Walk Humbly

Friday of the Twenty sixth Week in Ordinary Time &
Saint Bruno, priest and Blessed Marie Rose Durocher,

Biographical Information about St. Bruno
Biographical Information about Blessed Marie Rose

Readings for Friday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5

Responsorial Psalm Ps 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Gospel Lk 10:13-16

Reflection:

Today we remember two very interesting predecessors in the faith; St. Bruno, a 11th century priest who founded a religious order, the Carthusian Order, and Blessed Marie Rose, beatified by Pope John Paul the Great, who also founded the Canadian order of Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Both give us examples of selfless devotion to the Lord and in different ways, examples of responding to God’s call.

St. Bruno, in addition to his commentaries combined the attributes of solitary spirituality (eremitical) and community (cenobitic) forming communities dedicated to contemplation in silence, the Divine Office, manual labor, and study.

While the Carthusians are introspective, the order founded by the Blessed Marie Rose is focused on the education of children. In 19th century Canada, when it was just one diocese, the European religious did not send many from their orders to support the Church the rustic wilds of our northern neighbor. The bishop put out a call for help in organizing indigenous communities and Marie Rose, even though she was in frail health, answered that call.

Two very different people with different gifts, yet they both built up the Church. It ties in nicely to the rather ominous Gospel passage from St. Luke. We pick up the story of Jesus sending out the seventy (two) where we left off yesterday as he was instructing them. He told them if they were not welcome in a place to shake the dust from their feet saying; ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’

Today he names names, as it were, of communities that have heard and rejected the good news of coming of the Kingdom of God. He also gives his disciples something very important. He gives them an identity as adopted by God. He tells them; “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

Through out the two thousand years that have passed since those first disciples were sent out into the world, hundreds of thousands of faithful followers have heard this same call to take the Good News to the often times hostile world. The Communion of Saints stands there as a web of faith to show us what we are called to do and to be. When ever we think with pride that we have accomplished something wonderful in the Lord’s name, let us remember the Saints that have gone before us in faith and be humble in their memory.

Pax