Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

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

Saints:Saint John of Avila, Priest, Doctor (c.1500-1569); Saint Damian of Molokai (1840-1889); Saint Comgall (510/520-597/602); Saint Antonius of Florence OP (1389-1459)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 1:6-13 The Kinds of Monks

Mass: Acts 11:19-26; Resp Ps 87; Jn 10:22-30 

Glorious things are said of you, O city of God!

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

Remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart.

(Acts 11:23)

One thing to do today is to listen for the Lord's voice. It is He who says: My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand (Jn 10:27-28). Amen. We go forth united in faith and prayer with one of my favorite lines in the Acts of the Apostles: "It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians" (Acts 11:26). May others know we are Christians by our love. 😊

Sometimes the very desire for action leads to neglect of action. Looking for some wonderful opportunity to give oneself, to devote oneself, one forgets the humble brother close at hand who is waiting for a word of comfort, a saving gesture.

Let us not linger in contemplation of the road ahead; let us follow the narrow path. Let us not look too far or too high, but right in front of ourselves. The good to be done is perhaps right there.

(E. Leseur, The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur, p. 152)

SAINT JOHN OF AVILA,

SAINT DAMIAN OF MOLOKAI,

SAINT COMGALL,

SAINT ANTONIUS OF FLORENCE,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Yesterday afternoon just when I started to think about a photo for today, something appeared from avid hiker, nature lover, and faithful reader Catherine in Corvallis, OR. Enjoy this wild iris. It is certainly glorious. 

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Saint: Saint Ambrose of Milan, Bishop, Doctor (340?-397)

Pearl Harbor Day, 80th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor (1941)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 55:1-14 Clothing and Footwear

Mass: Is 40:1-11; Resp Ps 96; Mt 18:12-14

Sing to the Lord, bless His name.

HEART OF JESUS, DESIRE OF THE EVERLASTING HILLS,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

What sticks with me this morning, after several hours to reflect upon both readings for today, first from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, and secondly in the Gospel passage, is that I am certainly grateful that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, searches endlessly for the one who goes astray. Even when there ninety-nine who stay with Him, Our Lord goes after the one who goes astray. So whether you are astray with tiredness, ill health, worries, grief, fear or anxiety, the Good Shepherd wants to gather you in His arms, carry you in His bosom, and lead you with care (Is 40:11). Jesus loves you. He rejoices over you. Rejoice with Him.

On the newsy news front, the Holy Father Pope Francis has returned to Rome after his 35th Apostolic Journey. We continue to pray for his health and well-being, and for the people of Cyprus and Greece. On this 80th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, we remember too all those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor, and for all those who served our country in World War II. Thank you. If you've never been to Pearl Harbor, it's worth a visit.

Mercy is a good thing, for it makes men perfect, in that it imitates the perfect Father. Nothing graces the Christian so much as mercy.

(Saint Ambrose of Milan)

No one heals himself by wounding another.

(Saint Ambrose of Milan)

SAINT AMBROSE OF MILAN,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: If this cookie was in front of me right now, I assure you that it would not last long. Yum. This gem is only one of about ten dozen holiday cookies baked by dear d and co. The recipe is a family tradition passed along for three generations now. The crew was busy for about five hours, the time needed to roll out, cut, decorate, and bake the lot of them. Bless the work of our hands; bless the work of hands. BTW, if you need a lol, here's one. The "berry" photo posted yesterday was not at all what I described. You see, there was a little confusion about those "berries" which are more likely some form of holly, and the "berry" you see in today's photo, seen here in the bottom right of the photo and much more likely to be the Haribo kind. This one adorns the top of a Christmas cookie tree. It seems it's time to get our berries in order. As I said, lol. 😊

© Gertrude Feick 2021