SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX, ABBOT AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH – 20th AUGUST
August 20, 2022
FEAST OF SAINT PIUS X POPE – 21st AUGUST
August 21, 2022
20 August, 2022
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37–39
Ever-Loving God, our Creator, God of our Salvation, all praise, honor and glory is yours now and forevermore. We stand in awe and reverence of your profound and perfect love for us, even in our imperfections. You demonstrated this, by saving and redeeming us by your Grace and Mercy. You sent your beloved Son, our Messiah Jesus, for the propitiation of our sins by his death, resurrection and ascension into Heaven.
You have set down your statutes in your Commandments to us and not just perfect obedience to your Word, but understanding your Will and following your Ways with total application of our minds, hearts, souls and senses is what will empower us to refrain from evil and grow in love. Help us to grow in your grace by growing in trustworthiness of your love. By increasing in union with you, dear Lord, we can allow our lives to be transformed so as to measure up to a standard of enhancing the love we feel for our God and our neighbor.
We desire to rid ourselves of hypocrisy and worldly wise ways of reaching out to people, giving sparingly and with suspicion of the intent of the person. Love is giving without any expectations. Just as Jesus loved us with a love so great, that he gave up his life for us to be restored to you, Father, for all eternity, we resolve to consecrate our lives to you totally and irreversibly, to the glory of your Name and in receiving the just dispensation of your grace and love, to increase our love for you and for our brethren in perfect obedience to your Will and in Jesus’ Name. Amen
