The Living Spirit and the Liturgical Calendar

See that you be at peace among yourselves, my children, and love one another. Follow the example of good men of old, and God will comfort you and help you, both in this world and in the world which is to come. Amen.

ST COLUMBA (521–597)

The love that God most high has for our soul is so great that it surpasses understanding. No created being can comprehend how much, and how sweetly, and how tenderly our maker loves us. Our in-born will is to have God, and the goodwill of God is to have us. There is no end to our willing and longing until we know God in the fullness of joy. Then our desire is filled. He wills that our occupation shall be in striving to know and love him until we are made whole in heaven. Our life is grounded in faith, with hope and love besides.

JULIAN OF NORWICH FROM ENFOLDED IN LOVE (DLT, 2004)

Blessed are we, if in poverty of spirit we free ourselves from false confidence in material things, desiring above all else spiritual and religious goods, treating the poor with respect and love, as our brothers and as living images of Christ.

Blessed are we, if in the meek ness of the strong, we renounce the ruinous power of hate and vengeance, conquering only by goodness and peace.

Blessed are we, if we refuse to direct our lives by self-interest, nor take pleasure as our goal, but learn to find in temperance strength, in pain a source of redemption, in sacrifice the summit of greatness.

Blessed are we, if we prefer to be oppressed rather than among the oppressors, always hungering for justice to be increased.

Blessed are we, if for the Kingdom of God – in our time and in eternity – we learn to struggle and to pardon, to serve and to act, to suffer and to love.

POPE PAUL VI

HOMILY IN NAZARETH, 5 JANUARY 1964

✦ CALENDAR ✦

Sunday 20 September:

Twenty-Fifth Sunday of the Year

Monday 21 September:

St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Tuesday 22 September:

Feria

Wednesday 23 September:

St Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest

Thursday 24 September:

Our Lady of Walsingham

Friday 25 September:

Feria

Saturday 26 September:

Feria or Ss Cosmas and Damian,

Martyrs

Sunday 27 September:

Twenty-Sixth Sunday of the Year

For the calendar for the Missal of 1962 go to www.lms.org.uk