF TRAPANI,

SAINT MARY OF THE CROSS, THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN SAINT,

SAINT NATHY,

SAINT FELIM,

PRAY FOR US.

* Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), in 1891, when discerning whether or not to assume management of a Scalabriniani hospital for an at once Italian and Catholic hospital in New York City, about ready to close its doors, received a vision in a dream from Our Lady, Mother of the Afflicted. "She saw Our Lady with her sleeves rolled up and her skirt pinned back, going from one bed to another in a hospital ward as a nurse. As soon as Frances recognized the Mother of the Afflicted, she sprang forward offering her help. Upon this Our Lady said, 'I am doing what you refuse to do.' After that there was no hesitation." Mother Cabrini assigned ten sisters to the hospital. There you have it. Work that needed to be done; not necessarily what she wanted to do. See Too Small a World: The Life of Mother Frances Cabrini (Ignatius, 2024), p. 194.

** See Elizabeth A. Johnson, Come, Have Breakfast: Meditations on God and the Earth (Orbis, 2024), p. 184.

Today's photo: The wonders that He wrought. Amen.

© Gertrude Feick 2024