Friday of the Second Week of Advent

The Month of December Dedicated to Advent and the Coming of Christ

Saint: Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474-1548)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 56 The Abbot's Table

Mass: Is 48:17-19; Resp Ps 1; Mt 11:16-19  

Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go.

(Is 48:17)

Welcome to Friday of the Second Week of Advent. This holy season marches on and it may be a good day to remind ourselves to do whatever it takes to awake from sleep, arise from any stupor, throw off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light (see Rm 13:11-12). We certainly do not want to be walking around in a coma, numb to what swirls around us. Should Jesus, as He suggests in today's Gospel, compare our generation to others who no longer dance when it is time to dance, and mourn when it is time to mourn? (see Mt 11:16-17). Our saint of the day, Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin "singing eagle", thankfully was alert that morning when he hurried off to Mass on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception nearly 500 years ago. It was then that the Virgin Mary appeared to him, "the ever-perfect holy Mary, who has the honor to be the mother of the true God," as she told him. She, most blessed, the compassionate Mother of Juan and all the people that lived in his land. Mary asked Juan to go to the local bishop and tell him that she wanted a church to be built on that site, one dedicated to her Son Jesus Christ. To make a long story short, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe now stands on that site, said to be the world's most-visited Catholic shrine (see Catholic News Agency, "Saint Juan Diego"). Be prepared, for at the hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come (Mt 24:44).

The Lord asks everything of us, and in return offers us true life, the happiness for which we were created. He wants us to be saints and not to settle for a bland and mediocre existence.

(Pope Francis, Gaudium et exsultate Rejoice and be glad, 1)

SAINT JUAN DIEGO,

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Our drive. Whatever he does, prospers.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent

Year of Saint Joseph (December 8, 2020-December 8, 2021)

Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474-1548)

Other saints: The Seven Martyrs of Samosata (?297 or 308); Saint Leocadia, Martyr (?304); Bd Bernard Silvestrelli (1831-1911)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 56 The Abbot's Table

Mass: Is 40:25-31; Resp Ps 103; Mt 11:28-30

O bless the Lord, my soul!

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Last night, after reading the Holy Father's Apostolic Letter Patris corde With a Father's Heart, given in Rome just yesterday to mark the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of Saint Joseph as patron of the universal Church, I read through the readings for today's Mass. One of the first things that came to me was that Saint Joseph was certainly a man who hoped in the Lord, that the Lord would renew his strength. Joseph soared as with eagle's wings; he ran and did not grow weary; he walked and did not grow faint (Is 40:31). Joseph labored and he faced his struggles and burdens with a strong faith. He was ready to carry out God's will for him, and he went about it with courage and strength. Joseph turned to the Lord in prayer for help. So doing, Joseph's yokes became easier and his burdens lighter. During this Year of Saint Joseph, we ask dear Joseph to pray for us, to intercede for us, to guide us on our journey to carry out God's will for us. 

Included here is a prayer to Saint Joseph, taken from a 19th century French prayer book of the Congregation of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary. You will find it in endnote 10 of Patris corde. Pope Francis writes that he has recited the prayer every day after Lauds for over 40 years. The Holy Father says this about the prayer: "It expresses devotion and trust, and even poses a certain challenge to Saint Joseph".

Glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph, whose power makes the impossible possible, come to my aid in these times of challenge and difficulty. Take under your protection the serious and troubling situations that I commend to you, that they may have a happy outcome. My beloved father, all my trust is in you. Let it not be said that I invoked you in vain, and since you can do everything with Jesus and Mary, show me that your goodness is as great as your power.

Amen. 

SAINT JUAN DIEGO,

PRAY FOR US.

NB. During the year of Saint Joseph, you will see an invocation from the Litany of Saint Joseph in daily posts. 

© Gertrude Feick 2020