Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

The Month of January Dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus

In other years: Saint Adrian of Canterbury (d. 710); Saint Andrew Corsini (c.1315-1374)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 1:6-13 The Kinds of Monks

Mass: Is 42:1-4, 6-7 or Acts 10:30-34; Resp Ps 29; Mt 3:13-17

The voice of the Lord is majestic.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

JESUS, TRUE LIGHT,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

I have grasped you by the hand.

(Is 42:6)

Welcome to Monday and the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, a Feast Italians and others in the world celebrated yesterday. Pope Francis, carrying on a tradition established in 1981 by Pope Saint John Paul II, baptized 13 babies yesterday morning in the Sistine Chapel. The babies won't remember the occasion, but their parents and godparents will. They will certainly relate the details to the precious children of God so that they can spread the good news throughout the generations. The Holy Father put it this way: "Teach your children the date of their baptism, it's like a birthday, because with Baptism we are re-born into Christian life." Furthermore, "Today is a feast. The feast of the beginning of a beautiful Christian journey in which you will help your children to go forward. Thank you for your decision to bring them to be baptized!" Do you know the date of your Baptism? Do you know who your godparents are? If you are godparents, are you praying for your godchildren? Have you in other ways too helped them grow in the faith? And we pray especially today for those mothers and fathers who, for one reason or another, are not making the decision to take their children to be baptized. I was baptized 20 days after I was born, November 29, 1964. Thank you, beloved mom and dad, and my godmother and godfather too. With three of them powerful intercessors in heaven, I still have my godmother praying for me on earth. And I have the privilege of having three goddaughters, two of whom are nieces, and the other is the oldest daughter of my best friend of nearly 40 years. Give to the Lord glory and praise. 

We go forth then, united in faith and prayer and celebrate our own baptism. At the same time, we listen to Saint Gregory Nazianzen (329-390).

Today let us do honor to Christ's baptism and celebrate this feast in holiness. Be cleansed entirely and continue to be cleansed. Nothing gives such pleasure to God as the conversion and salvation of men, for whom His every word and every revelation exist. He wants you to become a living force for all humanity, lights shining in the world. You are to be radiant lights as you stand beside Christ, the great light, bathed in the glory of Him who is the light of heaven. You are to enjoy more and more the pure and dazzling light of the Trinity, as now you have received - though not in its fullness - a ray of its splendor, proceeding from the one God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

(From a sermon by Saint Gregory Nazianzen, in Office of Readings, The Baptism of the Lord)

This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

(Mt 3:17)

SAINT ADRIAN OF CANTERBURY,

SAINT ANDREW CORSINI,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: From a faithful reader in Willits, CA. In His temple all say, "Glory!"

 

© Gertrude Feick 2023

Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord

Year of the Family "Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love"

Saint: Pope Saint Sylvester I (-335)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 73 This Rule Only a Beginning of Perfection

Mass: 1 Jn 2:18-21; Resp Ps 96; Jn 1:1-18

Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the Lord.

JESUS, FATHER OF THE WORLD TO COME,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

Dear faithful readers, thank you for being there. There is so much in today's Gospel to reflect upon. In a sense, I am speechless. There is one line among others that is plenty to embrace this day: All things came to be through Him, and without Him nothing came to be (Jn 1:2). All things, not some, and nothing, absolutely nothing. May we rejoice and be glad, united as we are in faith and prayer, for From His fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace (Jn 1:16).

If that's enough, then how about this beauty, itself a commentary on today's Gospel, from the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1, that answers the question, "What is the plan of God for man?"

God, infinitely perfect and blessed in Himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in His own blessed life. In the fullness of time, God the Father sent His Son as Redeemer and Savior of mankind, fallen into sin, thus calling all into His Church and, through the work of the Holy Spirit, making them adopted children and heirs of His eternal happiness. 

And as we prepare to embark upon another calendar year, one prayer can come for Eusebius of Caesarea (265-339), bishop, from his Ecclesiastical History, included in today's Office of Readings.

Glory to God the almighty, the King of the universe, for all His gifts, and gratitude to Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of our souls, through whom we pray that this peace may be preserved for us stable and unshaken for ever: a peace that will keep us safe from troubles outside as well as from all anxieties and disturbances of soul.

So much for being speechless. 😎

POPE SAINT SYLVESTER I,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: I remain thankful for these contributions from dear friends, here d in West Linn once again.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Let the children come

Saturday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Blessed Virgin Mary

Reading of the Day
RB: Ch 63:1-9 Community Order
Mass: Ezk 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32; Resp Ps 51; Mt 19:13-15

Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them.

Pilgrimage

Feast of Saint James

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 45 Mistakes in the Oratory
Mass: 2 Co 4:7-15; Resp Ps 126; Mt 20:20-28

Pilgrims on El Camino de Santiago

Wednesday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time

Readings of the day: RB 16 The Hours of the Work of God During the Day

Mass: 2 K 2:1, 6-14; Resp Ps 31; Mt 6;1-6, 16-18

When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who hidden.

Every time I hear today’s Gospel, I smile. It is a Scripture passage I remember from childhood—the one read on Ash Wednesday. I remember always wanting to ‘look nice’ on that day. Those were the days when I used to play ‘altar boy’ in my room—something that dates me. 😊 It is interesting what strikes us as children and the memories we carry into adulthood. Do you have a favorite from your youth? What memories does it recall? How has your life of faith been impacted by such memories?

Your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.

Saturday of the Seventh Week of Ordinary Time

Saint Philip Neri (d. 1595)

Sr Godelieve, our nonagenarian, enthusiastically embraces fruit preparation for jam

Readings of the day: RB 7:1-4 The Value of Humility

Mass: Jm 5:13-20; Resp Ps 141; Mk 10:13-16

Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,

for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

While reflecting on the characteristics and qualities of children, I thought especially of two I was with a few days ago: one, a tall, slender boy of five with a glorious mop of red hair; second, his 15-month old little sister called Ruby. She was born on a Tuesday. Why is it that the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these? They have a sense a wonder and awe; are playful and energetic; they are humble; they are eager and enthusiastic; they have the capacity to laugh, even with unbounded joy; they have fresh eyes to see the beauty of creation; their hearts are open to the LOVE of God. What would you add to the list?

THEN HE EMBRACED THE CHILDREN AND BLESSED THEM,

PLACING HIS HANDS ON THEM.

The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age,

which means never losing your enthusiasm.

(Aldous Huxley, 1894-1963)

When we learn to play better, we learn to love better, too. We become easier to live with, better to be around, more creative when we work, more full of joy always.

(J. Chittister The Art of Life: Monastic Wisdom for Every Day, pp. 67-68)

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Readings of the day: RB 65 The Prioress of the Monastery

Mass: Ac 4:8-12; Resp Ps 118; 1 Jn 3:1-2; Jn 10:11-18

St John, The Beloved Disciple

SEE WHAT LOVE THE FATHER HAS BESTOWED ON US

THAT WE MAY BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD.

Yes, God is magnificent in Love, in Mercy toward his children, he is only waiting for the gift of our heart to invade it, to fill it to overflowing with himself: 

Complete happiness…that we may in turn give it away to others.

              (C. Lebreton, in a note he found, Born from the Gaze of God, p. 36)

BELOVED, WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN NOW; WHAT WE SHALL BE HAS NOT YET BEEN REVEALED. WE DO KNOW THAT WHEN IT IS REVEALED WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM, FOR WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd,

invade our hearts with LOVE, MERCY and JOY.

God calls each one of us, and each call is a gift that should fill us with joy.

(Pope Francis, Twitter, April 22, 2018)