Saint of the day · July 11
St Benedict, Abbot
Saturday, week 14 in Ordinary Time
Liturgical colour : White
St Benedict of Nursia is honored by the Church as the father of Western monasticism. Living in Italy during the late fifth and early sixth centuries, Benedict sought God in solitude before establishing a monastic community at Monte Cassino. His rule, known as the Rule of St Benedict, became the foundational guide for countless monasteries throughout Europe. It emphasized a balanced life of prayer, work, and study, with the motto 'Ora et Labora' (Pray and Work) reflecting this harmony. Benedict’s vision of community life, obedience, humility, and hospitality shaped Western spirituality and culture, preserving not only spiritual wisdom but also learning and culture through turbulent centuries.
Though details of Benedict’s life are known largely from St Gregory the Great’s writings, which include some legendary elements, there is no doubt about his enduring influence. His feast is kept as a celebration of his wisdom, moderation, and the deep union with Christ to which he led so many. Benedict is also a patron of Europe, reflecting his great significance for the continent’s spiritual and cultural history.
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Local variations
- France — St Benedict, Abbot (Feast in Europe)
- Switzerland — St Benedict, Abbot (Feast in Europe)
- Belgium — St Benedict, Abbot (Feast in Europe)
- Luxembourg — St Benedict, Abbot (Feast in Europe)
The liturgical day
Mass readings
"I am a man of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" — Is 6, 1-8
In the year of King Uzziah's death,
I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne;
the train of his robe filled the Temple.
Seraphim stood above him.
They each had six wings:
two to cover their faces,
two to cover their feet,
and two to fly.
They called out to one another:
"Holy! Holy! Holy is the Lord of hosts!
The whole earth is filled with his glory."
The pivots of the doors shook
at the voice of the one who cried out,
and the Temple was filled with smoke.
Then I said:
"Woe is me! I am lost,
for I am a man of unclean lips,
and I live among a people of unclean lips:
and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!"
Then one of the seraphim flew to me,
holding a burning coal
that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
He touched my mouth with it and said:
"This has touched your lips;
your guilt is taken away,
your sin is forgiven."
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying:
"Whom shall I send?
Who will be our messenger?"
And I replied:
"Here I am: send me!"
– The word of the Lord.
Ps 92 (93), 1abc, 1d-2, 5
The Lord is king;
he is robed in majesty,
the Lord has clothed himself in strength.
And the world stands firm, unshakable;
from the beginning your throne has stood,
you are from everlasting.
Your decrees are indeed unchangeable:
holiness fills your house,
Lord, for all time to come.
"Do not fear those who kill the body" — Mt 10, 24-33
At that time,
Jesus said to his Apostles:
"A disciple is not above his teacher,
nor a servant above his master.
It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher,
and the servant like his master.
If people have called the master of the house Beelzebul,
how much more will they malign those of his household.
So do not be afraid of them;
nothing is covered up that will not be revealed,
nothing is hidden that will not be known.
What I say to you in the dark,
speak in the light;
what you hear whispered,
proclaim on the housetops.
Do not fear those who kill the body
but cannot kill the soul;
rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground
without your Father knowing.
But as for you, even the hairs of your head are all counted.
So do not be afraid:
you are worth more than many sparrows.
Whoever acknowledges me before others,
I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
But whoever denies me before others,
I also will deny before my Father in heaven."
– Let us acclaim the Word of God.
Liturgical texts: © AELF — aelf.org