Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Month of May Dedicated to Our Lady and a “Marathon” of Prayer to End the Pandemic 

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 2:23-29

Mass: Acts 1:15-17, 20-26; Resp Ps 113l Jn 15:9-17

Blessed be the name of the Lord both now and forever.

JESUS, LOVER OF US,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

As we celebrate Saint Matthias, we are also in the midst of Chapter 2 of the Holy Rule, "Qualities of the Abbot". The role of the Abbot, as Saint Benedict writes, is "a difficult and demanding burden" (RB 2:31). It is fitting and right then to think about leadership or any positions of responsibility that we have, or may be given. The first thing to keep in mind and heart is what Jesus tells us in today's Gospel: It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, that will remain ... (Jn 15:16). And something else is this from Universalis that comes up every year for the feast: "When we attain some high or responsible position, we may be tempted to congratulate ourselves on being the best candidate for the job. We would do well to remember that we have got there because of the people we have met and the things we have found ourselves doing, and, more fundamentally, because of the gifts and talents that God has given us. These things are essentially random: like Matthias, we have been chosen by lot" ("About Today", May 14, 2021). So in roles both big and small, may we bear fruit that will last and turn to Saint Paul who declared: By God's grace I am what I am (1 Cor 15:10) and He who boasts should make his boast in the Lord (2 Cor 10:17)/(Rule of Saint Benedict 4:31-32).

Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name give the glory because of your faithfulness and love. Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Our God is in heaven; whatever God wills is done. 

(Ps 115:1-2)

SAINT MATTHIAS,

SAINT JOSEPH,

MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Praise the name of the Lord.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Thursday of the Sixth Week of Eastertide

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Month of May Dedicated to Our Lady and a “Marathon” of Prayer to End the Pandemic 

Other saints: Our Lady of Fatima; Saint Erconwald (-693); Bl Imelda Lambertini OP (c.1321-1333)

40th Anniversary of the Assassination Attempt on Pope Saint John Paul II (May 13, 1981)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 2:16-22

Mass: Acts 18:1-8; Resp Ps 98; Jn 16:16-20

Praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted.

BEHOLD, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE, ALLELUIA.

(Communion Antiphon, Mass)

There is so much good news in these accounts from the Acts of Apostles. The last lines of today's passage cause to me to join the psalmist and Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wondrous deeds (Ps 98). Why? Because we learn from the reading that "Crispus, the synagogue official, came to believe in the Lord along with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized"! (Acts 18:8). May we, like Paul, Silas, Timothy, and their friends Aquila, Priscilla, and Titus Justus, witness to the wondrous deeds of the Lord. What is one thing you will do today to witness to the wondrous deeds of the Lord?

OUR LADY OF FATIMA,

SAINT ERCONWALD,

BLESSED IMELDA LAMBERTINI,

POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II,

SAINT JOSEPH, HOPE OF THE SICK,

MARY, HEALTH OF THE SICK, 

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Eastertide

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Month of May Dedicated to Our Lady and a “Marathon” of Prayer to End the Pandemic 

Other saints: Saints Nereus and Achilles, Early Christian Martyrs; Saint Pancras, Early Christian Martyr; Bl Jane of Portugal OP (1452-1490)  

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 2:11-15

Mass: Acts 17:15, 22-18:1; Resp Ps 148; Jn 16:12-15

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

Jesus tells us in today's Gospel that when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide us to all truth (Jn 16:13). We need the Holy Spirit to help us better understand the mind of Jesus, things as He says, we cannot bear now (Jn 16:12). It is the Holy Spirit who guides us. Moreover, if we turn to our Catechism, we learn that our moral life as Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These, as stated, "are permanent dispositions that make us docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit" (1830). There are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord (CCC 1831). These are gifts we can receive to help lead us to all truth. Then there are the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity (CCC 1832). May our hearts and minds be open to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit to guide us so that we bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit-in abundance! 

One way to focus your prayer is with the text from the hymn we sing every day at midday. You might pray with the text, or any part of it, before going to a meeting, an appointment, or before making a decision. Or before whatever comes your way this day, and every day. Please join us we sing:

Now Holy Spirit One

with Father and with Son,

Come swiftly penetrate and fill

the hearts that thirst for you.

Let our selves in praise

sing out, proclaiming You,

Let love surge forth, a living fire

enkindling all we meet.

Be mindful of our prayer

You Father and the Son,

Who with the Spirit Paraclete

for ever reign. Amen.

O Truth, by the glory and splendor of your face, do not hide it from me. Cause all its beams to shine upon me, that in your light I may see light.

(William of St. Thierry)

SAINTS NEREUS AND ACHILLES,

SAINT PANCRAS,

BLESSED JANE OF PORTUGAL,

SAINT JOSEPH, 

MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY.

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: This beauty is just outside the entrance to the monastery.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Eastertide

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Month of May Dedicated to Our Lady and a “Marathon” of Prayer to End the Pandemic 

Other saints: The Carthusian Martyrs (16th century)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch  2:1-10 Qualities of the Abbot

Mass: Acts 16:22-34; Resp Ps 138:Jn 16:5-11

Your right hand saves me, O Lord.

LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD AND GIVE GLORY TO GOD, 

FOR THE LORD OUR GOD THE ALMIGHTY REIGNS, ALLELUIA.

