Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

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

Saints: Saint Colman of Dromore (6th century); Saint Robert of Newminster (c.1100-1159); Blessed Anne of Saint Bartholomew (1549-1626)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:56-58 Humility

Mass: 1 Kings 17:7-16; Resp Ps 4; Mt 5:13-16

You put gladness into my heart.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

As the Lord, your God, lives.

(1 Kgs 17:1.)

Fun facts about one of our saints of the day, Blessed Anne of Saint Bartholomew, are that she made her profession under Saint Teresa of Avila at the Carmel of Saint Joseph's in Avila. Teresa later chose Anne as her companion and nurse (Universalis, June 7, 2022). Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints, have mercy on us.

As the days and weeks march on, with the summer solstice, the official beginning of summer, coming soon, we go forth, united in faith and prayer. With that then, we let our light shine before others, that they may see our good deeds and glorify our heavenly Father (Mt 5:16). And some wisdom from our holy father Saint Benedict, who quotes from the Book of Proverbs: "In a flood of words you will not avoid sinning" (Rule of Saint Benedict, 4:57/Prov 10:19).

Do not have Jesus Christ on your lips and the world in your hearts. Give envy no place among you.

(From a letter to the Romans by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr, in Office of Readings, Tenth Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday)

SAINT COLMAN OF DROMORE,

SAINT ROBERT OF NEWMINSTER,

BLESSED ANNE OF SAINT BARTHOLOMEW,

SAINT TERESA OF AVILA,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: I found this one, adorned with a few water drops, late yesterday morning. O Lord, let the light of your countenance shine upon us! 

© Gertrude Feick 2022

The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

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

In other years: Saint Norbert, Bishop (1080-1134); Saint Marcellin Champagnat (1789-1840); Saint Jarlath (540/550)

78th Anniversary of D-Day

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:55 Humility

Mass: Acts 1:12-14; Resp Ps 87; Jn 19:25-34

One and all were born in her.

MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH,

MARY, MOTHER OF CHRIST,

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

Behold, your mother.

(Jn 19:27)

Welcome to Monday, the first one in the month of June, the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother, have mercy on us. And we are back in Ordinary Time, now beginning the Tenth Week. Enough for today is to look to the early Christian community who "devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers" (Acts 1:14). We gain inspiration from Blessed Rafael Arnaiz Baron (1911-1938), especially today as we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.

How much greater in God's eyes is a heartfelt 'Hail Mary' than even the greatest thing done without wholehearted love for God.

(Blessed Rafael Arnaiz Baron in G.M. Fernandez, God Alone: A Spiritual Biography of Blessed Rafael Arnaiz Baron, p. 12)

SAINT NORBERT,

SAINT MARCELLIN CHAMPAGNAT,

SAINT JARLATH,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: You have seen this Our Lady of the Redwoods before. She served as Our Lady for the first six years of the Redwoods foundation. O happy Virgin, you gave birth to the Lord; O blessed Mother of the Church, you warm our hearts with the Spirit of your Son Jesus Christ. Alleluia, alleluia.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

 

Pentecost Sunday

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

The Fiftieth Day

In other years: Saint Boniface, Apostle of Germany, Bishop and Martyr (675?-754)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:52-54 Humility

Mass: Acts 2:1-11; Resp Ps 104; 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Rm 8:8-17; Squence Veni, Sancte Spiritus; Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 14:15-16, 23b-26

Pleasing to Him be my theme.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

HEART OF JESUS, ONE WITH THE FATHER AND THE SPIRIT,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

Happy Pentecost Sunday! First, put yourself in this scene, gathered in one place with the faithful, as we are, and suddenly there comes from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it fills the entire house in which we are. Then there appears to us tongues as of fire, which part and come to rest on each one of us. And we are filled with the Holy Spirit and begin to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enables us to proclaim ... (Acts 2:1-4). Some may scoff at us and think we've had too much wine (Acts 2:13). We know, however, that is not the case. Open the door of your heart and let the Holy Spirit in. For no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:3b). Receive the Holy Spirit (Jn 20:22), says the Lord. The Holy Spirit whom the Father sends in my name, will teach you and remind you of all that I tell you (Jn 14:26). 

In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life's different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course ...

Let us preach the whole of God's plan to the powerful and to the humble, to rich and to poor, to men of every rank and age, as far as God gives us the strength, in season and out of season ...

(From a letter by Saint Boniface, bishop and martyr, in Office of Readings, June 5)

SAINT BONIFACE,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: This one, along the Pentecost theme, comes from faithful Catherine, who comes through just at the right moment. O most blessed Light divine.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter

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

Saint: Saint Clotilde (475-545)

First Saturday of the Month

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:49-50 Humility

Mass: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31; Resp Ps 11; Jn 21:20-25

The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

HEART OF JESUS, ABYSS OF ALL VIRTUES,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

Welcome to the First Saturday of the Month of June, a month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.

With today's Gospel, where Peter asks Jesus about the disciple whom Jesus loved, Peter is curious. He asks, "Lord, what about him?" I think about something Sister Josephine of happy memory said to me some years ago. I said, "curiosity killed the cat." Matter-of-factly, Sister Josephine replied with a comment I had not heard before, namely, "satisfaction got it back." As Jesus replied to Peter, "what concern is it of yours"?, most things don't concern us. Of our concern should be what else Jesus said to Peter: You follow me (Jn 21:22).

