Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

The Month of January Dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus

Saint: Saint Theodosius (423-528); Blessed Bernard Scammacca OP (1430-1487)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 2:11-15 Qualities of the Abbot

Mass: Heb 2:14-18; Resp Ps 105; Mk 1:29-39  

Sing to Him, sing His praise.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,

PRAY FOR US.

JESUS, DIVINE PHYSICIAN,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

Because He Himself was tested through what He suffered, He is able to help those who are being tested.

(Heb 2:18)

Jesus has a busy day in today's Gospel. First, he goes to Simon's mother-in-law who lay sick with a fever, approaches her, grasps her hand, and the fever leaves her. In haste, the mother-in-law (what do you suppose her name was?) waits on her visitors. Later in the evening, when the whole town gathers at the door of the Divine Physician, He gets busy and cures those with various diseases not without driving out demons. After a night's rest, Jesus goes off to deserted place to pray. Not surprisingly, everyone is looking for Him. So, Jesus keeps going and preaches and drives out more demons. May we get busy and keep going too, inspired by Jesus, and also by Pope Francis who began a new cycle of catechesis at today's General Audience. The Holy Father calls us to renew the passion for evangelization, that is, apostolic zeal. Pope Francis tells us that "when Christian life loses sight of the horizon of evangelization, horizon of proclamation, it grows sick: it closes in on itself, becomes self-referential, it becomes atrophied. Without apostolic zeal, faith withers. Mission, on the other hand, is the oxygen of Christian life: it invigorates and purifies us. Let us embark, then, on a process of rediscovering the evangelizing passion, starting with the Gospel and the Church's teaching, to draw apostolic zeal from its sources." We go forth, then, and turn to today's Gospel so as to steer clear of atrophy; to be invigorated and purified.  Keep going.

The Father's purpose is revealing the Son to make Himself known to us all and so to welcome into eternal rest those who believe in Him, establishing them in justice, preserving them from death. To believe in Him means to do His will.

From the treatise "Against the Heresies" by Saint Irenaeus, in Office of Readings, 

Wednesday, First Week in Ordinary Time)

SAINT THEODOSIUS,

BLESSED BERNARD SCAMMACCA,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Welcome to Windsor, CA, where with the rain there are flowers. Proclaim all His wondrous deeds.

© Gertrude Feick 2023

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent

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

Saints: Saint John Baptiste de la Salle (1651-1719); Saint Henry Walpole (1558-1595)

Readings of the Day

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

Mass: Gn 17:3-9; Resp Ps 105; Jn 8:51-59

The Lord remembers His covenant for ever.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.

(Jn 8:51)

In haste today, we find ourselves sandwiched between Jesus' words above and Saint John Baptiste de la Salle's, founder of the Congregation of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, below. United in faith and prayer, we go forth. Keep the faith. By God's grace I am what I am. 

Let your charity and zeal show how you love the Church. Your work is for the Church, which is the body of Christ. By your diligence show your love for those whom God has given you, just as Christ loved the Church.

(From a meditation by Saint John Baptist de la Salle, priest, in Office of Readings, April 7)

SAINT JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE,

SAINT HENRY WALPOLE,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: These were found busy doing their thing, yesterday morning, just out back.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Year of Saint Joseph

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

World Day Against Trafficking in Human Persons

Saints: Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Doctor (380-450); Saint Justin de Jacobis (1800-1860)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 48:22-25 The Daily Manual Labor

Mass: Lev 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37; Resp Ps 81; Mt 13:54-58

Sing with joy to God our help.

IT WAS NOT YOU WHO CHOSE ME, SAYS THE LORD, BUT I CHOSE YOU AND APPOINTED YOU TO GO AND BEAR FRUIT, FRUIT THAT WILL LAST.

