Saturday 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 Maximilian Kolbe, Priest, “Martyr of Charity” (1894-1941)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 60 The Admission of Priests to the Monastery

Mass: Joshua 24:14-29; Resp Ps 16; Mt 19:13-15

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

JESUS, STRENGTH OF MARTYRS,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

Greater love has no one than to lay down his life for his friends, says the Lord.

(Communion Antiphon, Mass)

With a little bit of research I found that it was now Pope Saint Paul VI who called our saint of the day, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, a "martyr of love", when Pope Paul VI beatified Maximilian in 1971. Then, when canonizing Maximilian Kolbe in 1982, now Pope Saint John Paul II, echoed his predecessor and declared Maximilian Kolbe a "martyr of charity." I find these tidbits fascinating. Oh the gift and beauty of our faith tradition. All said, we have plenty of inspiration on this Saturday as we promise with "all the tribes of Israel at Shechem" (Joshua 24:1), We will serve the Lord for He is our God ... and obey His voice (Joshua 24:18, 24)!

Let us love [Mary] concretely, fulfilling all our duties as well as we can from morning to night, since all this is the will of Jesus, in order to prove our love for Jesus by loving His Mother, the Immaculate Mary. 

(Maximilian Kolbe, in Magnificat "Meditation of the Day", August 14, 2021).

We should make each day a resume of our whole life by filling it with prayer, work and charity.

(Elisabeth Leseur, The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur, p. 163)

SAINT MAXIMILIAN KOLBE,

BLESSED ELISABETH LESEUR,

POPE SAINT PAUL VI,

POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II,

JOSEPH, MOST STRONG,

MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS,

PRAY FOR US.

NB. Another interesting to me tidbit is that Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941) and Servant of God Elisabeth Leseur (1866-1914), two of my favorites, lives overlapped. Two different people, leading very different lives, both rooted in our faith, doing the will of God, in their parts of the world. God is praised. May they both intercede for us.

Today's photo: I found these delights taking a bit of refuge in a bush behind Lima's Professional Pharmacy in Eureka, CA.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Friday 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: Saints Pontian, Pope, and Hippolytus, Priests, Martyrs (-235); Saint Fachtna or Fachanan of Ross, Patron Saint of the Diocese of Ross (?); Blessed William Freeman (-1595)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 59 The Offering of Sons by Nobles and or by the Poor

Mass: Joshua 24:1-13; Resp Ps 136; Mt 19:3-12

His mercy endures forever.

HEART OF JESUS, PATIENT AND MOST MERCIFUL,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

Thinking about our Responsorial Psalm 136 proclaimed at Mass today, along with the words from Saint Hippolytus included below, it occurred to me that one prayer of praise and thanksgiving to put in our hearts and on our lips in the morning and the evening, and throughout the day as well, is contained in Ps 136:1, namely, Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever. Be on the look out for signs of God's merciful love and kindness throughout this day. They come in myriad and sometimes subtle ways ... 

SAINTS PONTIAN AND HIPPOLYTUS,

SAINT FACHNA OF ROSS,

BLESSED WILLIAM FREEMAN,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Let every faithful man and woman when they rise from sleep at dawn before they undertake any work wash their hands and pray to God ... Pray also before thy body rests upon the bed.

(Saint Hippolytus)

Let each of us ... strive for the highest degree of glory, whichever be the honor for which he is destined; may all Christians be found worth of either the pure white crown of a holy life or the royal red crown of martyrdom.

(From a letter by Saint Cyprian, bishop and martyr, in Office of Readings, August 13)

Today's photo: This beauty endures.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Thursday 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 Jane Frances de Chantal, Mother of six children, Widow, Foundress of the Order of the Visitation, along with Saint Francis de Sales (1572-1641); Blessed Isidore Bakanja (c.1886-1909); Saint Muredach (5th century); Saint Attracta (5th or 6th century); Saint Lelia (?); Saint Blaan (-590)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 58:17-29 The Procedure for Receiving Brothers 

Mass: Joshua 3:7-10a, 11, 13-17; Resp Ps 114; Mt 18:21-19:1

Alleluia!

HEART OF JESUS, OUR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

It occurs to me that Peter may have been surprised with Jesus' answer to his question, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" (Mt 18:21). It turns out that seven times won't do it. Jesus answered: I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times (Mt 18:22). Oh my. Why not spend some time with Saint Luke's version of the Lord's Prayer.

Father, hallowed by Thy name. 

Thy kingdom come. 

Give us each day our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation.

(Lk 11:2-4)

He is our peace, for He has made both one. Since we think of Christ as our peace, we may call ourselves true Christians only if our lives express Christ by our own peace. As the Apostle says: He has put enmity to death. We must never allow it to be rekindled in us in any way but must declare that it is absolutely dead. Gloriously has God slain enmity, in order to say us; may we never risk the life of our souls by being resentful or by bearing grudges. We must not awaken that enmity or call it back to life by our wickedness, for it is better left dead.

