Holy Saturday

Jubilee Holy Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope

April is the month dedicated to the Divine Mercy

The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens,

that He might fill all things.

DIVINE MERCY, SHIELDING US FROM THE FIRE OF HELL,

I TRUST IN YOU.

OUR LADY OF SORROWS,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

Pilgrims of hope, we wait.

Something strange is happening-there is a great silence on the earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

However, as the Lord takes Adam by the hand, He says ...

Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light ...

I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only person and we cannot be separated.

(From an ancient homily on Holy Saturday, in Office of Readings, Holy Saturday)

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. 

Pope Saint John Paul II offered this about Holy Saturday:

On Holy Saturday, the Church, once again, identifies herself with Mary: all her faith is gathered in her, the first believer. In the darkness that envelopes creation, she remains alone to keep the flame of faith alive, preparing to welcome the joyful and surprising announcement of the Resurrection. In memory of the Mother of the Lord, the Christian community on this aliturgical day is called to devote herself to silence and meditation, nourishing in expectation the blessed hope of a renewed encounter with the Lord.

(Pope Saint John Paul II, Wednesday General Audience, April 3, 1996)

Let us be silent this day and ask Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows to pray for us so that we, like her, be strengthened in our faith. 

Solitude can be very rewarding and full of blessing because in the silence of the inner being, 

one finds God.

(Venerable Fulton Sheen)

BLESSED JAMES OLDO,

SAINT ALPHEGE,

BLESSED ISNARD OF CHIAMPO, OP,

BLESSED SIBYLLINA BISCOSSI, OP,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: From the archives, February 6, 2023. Praise God in His holy place, praise Him in the mighty heavens. 

© Gertrude Feick 2025

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

First Saturday of the Month

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 54 Letters or Gifts for Monks

Mass: Dn 7:9-10, 13-14; Resp Ps 97; 2 Pt 1:16-19; Lk 9:28b-36

All peoples see His glory.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

HEART OF MARY, LIKE UNTO THE HEART OF GOD,

PRAY FOR US.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, 

His kingship shall not be destroyed.

(Dn 7:14)

Welcome to the First Saturday of the Month and the celebration of the Feast of Transfiguration of the Lord. Listen to the voice from the cloud that said: This is my beloved Son; listen to Him (Lk 9:35). United as we are, baptized into the family of faith, we too are the beloved children of God. As brothers and sisters, may we listen to the Lord with open hearts and minds. We enter into this day before the Sabbath, usually a day full of things to do like yard work, cleaning this or that like the parish or monastery church, laundry, cooking, shopping, and so on, with something to ponder: "The true miracle of the Transfiguration is not the shining face or the white garments, but the fact that for the rest of the time Jesus hid His glory so well" (Universalis). It is wonderful in our eyes. Amen.

Jesus goes up before us to show us the way, both up the mountain and into heaven, and-I speak boldly- it is for us now to follow Him with all speed, yearning for the heavenly vision that will give us a share in His radiance, renew our spiritual nature and transform us into His own likeness, making us forever sharers in His Godhead and raising us to heights as yet undreamed of ...

It is indeed good to be here, as you have said, Peter. It is good to be with Jesus and to remain here for ever. What greater happiness or higher honor could we have than to be with God, to be made like Him and to live in His light?

(From a sermon on the transfiguration of the Lord by Anastasius of Sinai, bishop, in Office of Readings, August 6)

NB. I was reminded that the month of August is especially dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. From today forward then, after addressing her as Queen of Peace, we will invoke the Blessed Mother with a title from the Litany of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 

Today's photo: This image of the icon of the Transfiguration of the Lord is used with permission of the Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Angel, OR. The icon hangs in their chapel at Queen of Angels Monastery. The icon is through the hands of the Iconographic Arts Institute. And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as light.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

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

Saint: Blessed Marie-Joseph Cassant, Cistercian monk and priest (1878-1903); Saint Botolph (7th century)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 13:12-14 The Celebration of Lauds on Ordinary Days

Mass: 2 Kgs 11:1-4, 9-18, 20; Resp Ps 132; Mt 6:19-23

He prefers her for His dwelling.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

In a letter sent to his parents about a month before he died, one of our saints of the day, Blessed Marie-Joseph Cassant, Cistercian monk and priest, began in this way: "Everything for the heart of Jesus!" And Blessed Marie-Joseph closed the letter with this "I end with the wish that we always be one in the Heart of Jesus, on earth as in heaven" (23 December 1902/24 May 1903). The young monk embraced what Jesus teaches us in today's Gospel, namely, he stored up his treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be (Mt 6:21), says the Lord. Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us.

