The Ascension of the Lord

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

56th World Communications Day

In other years: Pope Saint Paul VI (1897-1978); Blessed Joseph Gerard (1831-1914); Blessed Elia of Saint Clement (1901-1927); Blessed William Arnaud OP and Companions, Martyrs (13th century)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:19-24 Humility

Mass:  Acts 1:1-11; Resp Ps 47; Eph 1:17-23 or Heb 9:24-28; 10:19-23; Lk 24:46-53

God mounts His throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US. 

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of Him.

(Eph 1:17)

Welcome to Sunday and our celebration of the Ascension of the Lord. Then He led them out as far as Bethany, raised His hands, and blessed them. As He blessed them He parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did Him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God (Lk 24:50-53). Remember, your grief will become joy ... I will see you again (Jn 16:20,22), says the Lord. 

We return then, to the tasks at hand, especially on this busier than usual Sunday. We go, united in faith and prayer, with joy while we continually praise God. May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to His call (Eph 1:18). We hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for He who made the promise is trustworthy (Heb 10:23). Place your hope in God alone (Rule of Saint Benedict, 4:41). 

Today our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven; let our hearts ascend with Him. Listen to the words of the Apostle: If you have risen with Christ, set your hearts on the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God; seek the things that are above, not the things that are on earth. For just as He remained with us even after His ascension, so we too are already in heaven with Him, even though what is promised us has not yet been fulfilled in our bodies.

(From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop, in Office of Readings, Ascension)

The most important task in pastoral activity is the "apostolate of the ear" - to listen before speaking, as the Apostle James exhorts: "Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak" (1:19).

Freely giving our own time to listen to people is the first act of charity.

(Pope Francis, Message for World Communications Day 2022) 

POPE SAINT PAUL VI,

BLESSED JOSEPH GERARD,

BLESSED ELIA OF SAINT CLEMENT,

BLESSED WILLIAM ARNAUD AND COMPANIONS,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: This one is from the archives. It was taken January 30, 2022, on one of my many daily treks to the compost bins. The great king over all the earth.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Saturday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saints: Saint Denis, Bishop, and his Companions, Martyrs (-258); Saint John Leonardi, Priest (1541-1609)

Readings of the Day

RB:  Ch 7:60-61 Humility

Mass: Joel 4:12-21; Resp Ps 97; Lk 11:27-28

Rejoice in the Lord, you just.

MARY, MORNING STAR,

PRAY FOR US.

We have cascading words to take to heart today.

First, from the Gospel, Jesus tell us the foundation: Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it (Lk 11:28).

Second, from the Office of Readings, from a commentary on psalm 118 by Saint Ambrose, bishop: "The true witness is one who bears witness to the commandments of the Lord Jesus and supports that witness by deeds" (October 9).

Third, also from the Office of Readings, from a letter to Pope Paul V by Saint John Leonardi, priest: "Those who want to work for moral reform in the world must first seek the glory of God before all else. Because he is the source of all good, they must wait for his help, and pray for it in this difficult and necessary undertaking. They must then present themselves to those they seek to reform, as mirrors of every virtue and as lamps on the lampstand. Their upright lives and noble conduct must shine before all who are in the house of God. In this way they will gently entice the members of the Church to reform instead of forcing them, lest, in the words of the Council of Trent, they demand of the body what is not found in the head, and thus upset the whole order of the Lord's household" (October 9).

SAINT DENIS AND HIS COMPANIONS,

SAINT JOHN LEONARDI,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: More from Queen of Angels Monastery.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Saints: Saint Herbert (d. 687); Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)

Readings of the Day

RB: Prologue 33-38

Mass: is 35:4-7a; Resp Ps 146; Jm 2:1-5; Mk 7:31-37

Praise the Lord, my soul!

HE MAKES THE DEAF HEAR AND THE MUTE SPEAK.

(Mk 7:37)

I have been thinking about Mary of Magdala this morning, when she went to Jesus' tomb, on the first day of the week, early in the morning while it was still dark. You know the scene found in John 20:11-18. Mary was distressed, weeping about finding the tomb empty. She feared that others had taken her Lord, and she did not know where they laid him. When she first turned around and saw Jesus, she did not recognize him. It wasn't until Jesus called Mary's name, "Mary!", that she recognized her Lord. Mary heard and Mary listened, then she spoke, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Then Mary could announce to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord" (Jn 20:18). 

Maybe there are others to join me in joining Mary of Magdala. We too find that our eyes are closed. We find our hearts closed due to fear, grief, bitterness, resentment, disappointments, and so on. So burdened we can't hear or listen either. However, Say to those whose hearts are frightened, says the Lord through the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah, Be strong, fear not! Here is your God ... He comes to save you (Is 35:4). The eyes of the blind will be open, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will speak (Is 35:5-6). Ephphatha!, Jesus says to the deaf man who had a speech impediment, in today's Gospel. That is, Be opened! (Mk 7:34). May we, with the man, have our ears opened and all speech impediments removed (Mk 7:35). 

We need to practice the art of listening, which is more than simply hearing. Listening, in communication, is an openness of heart which makes possible that closeness without which genuine spiritual encounter cannot occur. Listening helps us to find the right gesture and word which shows that we are more than simply bystanders. Only through such respectful and compassionate listening can we enter on the paths of true growth and awaken a yearning for the Christian ideal: the desire to respond fully to God's love and to bring to fruition what he has sown in our lives.

(Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium The Joy of the Gospel, 171)

And we pray with Pope Francis as in today's Angelus Address: May the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was open to the Word which became flesh in her, help us every day to listen to her Son in the Gospel and to our brothers and sisters with a docile heart, with a patient heart, and with an attentive heart. 

