July 2013
Pope's Intentions
World Youth Day. That World Youth Day in Brazil may encourage all young Christians to become disciples and missionaries of the Gospel.
Asia. That throughout Asia doors may be open to messengers of the Gospel.
Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, parents of the blessed Virgin Mary - Memorial
Commentary of the day
Blessed Guerric of Igny (c.1080-1157), Cistercian abbot
2nd sermon for the Annunciation ; SC 202 (trans. copyright Cistercian Fathers series)
Mary is the good, fruitbearing soil
Today “the Word was made flesh and began to dwell among us”... So today Wisdom began to build himself the house of our body in the Virgin's womb... Without the intervention of man he fashioned for himself from a virginal body the flesh of our redemption. From this day “the Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our champion,” because today we are exalted in the Lord so that “glory may dwell in our land”.
Indeed today, Lord, you did “bless that earth” of yours, “blessed among women”. Today you did bestow the kinndess of the Holy Spirit, so that “our earth might yield the blessed fruit of her womb” and, as the heavens dropped down dew from above a virginal womb, might bring forth a Savior. Accursed is the earth on account of the Accursed one, bringing forth as it does, even when cultivated, thorns and thistles to the heirs of the curse. But now, blessed is the earth in the work of the Redeemer, for it brings to birth the remission of sins and the fruit of life to all and frees the sons of Adam from the doom with which their origin was cursed.
Indeed that earth is blessed which, wholly untouched, not dug nor sown, from heaven's dew alone brings forth a Savior and provides mortal men with the Bread of angels and the Food of eternal life. So this earth which was not cultivated, seemed to be derelict but it was full of rich fruit; it seemed to be a lonely waste but it was a paradise of happiness. Truly the waste was a garden of God's delight.
( Biblical references : Jn 1,14; 1Co 1,24; Pr 9,1; Ps 46[45],8; Ps 85[84],10.2; Lk 1,28; Ps 85[84],13 & Lk 1,42; Is 45,8; Gn 3,17-18; Jn 8,44; Ps 78[77],25)