BLESSED MARIE-JOSEPH CASSANT,

SAINT BOTOLPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Linda and her faithful companion Molly contributed these Dogwood flowers from one of their walks. I will set upon your throne.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Patronal Feast of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance

Year of Saint Joseph

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

National Back to School Month

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 61:1-5 The Reception of Visiting Monks

Mass: Rev 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab; Resp Ps 45; 1 Cor 15:20-27; Lk 1:39-56

MARY, MOTHER OF CITEAUX,

PRAY FOR US.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

(Lk 1:46-47)

It is on days like this, the glorious Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Patronal Feast of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, that I turn to our Catechism of the Catholic Church. We find this in paragraph 966, a magnificent text:

Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians:

In giving birth, you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death.

And this from Pope Benedict XVI:

Mary is blessed because-totally, in body and soul and forever-she became the Lord's dwelling place. If this is true, Mary does not merely invite our admiration and veneration, but she guides us, shows us the way of life, shows us how we can become blessed, how to find the path of happiness.

(Pope Benedict XVI, Solemnity of the Assumption, homily, August 15, 2006)

With Mary as our guide then, why not pray with the Litany of Mary today. Holy Mother of God, pray for us.

MARY, ASSUMED INTO HEAVEN,

MARY, GATE OF HEAVEN,

MARY, QUEEN OF HEAVEN,

JOSEPH, PROTECTOR OF THE HOLY CHURCH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: From the website of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, www.ocso.org. All Cistercian monasteries are dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. 

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Year of Saint Joseph

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

National Back to School Month

Saints: Saint John Mary Vianney, Cure of Ars (1786-1859)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 53:1-15 The Reception of Guests

Mass: Nb 13:1-2, 25-14:1, 26a-29a, 34-35; Resp Ps 106; Mt 15:21-28

Remember us, Lord, as you favor your people.

MARY, QUEEN OF ALL SAINTS,

MARY, QUEEN OF CONFESSORS,

PRAY FOR US.

Today we commemorate another great saint, Saint John Mary Vianney, patron of parish priests, he most humble, loving, and caring, a "noted preacher, and celebrated confessor: such was his fame, and his reputation for insight into his penitents' souls and their futures." It is said that he spent up to 18 hours a day in the confessional, "so great was his demand." Saint John Mary Vianney must have never turned anyone away. He would be pleased with Saint Benedict's chapter on the Reception of Guests, which begins today with this: "All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me. Proper honor must be shown to all, especially to those who share our faith and to pilgrims" (RB 53:1-2). 

This is the glorious duty of man: to pray and to love. If you pray and love, that is where a man's happiness is.

(From the catechetical instructions by Saint John Mary Vianney, priest, in Office of Readings, August 4)

All of the following quotations attributed to Saint John Mary Vianney come from my trusty Quotable Saints. As stated on pp. 179-180, Saint John Mary Vianney is "so often quoted in this book." And I have not included all of the quotations!

The saints were so completely dead to themselves that they cared very little whether others agreed with them or not.

The saints had no hatred, no bitterness. They forgave everything.

Those who are led by the Holy Spirit have true ideas: that is why so many ignorant people are wiser than the learned. The Holy Spirit is light and strength.

Love of our neighbor consists of three things: to desire the greater good of everyone; to do what good we can when we can; to bear, excuse, and hide other's faults.

You must accept your cross; if you carry it courageously it will carry you to heaven. 

God commands you to pray, but he forbids you to worry.

If something uncharitable is said in your presence, either speak in favor of the absent, or withdraw, or, if possible, stop the conversation.

We must never lose sight of the fact that we are either saints or outcasts, that we must live for heaven or for hell: there is no middle path in this.

You either belong wholly to the world or wholly to God.

If people would do for God what they do for the world, what a great number of Christians would go to heaven.

SAINT JOHN MARY VIANNEY,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: From Catherine on the island of Kauai. Wow!

© Gertrude Feick 2021