As I mentioned yesterday, I do not want to fail to remember St. Joan of Arc again and again. The day of her death was 30 May 1431, when she was publicly burned as a witch in the marketplace of Rouen, France. I cordially invite you to listen to the radio play, which gives a good impression of the mission of the saint (Radio play St. Joan of Arc). The unjust ecclesiastical trial against her was annulled twenty-five years after her death. In 1920, Joan of Arc was canonised. Read More
Rom 8:14-17
All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God; for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself joins with our spirit to bear witness that we are children of God. And if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, provided that we share his suffering, so as to share his glory. Read More
Sir 51:12-20
And therefore I shall thank you and praise you, and bless the name of the Lord. When I was still a youth, before I went travelling, in my prayers I asked outright for wisdom. Outside the sanctuary I would pray for her, and to the last I shall continue to seek her. From her blossoming to the ripening of her grape my heart has taken its delight in her. Read More
Mk 11:11-25
He entered Jerusalem and went into the Temple; and when he had surveyed it all, as it was late by now, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. Next day as they were leaving Bethany, he felt hungry. Seeing a fig tree in leaf some distance away, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it, but when he came up to it he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs. Read More
Mk 10:46-52
They reached Jericho; and as he left Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus – that is, the son of Timaeus – a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and cry out, ‘Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.’ Read More
Phil 4:4-9
Always be joyful, then, in the Lord; I repeat, be joyful. Let your good sense be obvious to everybody. The Lord is near. Never worry about anything; but tell God all your desires of every kind in prayer and petition shot through with gratitude, and the peace of God which is beyond our understanding will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Read More
Sir 35:1-12
One who keeps the Law multiplies offerings; one who follows the commandments offers communion sacrifices. Proof of gratitude is an offering of fine flour, almsgiving a sacrifice of praise. To abandon wickedness is what pleases the Lord, to give up wrong-doing is an expiatory sacrifice. Read More
Acts 8:1bc.4.14–17 (reading for Whitsun Monday)
That day a bitter persecution started against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except the apostles scattered to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria. Once they had scattered, they went from place to place preaching the good news. Read More
Concluding meditation on the Holy Spirit
Now you have come, beloved Holy Spirit. This time you came in a violent wind (cf. Acts 2:2), not as you did with your friend Elijah (cf. 1 Kgs 19:11-13). Then it was more hidden, as you usually work in the souls of the people who let you in. But today it was different as the Holy Scripture reminds us. How wonderful and convincing was Your work! The apostles spoke and proclaimed in their own tongue, but everyone else understood them in their own language. Read More
Beloved Holy Spirit, with today’s meditation we conclude this preparation for the great feast of Your coming. May Your fruits grow and ripen in us, for in this way we can glorify the One from whom everything comes and bear witness to You before the world!
For this we need patience, for these fruits ripen more with each passing day. We need patience even more with other people, so that they can receive what God has prepared for them. Read More