(Communion Antiphon, Mass)

May we not be like the people in today's Gospel and question Jesus' wisdom and mighty deeds. We have work to do, as Saint Peter Chrysologus tells us: [The Creator] "has made you in His image that you might in your person make the invisible Creator present on earth; He has made you His legate, so that the vast empire of the world might have the Lord's representative" (From a sermon by Saint Peter Chrysologus, bishop, in Office of Readings, July 30). And Saint Ignatius of Antioch has something to say too. 

Give yourself to prayer continually, ask for wisdom greater than you now have, keep alert with unflagging spirit. Speak to each man individually, following God's example; bear the infirmities of all, like a perfect athlete of God. The greater the toil, the greater the reward ... be prudent as the serpent in all things, and innocent as the dove always. You are both body and soul; treat gently the manifestation of human fault, even as you pray for the knowledge of things invisible, and then you will lack nothing but abound in every good blessing ... Exercise self-discipline, for you are God's athlete; the prize is immortality and eternal life, as you know full well ... And above all we must bear with everything for God, so that He in turn may bear with us. Increase your zeal.

(From the beginning of a letter to Polycarp by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr, in Office of Readings, Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time, Friday)

A gentle maiden [Mary], having lodged a God in her womb, asks as its price, peace for the world, salvation for those who are lost, and life for the dead.

(Saint Peter Chrysologus)

SAINT PETER CHRYSOLOGUS,

SAINT JUSTIN DE JACOBIS,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Heavenly bamboo at the monastery. 

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Saint Joseph the Worker

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Eastertide

First Saturday of the Month

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 73 This Rule Only a Beginning of Perfection

Mass: Acts 13:44-52; Resp Ps 98; Jn 14:7-14

Optional memorial: Gn 1:26-2:3 or Col. 3:14-15, 17, 23-24; Resp Ps 90; Mt 13:54-58

Lord, give success to the work of our hands.

JOSEPH, MODEL OF WORKERS,

PRAY FOR US.

Welcome to the First Saturday of the Month and the Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker. As a friendly reminder, and as already included in last Tuesday's reflection, the commemoration of Saint Joseph the Worker was instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1955. Today is an especially good day to "go to Joseph" (Gn 41:55) for intercession. One way to begin and be encouraged is by re-reading the December 8, 2020, Apostolic Letter of Pope Francis, Patris Corde With a Father's Heart. As written there, the aim of the letter "is to increase our love for this great saint, to encourage us to implore his intercession and to imitate his virtues and zeal." The following are two prayers, also already included in previous reflections. The first was made "famous" by Pope Leo XIII in 1889. The second has been prayed by Pope Francis every day for over 40 years after Lauds. The prayer, taken from a 19th century French prayer book of the Congregation of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary, expresses devotion and trust, and even poses a certain challenge to Saint Joseph (Patris Corde, endnote 10). Lastly, whatever you are about today, why not go at it inspired by the words of Saint Paul: Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance of your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ (Col. 323-24). 

Defend, O most watchful guardian of the Holy Family, the chosen off-spring of Jesus Christ. Keep from us, O most loving Father, all blight of error and corruption. Aid us from on high, most valiant defender, in this conflict with the powers of darkness. As you once rescued the child Jesus from deadly peril, so now defend God's Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity. Shield us ever under your patronage, that, following your example and strengthened by your help, we may live a holy life, die a happy death, and attain to everlasting bliss in heaven.

Amen.

Glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph, whose power makes the impossible possible, come to my aid in these times of anguish and difficulty. Take under your protection the serious and troubling situations that I commend to you, that they may have a happy outcome. My beloved father, all my trust is in you. Let it not be said that I invoked you in vain, and since you can do everything with Jesus and Mary, show me that your goodness is as great as your power. Amen. 

SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKER,

SAINT JOSEPH, PATRON OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH,

SAINT JOSEPH, PATRON OF WORKERS,

SAINT JOSEPH, GUARDIAN OF THE REDEEMER,

SAINT JOSEPH, PATRON OF A HAPPY DEATH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: This photo was included last year on this feast. This lovely statue is in the home of a faithful reader who happens to be one of my brothers. 

© Gertrude Feick 2021