(From a treatise on Christian Perfection by Saint Gregory of Nyssa, bishop, in Office of Readings, Thursday, Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time)

We have several saints to call upon today for intercession. Saint Jane Frances de Chantal has these words of wisdom:

Hell is full of the talented, but Heaven of the energetic.

(Saint Jane Frances de Chantal)

In our neighbor, we should observe only what is good.

(Saint Jane Frances de Chantal)

The great method of prayer is to have none. If in going to prayer one can form in oneself a pure capacity for receiving the spirit of God, that will suffice for all method.

(Saint Jane Frances de Chantal)

SAINT JANE FRANCES DE CHANTAL,

SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES,

BLESSED ISIDORE BAKANJA,

SAINT MUREDACH,

SAINT ATTRACTA,

SAINT LELIAN,

SAINT BLAAN, 

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Plums at the monastery.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Wednesday 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 Clare of Assisi, Virgin (1193/3-1253)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 58:1-16 The Procedure for Receiving Brothers

Mass: Dt 34:1-12; Resp Ps 66; Mt 18:15-20

Come and see the works of God.

I DESPISED THE KINGDOM OF THE WORLD AND ALL WORLDLY FINERY FOR THE LOVE OF MY LORD, JESUS CHRIST, WHOM I HAVE SEEN, WHOM I HAVE LOVED, IN WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, IN WHOM HAS BEEN MY DELIGHT.

(Entrance Antiphon, Mass)

Memories continue to flood in, spurred on today with the commemoration of Saint Clare of Assisi. I recall my first trip to Assisi. It was 2006 as part of the Monastic Formators' Program, and I, along with other religious from the Benedictine tradition (Benedictines and Cistercians primarily, 29 of us I think it was) spent two weeks in Assisi soaking up the glorious atmosphere of the Umbrian countryside and the stomping grounds of Saint Clare and Saint Francis of Assisi. I remember many things. One is rising at first light every morning to run the empty and peaceful streets of Assisi. We stayed just outside the wall that surrounds the city and I would enter the city from the bottom gate and first run up to the Basilica of Saint Francis ... up, up, up. Then meander through the narrow streets, climbing all the stairs I came across, and there are many, then down, here and there, not without going to the Basilica of Saint Clare, on the way up and the way down, for a few trips around the piazza in front. Another visit was September 22, 2010, with my two dear older sisters who came to Rome (one from Indiana, the other from California) to visit me while I was studying. I still have our itinerary, entitled "Italian Sister Act 2010"! We had a wonderful day after taking the early train from Rome to Assisi. We explored every nook and cranny, or at least as many as we could in a day, not without enjoying a good meal with gelato. And other things too. 😊 Saint Clare, please intercede for us. Help us to love Jesus totally. 

Love Him totally who gave Himself totally for your love.

(Saint Clare of Assisi)

Our labor here is brief, but reward is eternal. Do not be disturbed by the clamor of the world which passes like a shadow. Do not let the false delights of a deceptive world deceive you.

(Saint Clare of Assisi)

Melancholy is the poison of devotion. When one is in tribulation, it is necessary to be more happy and more joyful because one is nearer to God.

(Saint Clare of Assisi)

Happy is she who is granted a place at the divine banquet, for she may cling with her inmost heart to Him whose beauty eternally awes the blessed hosts of heaven; to Him whose love inspires love, whose contemplation refreshes, whose generosity satisfies, whose gentleness delights, whose memory shines sweetly as the dawn; to Him whose fragrance revives the dead, and whose glorious vision will bless all the citizens of that heavenly Jerusalem. For He is the splendor of eternal glory, the brightness of eternal light, and the mirror without cloud.

(From a letter to Blessed Agnes of Prague by Saint Clare, virgin, in Office of Readings, August 11)

SAINT CLARE OF ASSISI,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Another awesome sunflower from d, this one without bee. 😎

© Gertrude Feick 2021

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

Monday 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 Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Martyr, Co-Patron Saint of Europe (1891-1942); Saint Nathy (6th century); Saint Felim (6th century)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 56 The Abbot's Table

Mass: Dt 10:12-22; Resp Ps 147; Mt 17:22-27

God sends forth His command to the earth; swiftly runs His sword!

MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS,

PRAY FOR US.

