Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Month of May Dedicated to Our Lady and a “Marathon” of Prayer to End the Pandemic 

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 2:23-29

Mass: Acts 1:15-17, 20-26; Resp Ps 113l Jn 15:9-17

Blessed be the name of the Lord both now and forever.

JESUS, LOVER OF US,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

As we celebrate Saint Matthias, we are also in the midst of Chapter 2 of the Holy Rule, "Qualities of the Abbot". The role of the Abbot, as Saint Benedict writes, is "a difficult and demanding burden" (RB 2:31). It is fitting and right then to think about leadership or any positions of responsibility that we have, or may be given. The first thing to keep in mind and heart is what Jesus tells us in today's Gospel: It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, that will remain ... (Jn 15:16). And something else is this from Universalis that comes up every year for the feast: "When we attain some high or responsible position, we may be tempted to congratulate ourselves on being the best candidate for the job. We would do well to remember that we have got there because of the people we have met and the things we have found ourselves doing, and, more fundamentally, because of the gifts and talents that God has given us. These things are essentially random: like Matthias, we have been chosen by lot" ("About Today", May 14, 2021). So in roles both big and small, may we bear fruit that will last and turn to Saint Paul who declared: By God's grace I am what I am (1 Cor 15:10) and He who boasts should make his boast in the Lord (2 Cor 10:17)/(Rule of Saint Benedict 4:31-32).

Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name give the glory because of your faithfulness and love. Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Our God is in heaven; whatever God wills is done. 

(Ps 115:1-2)

SAINT MATTHIAS,

SAINT JOSEPH,

MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Praise the name of the Lord.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Year of Saint Joseph

Saint Agatha, Early Christian Martyr

First Friday of the Month

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 7:55

Mass: Heb 13:1-8; Resp Ps 27; Mk 6:14-29

The Lord is my light and my help.

JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER.

(Heb 13:8)

On this First Friday of the Month, we have three related texts.

First, from the Letter to the Hebrews: "Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith" (Heb 13:7).

Second, from the Holy Rule: "The eighth step of humility is that a monk does only what is endorsed by the common rule of the monastery and the example set by his superiors" (RB 7:55).

Third, from the Office of Readings and a homily on Saint Agatha by Saint Methodius of Sicily: "Agatha, the name of our saint, means 'good'. She was truly good because she was a child of God ... Agatha, her goodness coincides with her name and way of life. She won a good name by her noble deeds, and by her name she points to the nobility of those deeds. Agatha, her name wins all men over to her company. She teaches them by her example to hasten with her to the true Good, God alone."

May we be noble in word and deed, and by our way of life and faith, set a good example to those who look to us to lead and guide them.

Modern man listens more readily to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.

(Pope Saint Paul VI, Address to the Members of the Consilium de Laicis, October 2, 1974)

To us, also, your servants,

who, though sinners,

hope in your abundant mercies,

graciously grant some share

and fellowship with your holy Apostles and Martyrs:

with ... Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia

and all your Saints;

admit us we beseech you,

into their company,

not weighing our merits,

but granting us your pardon,

through Christ our Lord.

[Eucharist Prayer I (Roman Canon)]

SAINT AGATHA,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: I can't help it folks. Our sky is marvelous indeed. Here around 11am yesterday.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter

Readings of the day: RB 2:1-10 Gifts Needed by an Abbess or Abbot

Mass: Ac 18:9-18; Resp Ps 47; Jn 16:20-23

Sr Kathy DeVico, Abbess, Redwoods Monastery

DO NOT BE AFRAID. GO ON SPEAKING,

AND DO NOT BE SILENT, FOR I AM WITH YOU.

When I was introduced to the Rule of St Benedict some 20 years ago, I was especially struck by the chapter we begin today, that is, Ch. 2 ‘The Qualities of the Abbot or Abbess.’ I reflected on those I knew who held leadership positions, bosses I had over the years and others with similar responsibilities. My first thought was that the spiritual and temporal leader of a monastic community has the most difficult job description I have ever read. Still, there are qualities called forth in the Abbess or Abbot that are relevant for any Christian in a leadership role be it supervisor, teacher, catechist, mother, father, elder, aunt, older sibling, etc. Here are just a few: 

• She must never teach or decree or command anything that would deviate from the Lord’s instructions.
• She must point out all that is good and holy more by example than by words. If she teaches that something is not to be done, then neither must she do it.
• She should avoid all favoritism.
• She is to show equal love to everyone.
• Remember to what you are called, aware that more will be expected of a person to whom more has been entrusted.

The last quality included I find most challenging. Why not try it in whatever environment you find yourself in today. May the living and true God grant us the grace. 

• She must accommodate and adapt herself to each one’s character and intelligence.

It is not good when we look down on others like heartless judges, lording it over them and always trying to teach them lessons. That is itself a subtle form of violence. Saint John of the Cross proposed a different path: “Always prefer to be taught by all, rather than to desire teaching even the least of all”. And he added advice on how to keep the devil at bay: “Rejoice in the good of others as if it were your own, and desire that they be given precedence over you in all things; this you should do wholeheartedly. You will thereby overcome evil with good, banish the devil, and possess a happy heart. Try to practise this all the more with those who least attract you. Realize that if you do not train yourself in this way, you will not attain real charity or make any progress in it”.

(Gaudete et Exsultate, 117)

AMEN, AMEN, I SAY TO YOU,

WHATEVER YOU ASK THE FATHER IN MY NMAE HE WILL GIVE YOU.