Daybreak for August 20, 2024

  • Tuesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time
  • Memorial of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1090-1153; joined the Citeaux abbey at the age of 20; the valley was renamed “Clairvaux,” valley of light; Bernard was frequently lured away from the monastery to settle long-standing disputes; he intervened in a full-blown schism and settled it in favor of the Roman pontiff against the antipope; he was called to preach the Second Crusade across Europe; however, the ideals of the men were not those of Abbot Bernard, and the project ended as a complete military and moral disaster; this may have hastened Bernard’s death, which came in 1153
  • Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 8/20/24
  • Gospel: Matthew 19:23-30