As floods of memories come pouring in of late, partly due to just reading Jacqueline Winspear's (of the Maisie Dobbs series fame) memoir, This Time Next Year We'll Be Laughing, I share some of them. There are a few things I know about our saint of the day, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, also known as Edith Stein. For one, she is one of six co-patron saints of Europe. Saint Benedict of Nursia leads the way as principal patron, and the others in the illustrious group with Saint Teresa Benedicta include Saint Catherine of Siena, Saints Cyril and Methodius, and Saint Bridget of Sweden. Some other newsy news is that in the summer of 2010 when I was studying German in Freiburg, Germany, I spent some time with the Benedictine Sisters at Freiburg. One of their sisters of happy memory was a friend of Edith's. They were both Jewish converts to Catholicism. Edith used to spend time with the sisters at Freiburg and the room where she stayed is preserved and a very sacred space. I had the privilege of sitting in the room on occasion to soak up the atmosphere. More news is that Edith, who also worked as an assistant to Edmund Husserl at the University of Freiburg (I've seen the house where she lived), used to spend time at the Archabbey of Bueron in Germany, in the years between 1928-1933. The Abbot at the time was her spiritual director. There is a plaque at Beuron commemorating Edith and I have a postcard of it here. I also have a postcard with an aerial view of Bueron, and a holy card too. Edith is certainly one who did what the Lord asks of us, all the way until her death at Auschwitz on August 9, 1942. Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, please intercede for us and help us fear the Lord, our God, and follow His ways exactly, to love and serve the Lord, our God, with all our heart and all our soul, and to keep His commandments and statutes (Dt 10:12-14). 

When you seek truth you seek God whether you know it or not.

(Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)

SAINT TERESA BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS,

SAINT NATHY,

SAINT FELIM,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: A view from the Kuilai Ridge Trail, Kauai.

© Gertrude Feick 2021

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year of Saint Joseph

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

National Back to School Month

In other years: Saint Dominic (1170-1221); Saint Mary of the Cross (1842-1909)

Readings of the Day

RB: Ch 55:15-22 Clothing and Footwear

Mass: 1 Kgs 19:4-8; Resp Ps 34; Eph 4:30-5:2; Jn 6:41-51

Glorify the Lord with me.

JESUS, THE BREAD OF LIFE,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

I have been reflecting on how often things just happen when they happen, at the right time, when they are supposed to, according to God's time. Early last evening, just before looking over the readings for today's Mass, a friend introduced me to a blessing by John O'Donohue (1956-2008), from his book Benedictus: A Book of Blessings (Bantam Press, 2007), published just two months before John's death. I read the blessing, then went to the readings for today's Mass. From all three readings, the antiphons, Responsorial Psalm, and all else, I heard God speaking to me the loudest through Saint Paul and his Letter to the Ephesians. It was there that Saint Paul writes this: "All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ" (Eph 4:31-32). I immediately went back to the blessing as I thought it to provide fitting commentary on Saint Paul's exhortation. Entitled "for love in time of conflict" (p. 50), the blessing goes like this:

When the gentleness between you hardens

And you fall out of your belonging with each other,

May the depths you have reached hold you still.

When no true word can be said, or heard,

And you mirror each other in the script of hurt,

When even the silence has become raw and torn,

May you hear again an echo of your first music.

When the weave of affection starts to unravel

And anger begins to sear the ground between you,

Before this weather of grief invites

The black seed of bitterness to find root,

May your souls come to kiss.

Now is the time for one of you to be gracious,

To allow a kindness beyond thought and hurt,

Reach out with sure hands

To take the chalice of your love,

And carry it carefully through this echoless waste

Until this winter pilgrimage leads you

Towards the gateway to spring. 

We can turn too to today's Gospel, where Jesus reveals Himself as the Bread of Life (Jn 6:48). The Holy Father helps with his words. Jesus the Bread of Life, "He alone nourishes the soul; He alone forgives us from that evil that we cannot overcome on our own; He alone makes us feel loved even if everyone else disappoints us. He alone gives us the strength to love, and He alone gives us the strength to forgive in difficulties; He alone gives that peace to the heart that it is searching for, He alone gives eternal life when life here on earth ends. He is the essential bread of life" (Pope Francis, Angelus Address, August 8, 2021). 

Jesus, the Bread of Life, Son of the Living God, help us to be gracious, kind, and compassionate, to reach out and forgive those who trespass against us, so that all bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, reviling, and malice be removed from our hearts. Saint Dominic, Saint Mary of the Cross, Saint Joseph, please intercede for us.

Dominic possessed such great integrity and was so strongly motivated by divine love, that without a doubt he proved to be a bearer of honor and grace. He was a man of great equanimity, except when moved to compassion and mercy. And since a joyful heart animates the face, he displayed the peaceful composure of a spiritual man in the kindness he manifested outwardly and by the cheerfulness of his countenance.

(From various writings on the history of the Order of Preachers, in Office of Readings, August 8)

SAINT DOMINIC,

SAINT MARY OF THE CROSS,

SAINT JOSEPH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: For brother James A., on his birthday. Setting sun, Lake Tippecanoe, Leesburg, IN. 

© Gertrude Feick 2021