Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

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

Saints: Saints Alban, Julius and Aaron, early Christian martyrs; The Irish Martyrs (16th-17th century)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 16 The Celebration of the Divine Office During the Day

Mass: 2 Kgs 17:5-8, 13-15a, 18; Resp Ps 60; Mt 7:1-5

Help us with your right hand, O Lord, and answer us.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

Welcome back to Monday, this one the day before the Summer Solstice, in the month of June dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and in the last week of the Year of the Family. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow! Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us.

Enough for today are the first and last lines of Jesus in today's Gospel. They are pretty clear. Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged ...remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye (Mt 7:1-2, 5)

Since, by the goodness of God, we who are called "Christians" have been granted the honor of sharing this name, the greatest, the highest, the most sublime of all names, it follows that each of the titles that express its meaning should be clearly reflected in us. If we are not to lie when we call ourselves "Christians," we must bear witness to it by our way of living.

(From a treatise on Christian Perfection by Saint Gregory of Nyssa, bishop, in Office of Readings, Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time, Monday)

SAINTS ALBAN, JULIUS AND AARON,

THE IRISH MARTYRS,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: I like our fig tree. Watch out as the leaves are just getting started.

© Gertrude Feic 2022

Wednesday of the Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Saints: Saint Edward the Confessor (1003-1066)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 10 The Arrangement of the Night Office in Summer

Mass: Rm 2:1-11; Resp Ps 62; Lk 11:42-46

God is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold.

IF YOU, O LORD, SHOULD MARK INIQUITIES, LORD, WHO COULD STAND? BUT WITH YOU IS FOUND FORGIVENESS, O GOD OF ISRAEL.

(Entrance Antiphon, Mass)

One thought that occurred to me today came from the Entrance Antiphon from Mass included above. I certainly know that if the Lord marked my iniquities, I could not stand. Thankfully, with the Lord I find forgiveness, love, and mercy. Another thought came to me from our first reading at Mass. There, Saint Paul warns us about judging one another. Beware. There are no excuses for judging another for when we point that one finger at another person, three fingers are pointing at us. You are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things (Rm 2:1). I am reminded of the Family Circus cartoon strip, always a favorite. I think of the scenes when either Mom or Dad asks the children who did something. I just looked up some of the scenes and several appeared. Take a look. In one of them, the whole family is at dinner and Dad asks, "All right -- who is kicking the table?" The answers include, "Not me!", "Ida know!", "Nobody!", and even the baby thinks aloud, "Not me!" At the same time the dog sits quietly under the table and the little "Nobody", "Not me", and "Ida know" goblins are busy kicking the table legs. 😊

SAINT EDWARD THE CONFESSOR,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Zion National Park again. Awesome cloud formation. Where do those stairs lead ... 

© Gertrude Feick 2021