Today is also the day that we celebrate Edith Stein who took the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross when she entered the Carmelite order. Many Catholics are not that familiar with her, so I plan to quote some of her sayings while commenting on the scriptures. I will also conclude with some sources on her recommended by a friend of mine who is a Carmelite scholar.
The first reading contains what Jesus called the first and greatest commandment, to love God with your whole being. We are to teach this to our children, speak of them all the time, bind them upon our bodies, and write them on our houses and gates.
Jesus said that the second greatest commandment, which comes from the Book of Leviticus, is that we love our neighbor as ourselves. Of this commandment, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross said, “Our love of neighbor is the measure of our love of God. For Christians — and not only for them — no one is a ‘stranger’. The love of Christ knows no borders.” She also said, “Those who remain silent are responsible.”
In the second part of the first reading, Moses warns the people that they will be tempted to look upon the blessings of the land and forget that God had given everything to them. St. Teresa warns against pretty much the opposite of this when she says, “During the time immediately before and quite some time after my conversion I … thought that leading a religious life meant giving up all earthly things and having one’s mind fixed on divine things only. Gradually, however, I learnt that other things are expected of us in this world… I even believe that the deeper someone is drawn to God, the more he has to ‘get beyond himself’ in this sense, that is, go into the world and carry divine life into it.” She also said, “In order to be an image of God, the spirit must turn to what is eternal, hold it in spirit, keep it in memory, and by loving it, embrace it in the will.”
The psalmist demonstrates great trust in God. God is his strength, rock, fortress, deliverer, shield, and stronghold. To St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, this realization of who God is leads to the ability to rest in him. She says, “God is there in these moments of rest and can give us, in a single instant, exactly what we need. Then the rest of the day can take its course, under the same effort and strain, perhaps, but in peace. And when night comes and you look back over the day and see how fragmentary everything has been and how much you planned that has gone undone and all the reasons you have, to be embarrassed and ashamed: just take everything, exactly as it is, put it in God’s hands and leave it with Him. Then you will be able to rest in Him – really rest – and start the next day, as a new life.”
In the Gospel, Jesus emphasizes the importance of having faith. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross ties having faith to the cross when she says, “One can only gain a scientia crucis (knowledge of the cross) if one has thoroughly experienced the cross. I have been convinced of this from the first moment onwards and have said with all my heart: ‘Ave, Crux, Spes unica’ (I welcome you, Cross, our only hope).” Captured by the Nazis in 1942, she and her sister Rosa were sent to Auschwitz where they died on August 9. Although now Catholics, the sisters were of Jewish origin. Upon arrest, Rosa asked Edith why they were being arrested. Edith responded, “Come, Rosa, we go for our people.”
A good online article on the saint can be found at: Freda Mary Oben: Edith Stein: Holiness in the Twentieth Century A good book on her is, Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda, Edith Stein: The Life and Legacy.
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, pray for us.
George Butterfield
I served as the Legal Reference Librarian at the Creighton University Law School Library from August, 2007, until August of 2017. I also taught Legal Research to first year law students and Advanced Legal Research to second and third year law students. In August of 2017 I took the position of Director of Evangelization and Catechesis for the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond, Oklahoma, and served in that capacity until Covid hit and the church staff was cut in half. Recently I took a position with the St. Gerald Catholic Church in Omaha, Nebraska, and my wife and I moved back to the Omaha suburb of Papillion.
My wife, Deb, and I have been married since 1970. She grew up in Oklahoma City and I migrated south from southwestern Pennsylvania. God has blessed us with three children, four living grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. I spent the first thirty years of our marriage as a minister so our family moved a lot. We have lived in several states, including Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, and California.
I enjoy walking, reading, listening to audio books, playing with my Pekingnese, Max, my Maltese-Schnauzer, Blaise, and seeing my grandkids grow up. I am a Catholic deacon, having been ordained by Archbishop George Lucas on May 5, 2012.
There is nothing to compare with reflecting on scripture. I feel privileged to participate in these daily reflections. Although we don’t know whether or not St. Francis ever said it, one idea associated with him is that we preach the gospel always and, when necessary, use words. May these reflections be gospel words, good news, of our gracious Lord Jesus Christ.
