Friday of the Second Week of Lent

The Month of March Devoted to Saint Joseph

Saints: Saint John Ogilvie, Jesuit and Martyr (1579-1615)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 32 The Tools and Goods of the Monastery

Mass:  Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a; Resp Ps 105; Mt 21:33-43, 45-46

Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

OUR LADY OF SNOWS,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US. 

SAINT JOSEPH, PRAY FOR US.

When their brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons, they hated him so much that they would not even greet him.

(Gn 37:4)

Yikes. That is one response to what jealousy and envy can do as evidenced in our reading from the Book of Genesis. Meanwhile, the chief priests and Pharisees were attempting to arrest Jesus. At the same time, they feared the crowds (see Mt 21:46). Sadly, these situations may sound familiar to most of us, wherever we find ourselves. We must encourage each other with prayer and our witness to the faith. 

Whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed but glorify God because of the name.

(1 Peter 4:16)

In response to the words from Saint Peter above, in addition to the lengthy * below ☺, there is something about our saint of the day, Saint John Ogilvie*. Before he was martyred, he was asked whether he was afraid to die. His reply? "I fear death as much as you do your dinner." Keep going, faithful readers.

SAINT JOHN OGILVIE,

PRAY FOR US.

* Pope Saint Paul VI canonized the martyr Saint John Ogilvie in 1976. Saint John Ogilvie was the first Scottish saint in 700 years; he is the only post-Reformation Scottish saint. A convert from Protestantism to Catholicism, John entered the Society of Jesus in 1599 and was ordained priest in 1610. Eventually betrayed and captured in Glasgow, John endured much suffering (huge understatement) and was hanged March 10, 1615, primarily for insisting on the primacy of the Pope. It is said that his last gesture before his hanging was to toss his Rosary beads into the crowd where they were caught by a Calvinist nobleman who later became a Catholic, tracing his conversion to the incident and the martyr's beads. In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the Scottish bishops to promote devotion to Saint John Ogilvie among priests since the Jesuit martyr had been "truly outstanding in his dedication to a difficult and dangerous pastoral ministry, to the point of laying down his life." Later the same year during a visit to Scotland, the pontiff encouraged priests to look to the saint's "dedicated, selfless and brave" example. For all the faithful, may we too look to Saint John Ogilvie for encouragement and intercession. See Catholic News Agency, "St. John Ogilvie," and Universalis, "About Today," March 10, 2023; T. Hoopes, "St. John Ogilvie and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: Heroic Witnesses to Christ's Church," in Seton Reflections, setonshrine.org. 

Today's photo: Welcome back to Torres de Paine National Park, Chile. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes (Ps 118:23).

© Gertrude Feick 2023

Tuesday of the Thirty-Fourth, or Last, Week in Ordinary Time

For the Poor Souls in Purgatory

Saints: Saint Cecilia, Virgin, Martyr 

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 22:13-19 Tardiness at the Work of God or at Table

Mass: Rev 14:14-19; Resp Ps 96; Lk 21:5-11

Then shall all the trees of the forest exalt.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS,

OUR LADY OF MONTILGEON,

SAINT GERTRUDE THE GREAT OF HELFTA,

SAINT NICHOLAS OF TOLENTINO,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

Saint Cecilia kept the Gospel of Christ ever near her heart; day or night she never ceased praying and speaking with God.

(The Liturgy of the Hours, Evening Prayer, Canticle of Mary, Antiphon, November 22)

We are blessed today as we are every day with the abundance of gifts God has bestowed upon us. Special today though as we commemorate Santa Cecilia, one of the saints invoked during the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I) at Mass. We beseech God to admit us into the company of all His saints such as Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia ... We pray that God does not weigh our merits, but instead grants us pardon through Christ Our Lord. We pray to Saint Cecilia to cheer us on. We don't know much about her, and many stories have developed over the years. Saint Cecilia is associated with music and is the patron saint of music and musicians. It doesn't really matter whether or not Cecilia herself was a musician or singer or composer; her name sounds like music. Cecilia ... it rolls off the tongue quite melodiously. The Church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome, is built over her house. It is a beautiful church and a popular sight for weddings. It is also where I bought my little statue of Saint Cecilia, one my treasures. May we, like Saint Cecilia, virgin and martyr, remain faithful until death while singing God's praises. As Jesus tells us, I will give you the crown of life.

