Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Saint: Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Cistercian Abbot, Doctor of the Church "Doctor Mellifluus" (1090-1153)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 64:1-6 The Election of an Abbot

Mass: Ezk 43:1-7ab; Resp Ps 85; Mt 23:1-12

For the Feast of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux: Wisdom 7:7-10, 15-16 or Sirach 39:8-14; Resp Ps 19 or 37; Ph 3:17-4:1; Mt 5:13-19 or Jn 17:20-26

The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

HEART OF MARY, SEAT OF MERCY,

PRAY FOR US.

Therefore I prayed, and prudence was given me; 

I pleaded and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.

(Wisdom 7:7)

The "Doctor Mellifluus," "the last of the Fathers, but certainly not inferior to the earlier ones," was remarkable for such qualities of nature and of mind, and so enriched by God with heavenly gifts, that in the changing and often stormy times in which he lived, he seemed to dominate by his holiness, wisdom and most prudent counsel.

(Pope Pius XII, Encyclical Letter Doctor Mellifluus the Last of the Fathers, May 24, 1953)

How fitting and right it is that as we commemorate the great Cistercian Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint Benedict writes on the election of the abbot, "Goodness of life and wisdom in teaching must be the criteria for choosing the one to be made abbot ..." (Rule of Saint Benedict, 64:2). Saint Bernard knew that God "is the guide of Wisdom and the director of the wise, for both we and our words are in His hand, as well as prudence and knowledge of crafts" (Wisdom 7:16). Therefore, Pope Pius XII could write: Saint Bernard's "teaching was drawn, almost exclusively, from the pages of Sacred Scripture and from the Fathers, which he had at hand day and night in his profound meditations" (Doctor Mellifluus). 

We end with two quotations from Saint Bernard, the first I am unable to find a source for at the moment, the second from a letter of his. In God we trust. 😊

You will find something more in the woods than in books. Trees and stones will teach you that which you can never learn from masters.

(Saint Bernard of Clairvaux)

We wear ourselves with our scribbling to each other, but is the spirit ever weary of loving? We find rest in those we love, and we provide a resting place in ourselves for those we love.

(Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, The Letters of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Letter 90)  

SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: For Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, from Saint Bernard Catholic Parish, Eureka, CA.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In other years: Pope Saint Sixtus II and his companions (-258); Saint Cajetan (1480-1547); Blessed Nicholas Postgate (1598-1679); Saint Albert Trapani (c.1240-1307)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 55:1-14 The Clothing and Footwear of the Brothers

Mass: Wisdom 18:6-9; Resp Ps 33; Heb 11:1-2, 8-19; Lk 12:32-48

Our soul waits for the Lord.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

HEART OF MARY, UNITED TO THE HEART OF JESUS,

PRAY FOR US.

Arise, O God, and defend your cause, and forget not the cries of those who seek You.

(Entrance Antiphon, Mass, in part)

In today's Gospel, the Lord answers Peter's question with a question of His own: Who then is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? (Lk 12:42). It may be that a faithful and prudent steward is, among other things, someone who pays attention. Someone who, as we sing praise at the end of a psalm, pays attention and gives Praise to the God who is, praise to the God who was, praise to the God who is to come, for ages unending. Amen. So many things pass by without us noticing. Or rather, pass by without me noticing. For example, the beauty of God's creation that surrounds us at every moment. It just so happens that I was paying attention late yesterday afternoon when I went looking for a flower to use with today's reflection. And you can see what I found instead. Stay awake and be ready! For you do not know on what day the Lord will come (Gospel acclamation, Mass). Mary Oliver puts it this way:

Messenger,

by Mary Oliver (1935-2019)

My work is loving the world.

Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird-

    equal seekers of sweetness.

Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.

Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?

Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me

    keep my mind on what matters.,

which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished. 

The phoebe, the delphinium.

The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.

Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart

    and these body-clothes,

a mouth with which to give shouts of joy

    to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,

telling them all, over and over, how it is

    that we live forever.

It is entirely up to you. 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,

BLESSED NICHOLAS POSTGATE,

SAINT ALBERT TRAPANI,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: See text above. 😊 May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us.

© Gertrude Feick 2022