MARY KEPT ALL THESE THINGS, REFLECTING ON THEM IN HER HEART.

(Lk 2:19)

SAINT HERBERT,

SAINT MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: As I was writing, this glorious photo came through, from d and J in West Linn, OR, at Luscher Farms, a community garden also in West Linn. 

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Pope St Gregory the Great, Doctor of the Church (540-604)

Happy Labor Day

Readings of the Day
RB: Prologue 14-20
Mass: 1 Co 2:1-5; Resp Ps 119; Lk 4:16-30

But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings of the Day
RB: Prologue 8-13
Mass: Dt 4:1-2, 6-8; Resp Ps 15; Jm 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Be doers of the word and not hearers only. (Jm 1:22)

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Irenaeus (d. 202)

Readings of the day: RB 21 The Deans of the Monastery

Mass: 2 K 24:8-17; Resp Ps 79; Mt 7:21-29

Only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven will enter the Kingdom of heaven.

It occurs to me that I should get down on my knees and pray a simple prayer attributed to St Bridget of Sweden (d. 1373):Lord, show me your way and make me willing to follow it. Amen. 

St. Irenaeus, pray for us.

Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them

will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

 Readings of the day: RB 12 The Celebration of Solemn Lauds

Mass: 1 K 19:9a, 11-16; Resp Ps 27; Mt 5:27-32

Elijah on Mt Horeb, Rembrandt

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.

It may be that we hear the word of the Lord in a strong and heavy wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks or in an earthquake or in fire. It may be more likely that we will hear the word of the Lord whispering into the ear of our hearts. We must be quiet and still and listen to the Word speaking.

We need to practice the art of listening, which is more than simply hearing. Listening, in communication, is an openness of heart which makes possible that closeness without which genuine spiritual encounter cannot occur. Listening helps us to find the right gesture and word which shows that we are more than simply bystanders. Only through such respectful and compassionate listening can we enter on the paths of true growth and awaken a yearning for the Christian ideal: the desire to respond fully to God’s love and to bring to fruition what he has sown in our lives.

(Evangelii Gaudium, 171)

MAY IT BE DONE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

AUGURI, PAPA FRANCESCO!

CONGRATULATIONS, POPE FRANCIS!

WE REJOICE WITH YOU IN CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS OF YOUR PAPACY

THANK YOU FOR WITNESSING TO THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL

Readings of the day: RB 35:1-11 Weekly Servers at Table and in the Kitchen

Mass: Ezk 47:1-9, 12; Resp Ps 46; Jn 5:1-16

Do you want to be well?

Jesus’ question is fitting wherever you find yourself today. In whatever physical, emotional, or spiritual state you are experiencing, Jesus is there with you. Listen to HIM: 

‘Rise, take up your mat, and walk.’

Living the encounter with Jesus means allowing yourself

to be turned inside out by Grace every day.

(Pope Francis, Twitter, March 13, 2018)

Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time: Martin Luther King Jr Day

Maur and Placid, Disciples of Benedict 

Readings of the day: RB 2:33-40

Mass: 1 Samuel 15:16-23; Resp. Psalm 50; Mark 2:18-22

The word of God is living and effective,

to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.

ALLELUIA

Listening poses challenges. United with Samuel, we can say, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ Doing what God asks of us, in full rather than in part, poses other challenges. If and when we say with the psalmist, ‘Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will’, will we be united with Saul or might there be another way?

What right have you to recite my statutes, or take my covenant on your lips?

For you hate discipline and cast my words behind you.

Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me;

to those who go the right way I will show the salvation of God.

FOR POPE FRANCIS DURING HIS APOSTOLIC VISIT TO CHILE AND PERU.

FOR UNITY AMONG ALL CHRISTIANS.

Tuesday before Epiphany: Saints Basil the Great (d. 379) and Gregory Nazianzen (d. 390)

Readings of the day: RB Prol. 8-13

Mass: 1 John 2:22-28; Resp. Psalm 98; John 1:19-28

 

Our Holy Father, St Benedict

Let us get up, then, at long last, for the Scriptures rouse us when they say:

It is high time for us to arise from sleep (Rom 13:11).

Let us open our eyes to the light that comes from God, and our ears to the voice from heaven that every day calls out this charge:

If you hear his voice today, harden not your hearts (Ps 94 [95]:8).

(RB Prol. 8-10)

If you’re still groggy from the New Year celebrations, Saint Benedict’s call should stir our minds and hearts to action. The Prologue almost leaves one breathless with the intensity of its summons: listen; attend; put it into practice; give up your own will; do battle; persevere; do not weaken; obey; get up; arise from sleep; open our eyes and ears; run. This is in the first 13 verses alone! Saint Benedict is about moderation, not mediocrity. We are not meant to settle for the least common denominator. The WORD calls us to get with the program so to speak, to be our best selves, for our own good, yes, but also for the good of our brothers and sisters with whom we live, work, and encounter on a daily basis. The psalmist cries, ‘Today!’, not tomorrow. The voice is crying out in the desert: ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’! We must remain in HIM, in whom we live, and move, and have our being, so that when HE appears we have confidence and are not put to shame at HIS coming.

Shall we not do today what we have been putting off until tomorrow?

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen,

pray for us.

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings of the day: RB 6

Mass: Isaiah 55:6-9; Psalm 145; Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a; Matthew 20:1-16a

In Chapter 6 of the Holy Rule, Saint Benedict addresses the importance of cherishing silence in the monastery. We read: “the disciple’s role is to

be silent and listen.” A most fitting prayer for today can be found in the Gospel Acclamation for Mass and Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians.

Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.

Grant us the grace to conduct ourselves in a way worthy of the Gospel of Christ.

Amen.