(Entrance Antiphon, Mass)

If Paul and Silas could pray and sing psalms to God after they had been stripped, beaten with rods, then thrown into an innermost cell of the jail with their feet secured to a stake (Acts 16:22-24), then it seems we could do our part, no matter the circumstances. Alleluia!

I will thanks to you O Lord, with all my heart,

for you have heard the words of my mouth;

in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;

I will worship at your holy temple,

and give thanks to your name.

(Psalm 138)

THE CARTHUSIAN MARTYRS,

SAINT JOSEPH,

MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Forever firm like the sky! (Ps 89:38).

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Monday of the Sixth Week of Eastertide

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Month of May Dedicated to Our Lady and a “Marathon” of Prayer to End the Pandemic

Other 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

RB: Ch 1:6-13

Mass: Acts 16:11-15; Resp Ps 149; Jn 15:26-16:4a

The Lord takes delight in His people.

HEART OF JESUS, ABYSS OF ALL VIRTUES,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

One of my favorite lines from the Bible comes in today's account from the Acts of the Apostles. It is there that we meet "a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, from the city of Thyatira" (Acts 16:14). Lydia was a worshiper of God. Lydia listened and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying (Acts 16:14). Lydia, please intercede for us so that we become better listeners. Dear Lord, open our hearts to pay better attention so as to receive your Word.

Everything we would like others to do for us, let us do for them instead (cf. Mt 7:12). Do we want to be heard? Let us first listen. Do we need encouragement? Let us give encouragement. Do we want someone to care for us? Let us care for those who are alone and abandoned.

(Pope Francis, Twitter, May 10, 2021)

SAINT JOHN OF AVILA,

SAINT DAMIAN OF MOLOKAI,

SAINT COMGALL,

SAINT ANTONIUS OF FLORENCE,

SAINT JOSEPH,

MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Kathleen going for it at Joshua Tree National Park. Thank you for the great and  memorable days there in 2017.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Month of May Dedicated to Our Lady and a “Marathon” of Prayer to End the Pandemic

Mother's Day 

Other saints: Saint George Preca (1880-1962)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 1:1-5 The Kinds of Monks

Mass: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; Resp Ps 98; 1 Jn 4:7-10; Jn 15:9-17

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God.

LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER, BECAUSE LOVE IS OF GOD.

(1 Jn 4:7)

Happy Mother's Day! With Pope Francis at today's Regina Coeli Address, "we greet all mothers of the world, even those who have passed away. A round of applause for mothers!"

The most important person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral-a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body ... The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God's creative miracle to bring new saints to Heaven. Only a human mother can. Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creature; God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation ... What on earth is more glorious than this; to be a mother?

(Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty, 1892-1975, author of The Mother)

SAINT GEORGE PRECA,

MARY, MOTHER OF CHRIST,

SAINT JOSEPH, GLORY OF DOMESTIC LIFE,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's image: Our Lady of the Sign through the hand of Sister Suzanne, ocso.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Eastertide

Year of Saint Joseph

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

Month of May Dedicated to Our Lady and a “Marathon” of Prayer to End the Pandemic 

Other saints: Blessed Christian de Cherge and the Martyrs of Algeria (1994-1996); Blessed Catherine of Saint Augustine (1632-1668); Blessed John Sullivan (1861-1933); Blessed Aloysius Rabata (c.1443-1490); Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary over the entire Order of Preachers

Readings of the Day

RB: Prologue 45-50

Mass: Acts 16:1-10; Resp Ps 100; Jn 15:18-21

Know that the Lord is God; He made us, His we are.

MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS,

PRAY FOR US.

We conclude today the Prologue of the Holy Rule of Saint Benedict. At the same time, we remember the Martyrs of Algeria, nineteen individuals slain in Algeria between 1994 and 1996 during the Algerian Civil War. Seven of them were Trappist monks from the Atlas Abbey of Tibhirine. Along with the conclusion of the Prologue, I include words from one of the martyred monks, Christophe Lebreton, from his journal Born from the Gaze of God: The Tibhirine Journal of a Martyr Monk (1993-1996). They reveal, among other things, his faithfulness to the Holy Rule.

We live together in a land of hope. We cultivate it. We are dwellers in your house. We live there. We pray there. We abide there until its time to die. We live together in your hand. Who could dislodge us from this blatant happiness?

(May 7, 1995, p. 151)

Therefore we intend to establish a school of the Lord's service. In drawing up its regulations, we hope to set down nothing harsh, nothing burdensome. The good of all concerned, however, may prompt us to a little strictness in order to amend our faults and safeguard love. Do not be daunted immediately by fear and run away from the road that leads to salvation. It is bound to be narrow at the outset. But as we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God's commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love. Never swerving from his instructions, then, but faithfully observing his teaching in the monastery until death, we shall through patience share in the sufferings of Christ that we may deserve also to share in his kingdom. Amen.

(Rule of Saint Benedict, Prologue 45-50)

BLESSED CHRISTIAN DE CHERGE AND THE MARTYRS OF ALGERIA,

BLESSED CATHERINE OF SAINT AUGUSTINE,

BLESSED JOHN SULLIVAN,

BLESSED ALOYSIUS RABATA,

SAINT JOSEPH, PATRON OF THE POOR,

MARY, MOTHER OF MERCY,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Blessed Christian de Cherge and the Monks of Atlas through the hand of Sister Suzanne, ocso.

© Gertrude Feick 2021