SAINT CECILIA,

SAINT MARY ELIZABETH HESSELBLAD,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Taken yesterday late afternoon, the view after I stepped outside. He comes to rule the earth.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Monday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Respect Life Month

Saint: Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop, Martyr (-107)

Readings of the Day

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

Mass: Eph 2:1-10; Resp Ps 100; Lk 12:13-21

Know that the Lord is God.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

MARY, QUEEN OF THE MOST HOLY ROSARY,

SAINT JOSEPH, DEFENDER OF LIFE,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is a gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.

(Eph 2:8-9)

Essentially, if we are going to boast about anything at all, we should make our boast in the Lord (see 2 Cor; 10:17/Rule of Saint Benedict Prologue 32). All is gift; all is grace. Made in the image and likeness of God, we are united in faith and prayer and go forth. We ask another great intercessor, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, whose one desire was to belong to God, to help us be courageous and strong in our faith. Saint Ignatius was not going to let anyone, or anything stand in the way of his martyrdom. On his journey to Rome to be martyred, Ignatius was clear in his letter to the Romans: "I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire." Mary, Queen of martyrs, pray for us. 

For we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God has prepared in advance that we should live in them.

(Eph 2:10)

SAINT IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Martyr red berries in honor of Saint Ignatius of Antioch and all the martyrs, past and present. He made us, we are His.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In other years: Saint Edith of Kemsing (961-984); Saint Stanislaw Kostka (1550-1568)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 4:1-21 The Tools for Good Works

Mass: Amos 8:4-7; Resp Ps 113; 1 Tim 2:1-8; Lk 16:1-13

Above the heavens is His glory.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY,

PRAY FOR US.

Since ...

No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.

(Lk 16:13)

then, 

First of all, love the Lord God with your whole heart, your whole soul and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.

(Rule of Saint Benedict, 4:1-2)

and we go from there.

Bouna domenica! And it's one of those Sundays when many things work together, primarily in the Word as spoken in the Gospel, in wisdom from Saint Benedict, and in what others have to say it about it all, including you. 😊 God is praised!

It is about making choices. We have been given the gift of reason; let us not waste it. May we be faithful in little matters, and faithful in bigger matters too, as a wise and prudent steward would. If what we encounter day by day, hour by hour, and minute by minute, leads us to love and serve God, and to love and serve our neighbors as ourselves, then let us choose to go there. If our encounters detract from this love and service, we must choose to avoid them. In all things, may God be glorified (1 Pet 4:11/RB 57:9). Coraggio, dear faithful readers. United in faith and prayer, we pick our crosses, "go against the tide," and follow Him.

And from Pope Benedict XVI, during a 2007 Pastoral Visit to the Suburbicarian Diocese of Velletri-Segni, Italy: 

If loving Christ and one's brethren is not to be considered as something incidental and superficial but, rather, the true and ultimate purpose of our whole existence, it will be necessary to know how to make basic choices, to be prepared to make radical renouncements, if necessary, even to the point of martyrdom. Today, as yesterday, Christian life demands the courage to go against the tide, to love like Jesus, who even went so far as to sacrifice Himself on the Cross.

(Pope Benedict XVI, September 23, 2007, Eucharistic Concelebration, Holy Mass, Homily, Saint Clement's Square, Velletri, Italy)

And from Pope Francis, in today's Angelus Address, delivered to the pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square:

We are called to be creative in doing good with the prudence and cleverness of the Gospel, using the goods of this world, not only the material but all the gifts we have received from the Lord, not to enrich ourselves, but to generate fraternal love and social fellowship ... Let us pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary so that she may help us be like herself poor in spirit and rich in works of charity for one another.

