Tuesday, July 22 : Saint Gertrude of Helfta

Gertrude understood that whenever a man commends himself to God, praying that he will keep him from sin, then, even if it seems to that man, by the hidden designs of God, that he has fallen into some grave sin, yet he will never sin in such a way that he lacks the grace of God, which will support him like a staff and lead him easily to repentance ( .… ) She presented herself to the Lord.… imploring him to give her his blessing. After this was done, the Lord himself in his turn seemed to be asking her for a blessing. Then she understood that a man is blessing God when he says in his heart that he repents of having offended his creator and implores his help to prevent him from falling again into sin. At this blessing the Lord of heaven bowed low, showing her that this was as acceptable to him as though that blessing had been responsible for all his beatitude. ( … ) One day she was having difficulty with a certain task, and she said to God the Father: “Lord, I offer you this work through your only Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to your eternal praise.” She knew the power of these words to be such that in a marvelous way thev elevate any work done with that intention far beyond human estimation, so that whatever is offered is made pleasing to God the Father. Just as that which is seen through a green glass appears to be green, or red, if seen through a red glass, and so on, whatever is offered to God the Father through his only-begotten Son becomes most pleasing and acceptable to him.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team