The following, taken from a sermon by a sixth century African author, included in today's Office of Readings, is not without relevance 15 centuries later. 

This Church is the house of God, built up of living stones, whose master is almighty God. It is His delight to dwell here. Take care, then, that He never has the sorrow of seeing it undermined by schism and collapsing in ruins.

A prayer for us, then, as we prepare to celebrate Pentecost Sunday, is this one, a Catholic Byzantine Prayer, included in the site FrassatiUSA, a site in honor of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925). Blessed Pier was a remarkable young man. Let us pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit ...

Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth,

Who is everywhere present and fills all things,

Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life,

come and dwell within us,

cleanse us of all stain, 

and save our souls,

O Gracious Lord. Amen.

SAINT CLOTILDE,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: This one, found in our garden of delights, was taken early yesterday morning. The upright shall see His face.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

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

Saints:Saint Charles Lwanga and his Companions, Martrys (-1885/7); Saint Kevin (-618)

First Friday of the Month

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:44-48 Humility

Mass: Acts 25:13b-21; Resp Ps 103; Jn 21:15-19

 

Bless the Lord, O my soul.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

HEART OF JESUS, SACRED TEMPLE OF GOD,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

I was reminded yesterday that the month of June is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In these days, and for the entire month, as we prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 24, the daily reflection will include an invocation from the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is a beautiful litany, one to pray with every day of the year. Heart of Jesus, of Infinite Majesty, have mercy on us.

In today's Gospel, Jesus asks Simon Peter and each one of us: Do you love me? Well, do you love Jesus? One commentator, Father Donald Haggerty, asks this question: "Would you choose anything or anyone over Him?" Father Haggerty also writes that Jesus asks whether we intend to love Him entirely to our last drop of blood. This, as he says, is no small thing. What follows comes to mind, something I have included before. It is something Cardinal Basil Hume said. 

Always think of God as your lover. Therefore, He wants to be with you, just as a lover wants to be with the beloved. He wants your attention, as every lover wants the attention of the beloved. He wants to listen to you, as every lover wants to hear the voice of the beloved. If you turn to me and ask, "Are you in love with God?" I would pause, hesitate and say, "I am not certain. But of one thing I am certain-that He is in love with me.

(B. Hume, The Mystery of Love)

And since I wrote this in a card last night, I pass along the following poem, attributed to the Persian poet Hafiz (c.1320-1389). You can find it in D. Ladinsky, Love Poems from God: Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and the West (Penguin, 2002), p. 164.

THE TRUE NATURE OF YOUR BELOVED

Know

the true nature of your

Beloved.

In 

His

loving eyes

your every thought, word, and movement

is always, always,

beautiful.

SAINT CHARLES LWANGA AND HIS COMPANIONS,

SAINT KEVIN,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: You mighty in strength.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter

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

Saints: Saints Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs (-304); Saints Pothinus and Blandina, Martyrs (2nd century)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:35-43 Humility

Mass: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11; Resp Ps 16; Jn 17:20-26 

I bless the Lord who counsels me.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they may also be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.

(Jn 17:20-21)

United in faith and prayer, may we, through word and deed, bring others to the faith. Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on us. At the same time, our faith demands suffering, as we are reminded by the martyrs we commemorate these days. To be a disciple of Jesus, one with the Father, we must pick up our cross and follow Him. Immersed as we are in Saint Benedict's Chapter 7 on humility, we are brought to the fourth step of humility that begins in this way: "The fourth step of humility is that in this obedience under difficult, unfavorable, or even unjust conditions, [the disciple's] heart quietly embraces suffering and endures it without weakening or seeking escape. For Scripture has it: Anyone who perseveres to the end will be saved (Mt 10:22), and again, Be brave of heart and rely on the Lord (Ps 26[27]:14) (RB 7:35-37). The fourth step of humility is worth reading in its entirety. You may find it relevant and helpful. By the grace of God we go forth, brave of heart. 

Now is the time for Christians to rejoice, since Scripture says that we should rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering trains us to endure faith with patience, patient endurance makes us pleasing to God. and being pleasing to God gives us ground for a hope that will not be disappointed. Only let the love of God be poured forth into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

(From the exhortation to Martyrdom by Origen, priest, in Office of Readings, June 2)

SAINTS MARCELLINUS AND PETER,

SAINTS POTHINUS AND BLANDINA,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: The delights at your right hand forever.

© Gertrude Feick 2022

Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter

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

Saint: Saint Justin, Martyr (-165)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 7:34 Humility

Mass:  Acts 20:28-38; Resp Ps 68; Jn 17:11b-19

Show forth, O God, your power,

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

PRAY FOR US.

Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.

And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.

(Jn 17:17-19)

Today, we are reminded by Saint Paul to keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Then Paul knelt down and prayed (Acts 20:36). United in faith and prayer, we take note and follow suit.

JESUS, STRENGTH OF MARTYRS,

HAVE MERCY ON US.

SAINT JUSTIN MARTYR,

MARY, QUEEN OF MARTYRS,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Adorned in martyr red, this one is outside our church and is presented here to honor the martyrs we commemorate these days. He became obedient even to death (Rule of Saint Benedict, 7:34/Ph 2:8).

© Gertrude Feick 2022