(Pope Francis, Sunday Angelus, Saint Peter's Square, Rome, September 18, 2022)

SAINT EDITH KEMSING,

SAINT STANISLAW KOSTKA,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Seeing some blue sky with a smattering of clouds yesterday morning, I thought it was time to share some of this beauty with a friendly reminder: "Don't forget to look up!" And speaking of looking up, it rained during the night, and it continues to rain this morning. High above the nations is the Lord.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Feast of Saint Lawrence

Saint: Saint Lawrence, Deacon, Martyr (-258)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 57 The Artisans of the Monastery 

Mass: 2 Cor 9:6-10; Resp Ps 112; Jn 12:24-26

The upright generation shall be blessed.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

HEART OF MARY, TABERNACLE OF GOD INCARNATION,

PRAY FOR US.

Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

(2 Cor 9:6)

So that in all things God may be glorified.

(Rule of Saint Benedict, 57:9/1 Pet 4:11)

Give praise to God as we commemorate Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, "one of the most celebrated saints in the history of the Church" ... "one of the most venerated martyrs of the Roman church since the fourth century" (Butler's Lives of the Saints). Yes, he of gridiron fame; he "who ransacked Rome for the poor supported by the Church", then "assembled the decrepit, blind, lame, cripples, lepers, orphans, widows, and maidens and invited the prefect [of Rome] to inspect the Church's real treasure." For this Lawrence would perish, slowly. It is to Saint Lawrence that we look for inspiration and intercession. We must keep going, united in faith and prayer. About Saint Lawrence and about us too, Saint Augustine preached this: 

In his life he loved Christ; in his death he followed in His footsteps ... we too must imitate Christ if we truly love Him. We shall not be able to render better return on that love than by modeling our lives on His ... Let us understand, then, how a Christian must follow Christ even though he does not shed his blood for Him, and his faith is not called upon to undergo the great test of the martyr's sufferings ... Christ humbled Himself. Christian, that is what you must make your own. Christ became obedient. How is it that you are proud? When this humbling experience was completed and death itself lay conquered, Christ ascended into heaven. Let us follow Him there, for we hear Paul saying: If you have been raised with Christ, you must lift your thoughts on high, where Christ now sits at the right hand of God.

 (From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop, in Office of Readings, August 10). 

SAINT LAWRENCE,

PRAY FOR US.

NB. With fond memories I recall 5th and 6th grades at Saint Lawrence Catholic School in Muncie, Indiana, my hometown. It was the same school my father attended as a boy, after he and his parents immigrated from Germany in 1933. God is praised. Saint Lawrence, as of the 2021-22 school year, is now unified with Saint Mary Catholic School (where I attended 4th grade) in a single Catholic School, Saint Michael Catholic School. May Saint Lawrence, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Michael intercede for all students, teachers, and staff, and all the faithful in Muncie, Indiana. 

Today's photo: On the prowl for a flower or greenery, I found this. His generosity shall endure forever.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

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

Saint: Saint Barnabas the Apostle and Martyr

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 8 The Divine Office at Night

Mass: Acts 11:21b-26; 13:1-3; Resp Ps 98; Mt 10:7-13 or Mt 5:33-37

He has done wondrous deeds.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS,

PRAY FOR US.

Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, 

have mercy on us.

Welcome to Saturday, this one the day before we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. As we prepare then, may our "Yes" mean "Yes" and our "No" mean "No." Anything more is from the Evil One (Mt 5:37). The Kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mt 10:7). United in faith and prayer, Blessed Rafael Arnaiz Baron can inspire us.

I want to occupy myself with only one thing: loving God; with that alone.

