12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
In our reading, Zechariah tells the people that God will give a new spirit to the Jewish people. Their hearts will be changed and they will look to Jesus with compassion and will have sadness as though they killed their only child. In our gospel, Jesus was alone praying when his disciples came to be with him. He asked them “Who do people say that I am?” They answered John the Baptist, Elijah, a dead prophet come back to life. Peter said, “You are the Christ, the one sent by God.” Jesus told them that he would have to suffer, be rejected, be killed and he will rise again after three days. He told them that they must accept the cross, every day, and live as he does.
Special Saint/Feast Day: St. Romuald – June 19th
Romuald was an Italian nobleman born around 951 in Italy. When he was 20 years old, he was shocked to see his father kill a man in a fight. Romuald went to a Benedictine monastery because he wanted to change his life and do penance for his father’s deed.
Romuald was used to luxury and lived a lazy life. He was impressed by the good example of the monks. He became a monk and remained at the monastery for three years.
After that, he decided he wanted a stricter way of life. A hermit named Marinus was his spiritual guide and they both spent each day praising and loving God.
Romuald’s father Sergius came to observe his son’s new way of life and he saw there was great happiness in this kind of life as his son gave everything away to live like this.
Sergius also gave up his wealth and spent the rest of his life as a monk.
Later, Romuald started the Camaldolese Benedictine order. He travelled around Italy starting hermitages and monasteries. He always gave a wonderful example of love and penance. He ate simple meals with food he grew himself. He grew closer to God through these sacrifices.
Romuald died in 1027.
Let’s ask St. Romuald to help us to value prayer and the life of Jesus within us. We can also ask him to help us keep our priorities straight. He knows how hard that can be sometimes.