Saturday, July 19, 2025

Happy Saturday, friend! We are so excited to share with you what's coming up this week as we all prepare our hearts by praying with readings for Sunday, the day of rest with our Lord.

Live Liturgically // This Week’s Feast Days

Sunday, July 20 // Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Monday, July 21 // Optional Memorial of Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Tuesday, July 22 // Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

Wednesday, July 23 // Optional Memorial of Saint Bridget of Sweden, Religious

Thursday, July 24 // Optional Memorial of Saint Sharbel Makhlūf, Priest

Friday, July 25 // Feast of Saint James, Apostle

Letter from the Editor // 

Dear Sister,

On the Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Readings teach us about two key parts of our growth in holiness: being present to the Lord in both the active life of service and the contemplative life of prayer. The sisters Martha and Mary in the Gospel model these two ways for us. Martha serves the Lord in her work, showing us the importance of attending to our duties. When she  is “burdened with much serving,” she brings her cares to the Lord, and He reminds her of her need to be in His presence (Luke 10:40-41). Mary, with her “better part,” sits at the Lord’s feet and shows us how to pray (Luke 10:42).

In the First Reading, the Lord appears to Abraham as three men, which points us to the reality of God as a Trinity. Abraham welcomes the Lord, offers rest and refreshment, and waits “on them under the tree while they [eat]” (Genesis 18:8). We see in Abraham how to both be present to the Lord and serve the Lord. The Psalmist tells us, “He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord” (Psalm 15:1). Everything we do is meant to be done with hearts present to the Trinity Who has dwelled within us since our Baptisms. The Lord’s presence in us “bring[s] to completion for [us] the word of God” (Colossians 1:25). From the beginning, the Lord has desired for us to be united to Him, and because God became a Man, died, and rose, we can now be made “perfect in Christ” (Colossians 1:28).

In Christ’s Love,

Susanna

Read the Readings for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: 

First Reading // Genesis 18:1-10a

Responsorial Psalm // Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 5

Second Reading // Colossians 1:24-28

Gospel // Luke 10:38-42