(Blessed Rafael Arnaiz Baron in G.M. Fernandez, God Alone, p. 57)

SAINT BARNABAS THE APOSTLE AND MARTYR,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: More beauty clothed in martyr red to commemorate Saint Barnabas the Apostle and Martyr. When I typed Saint Barnabas the Apostle and Martyr yesterday, it occurred to me that Apostle implies martyrdom. Pick up your cross and follow me, says the Lord. His right hand has won victory for Him, His holy arm. 

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Tuesday of the Nineteenth 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 Lawrence, Deacon, Martyr (-258)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 57 The Artisans of the Monastery

Mass:  2 Cor 9:6-10; Resp Ps 112; Jn 12:24-26

The just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.

WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE, SAYS THE LORD,

ALLELUIA.

(Gospel versicle, Mass)

A funny story I once heard was from a priest who was in Rome, set to meet some friends at the Church of Saint Lawrence, Chiesa de San Lorenzo. The priest hales a taxi, gets in, and asks to be taken to the Church. Unbeknownst to the priest, there are nearly ten churches dedicated to, or associated with the life of Saint Lawrence in Rome. It happened though, that through trial and error, the taxi driver managed to eventually get the priest to where he was meant to be. You know, Chiesa di San Lorenzo. 😉

So on this Feast of Saint Lawrence, we ask Saint Lawrence to intercede for us so that we sow bountifully through whatever is presented to us today, "without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor 9:7). We remember that God is able to make every grace abundant for us, so that in all things, always having what we need, we may have abundance for every good work (2 Cor 9:8). In this way, we sow so that in all things God may be glorified (Rule of Saint Benedict 57:9/1 Pet 4:11). 

Lawrence was a deacon of the Church at Rome ... in his life he loved Christ; in his death he followed in His footsteps ... 

Let us understand, then, how a Christian must follow Christ even though he does not shed his blood for Him, and his faith is not called upon to undergo the great test of the martyr's suffering ...

Christ humbled Himself . Christian, that is what you must make your own. Christ became obedient. How is it that you are proud? When this humbling experience was completed and death itself lay conquered, Christ ascended into heaven. Let us follow Him there, for we hear Paul saying: If you have been raised with Christ, you must lift your thoughts on high, where Christ now sits at the right hand of God.

(From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop, in Office of Readings, August 10)

SAINT LAWRENCE,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Sunflower with bee from d in West Linn, OR.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Saturday 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

First Saturday of the Month

Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saints: Pope Saint Sixtus II and his companions, Martyrs (-258); Saint Cajetan (1480-1547)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 55:1-14 The Clothing and Footwear of the Brothers

Mass: Dt 6:4-13; Resp Ps 18; Mt 17:14-20

Extolled be God my savior!

MARY, VIRGIN MOST FAITHFUL,

PRAY FOR US.

It's the First Saturday of the Month so let's keep it simple with Jesus' unambiguous words: Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you (Mt 17:20). May we not be people of little faith. By the grace of God we go. 

Let all our people fix their minds on death but rather immortality; let them commit themselves to the Lord in complete faith and unflinching courage and make their confession with joy rather than in fear, knowing that in this contest the soldiers of God and Christ are not slain but rather win their crowns.

(From a letter by Saint Cyprian, bishop and martyr, in Office of Readings, August 7)

If you want Christ to love you and help you, you must love Him and always make an effort to please Him. Do not waver in your purpose, because even if all the saints and every single creature should abandon you, He will always be near you, whatever your needs.

(From a letter by Saint Cajetan, priest, in Office of Readings, August 7)

POPE SAINT SIXTUS II AND HIS COMPANIONS,

SAINT CAJETAN,

SAINT JOSPEH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Yellow rose on the hill.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Saint Andrew Dũng-Lac and Companions (Vietnamese, Spanish, French martyrs of 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries)

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 45 Mistakes in the Oratory
Mass: Rev 11:4-12; Resp Ps 144; Lk 20:27-40

May we never boast, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the word of the Cross is the power of God to us who have been saved.