Monday of Holy Week

The Month of April Dedicated both to Devotion to the Eucharist and Devotion to the Holy Spirit

In other years: Pope Saint Sixtus I (42-c.128); Saint Irene of Rome, Martyr, Widow of the Martyr Saint Castulus (d. 288); Saint John, Bishop of Naples, aka the Peacemaker (d. 849); Saint Richard, Bishop of Chichester in England (1197-1253)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 52 The Oratory of the Monastery

Mass: Is 42:1-7; Resp Ps 27; Jn 12:1-11  

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

SAIINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

JESUS, ONLY SON OF THE FATHER,

HOLY SPIRIT, THE COMFORTER,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

The passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the hope of glory and a lesson in patience.

(Saint Augustine)

Welcome to Monday of Holy Week. A passage from the Letter to the Hebrews was brought to my attention yesterday as one to reflect upon this holy week. It happens that it is sandwiched nicely between today's patristic reading from the Office of Readings, one taken from a sermon by Saint Augustine. 

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before Him He endured the cross, despising its shame and has taken His seat at the right of the throne of God.

(Hebrews 12:1-2)*

The death of the Lord our God should not be a cause of shame for us; rather, it should be our greatest hope, our greatest glory. In taking upon Himself the death that He found in us, He has most faithfully promised to us life in Him, such as we cannot have of ourselves ...

Let us then fearlessly acknowledge, and evenly openly proclaim, that Christ was crucified for us; let us confess it, not in fear but in joy, not in shame but in glory.

(Saint Augustine)

United in faith and prayer then, we go forth and proclaim with Saint Paul: Let me not boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

POPE SAINT SIXTUS I,

SAINT IRENE,

SAINT CASTULUS,

SAINT JOHN THE PEACEMAKER,

SAINT RICHARD OF CHICHESTER,

PRAY FOR US.

*All of Chapter 12 from the Letter to the Hebrews may prove helpful. 

Today's photo: It is difficult to tire of looking up. Be stouthearted, wait for the Lord.

 

© Gertrude Feick 2023

Monday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saint: Saint John Kemble (1599-1679)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 65:1-10 The Prior of the Monastery

Mass: 2 Titus 1:1-5, 11-12; Resp Ps 96; Mt 23:13-22

Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.

MARY, MOTHER AND QUEEN,

HEART OF MARY, THRONE OF GLORY, 

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

MARY, QUEEN OF ANGELS,

PRAY FOR US.

Blessed are you who have believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord will be fulfilled.

(Communion Antiphon, Mass)

Welcome to Monday and the Queenship of Mary. All day, and all week, let us turn to Mary, Queen of heaven and earth, for help. She will take us to the heart of her Son, Jesus Christ.

From the earliest ages of the Catholic church a Christian people, whether in time of triumph or more especially in time of crisis, has addressed prayers of petitions and hymns of praise and veneration to the Queen of Heaven. And never has that hope wavered which they placed in the Mother of the Divine King, Jesus Christ; nor has that faith ever failed by which we are taught that Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, reigns with a mother's solicitude over the entire world, just as she is crowned with heavenly blessedness with the glory of a Queen ...

Let all Christians, therefore, glory in being subjects of the Virgin Mother of God, who, while wielding royal power, is on fire with a mother's love.

(Pope Pius XII, Ad Caeli Reginam, Encyclical on Proclaiming the Queenship of Mary, October 11, 1954)

BEHOLD, I AM THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD.

She is loved

and praised

and honored by all.

For men and for angels,

she is

-after God-

the first [object of] love

and praise

and honor.

The whole church of the saints

proclaims her praises:

The daughters of Sion saw her

and declared her highly blessed;

the queens of concubines praised her.

Nor does she herself pass over in silence this grace of

 such great favor:

All generations, she says,

will call me blessed.

(Baldwin of Forde, 1125-1190, in Mary Most Holy: Meditating with the Early Cistercians, p. 354)

SAINT JOHN KEMBLE,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: For our Lady, Mother and Queen. Sing to the Lord a new song.

 

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Monday of Holy Week

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

Saint: Saint Stanislaw, Bishop (1036-1079)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 58:1-16 The Procedure for Receiving New Brothers

Mass: Is 42:1-7; Resp Ps 27; Jn 12:1-11

©

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

Welcome to Monday, though not an ordinary Monday. We are in the midst of Holy Week. May we be renewed and energized on our way to Jerusalem. I have grasped you by the hand (Is 42:6), says the Lord. 

In today's Gospel, we find Jesus in Bethany, where Lazarus was. It was Lazarus that Jesus raised from the dead. Martha and Mary were there too; they gave a dinner for Jesus. I stopped after I read these lines. Just imagine it. Having dinner with your dear friends, one of whom Jesus raised from the dead. It is certainly no wonder that a large crowd gathered too, outside jostling for a position, not only to see Jesus, but also to see this Lazarus raised from the dead. Fear, confusion, and conversion abound, all at once. Some not only wanted to kill Jesus, but Lazarus too, as many became believers because of him. Not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench (Is 42:2-3).

In our reading from the Holy Rule of Saint Benedict, we begin the chapter on the reception of new members. It's a good week to be immersed in the wisdom offered us. Entrance should not be easy. Patience is needed. Once the newcomer is welcomed, "the concern must be whether the novice truly seeks God and whether she shows eagerness for the Work of God, for obedience and for trials. The novice should clearly be told all the hardships and difficulties that will lead him to God" (RB 58:6-8). We might turn then to the Prologue, where our holy father Benedict is clear: "This message of mine is for you, then, if you are ready to give up your own will, once and for all, and armed with the strong and noble weapons of obedience, to do battle for the true King, Christ the Lord" (RB 58:3). The following quotations may help, in whatever your vocation. By the grace of God go we. Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.

The passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the hope of glory and a lesson in patience ...

let us fearlessly acknowledge, and even openly proclaim, that Christ was crucified for us; let us confess it, not in fear but in joy, not in shame but in glory ...

Let me not boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop, in Office of Readings, Monday of Holy Week)

As we do battle and fight in the contest of faith, God, His angels and Christ Himself watch us. How exalted is His glory, how great the joy of engaging in a contest with God presiding, of receiving a crown with Christ as judge ...

let us arm ourselves with all our might, let us prepare ourselves for the struggle by innocence of heart, integrity of faith, dedication to virtue.

(From a letter by Saint Cyprian, bishop and martyr, on Office of Readings, April 11)

We pray for the people of Poland, and ask Saint Stanislaw to intercede for them. And Pope Saint John Paul II too. It is a beautiful country, and Krakow fascinating. Get there if you can. It's worth it.

SAINT STANISLAW,

POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: The apple trees in the garden are busy.

© Gertrude Feick 2022