Jun 6 – Memorial for St. Norbert, bishop, religious founder
St. Norbert (1080-1134) had been born to the nobility and raised around the royal court. There he developed a very worldly view, taking holy orders as a career move when he joined the Benedictines. A narrow escape from death led him to a conversion experience, and taking his vows seriously.
He founded a community of Augustinian canons, starting a reform movement that swept through European monastic houses. St. Norbert also reformed the clergy in his see, using force when necessary. He worked with St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Hugh of Grenoble to heal the schism caused by the death of Pope Honorius II, and for heresy in Cambrai, France with the help of St. Waltmann. He is one of the patron saints of peace.
- Patron Saint Index
2 Tim 4:1-8
Mk 12:38-44
“…everything she possessed, all she had to live on.”
Back in the day, when I was an undergraduate at the National University of Singapore (NUS), I was an active member of the Catholic Students’ Society (CSS). There was a particularly memorable semester where I was so consumed by CSS activities, that I probably spent more time on them than on my studies. As a member of the executive committee, I had several responsibilities and was heavily involved in numerous events and projects. Despite the busyness and exhaustion, I was deeply fulfilled by the work, and I truly felt that I was being kept afloat by my prayers and by love of and for the community. One might think that my grades would have been affected by my commitment to extra-curricular activities, but this semester was also the only one where I got onto the Dean’s list.
In the gospel passage for today, we come across the well-known scene of the poor widow who placed only two coins into the temple treasury, but who was lauded by Jesus for her contribution. At first glance, one might wonder why this widow gave away money that was probably essential for her own survival. It did not seem like a practical thing to do. Wouldn’t it be wiser to save oneself first before helping others (not that the two coins would make much of a difference)? But that is obviously not Jesus’ message for his disciples and for us. Much of our Catholic faith and spirituality is about surrendering to God, and the widow certainly entrusted her all to the Father.
From time to time, I would think about that semester in NUS. There was a purity in the trust and love that I had for God and for the CSS community. Somehow, giving my 100% for the church also gave me the gift of stretching my potential in other areas of my life. Nowadays, however, I often find it hard to trust in God, and I have to consciously direct my thoughts away from the abyss of despair and hopelessness. The accumulation of emotional baggage arising from setbacks, crises, disappointments and trials over the years has made me more cautious and less willing to relinquish control. Yet, I am aware that the more I try to rely on myself, the more dissatisfied and the less happy I am. For me, the message of today’s Gospel is to relearn how to trust in the Lord by letting go of my fears and worries about past hurts, and to put love first. It is going to take way more courage than before, but perhaps that is precisely what faith looks like at this stage of my life — to constantly choose to entrust myself to God, despite my doubts, fears and scars.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Edith Koh)
Prayer: Lord, teach us to trust in You as the poor widow trusted in You. Help us to let go of our fears, anxieties, and need for control, and give us the courage to place our lives in Your hands each day.
Thanksgiving: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your constant presence throughout our lives, especially in moments when we were unaware of Your guidance. Thank You for the gift of community, for the opportunities to serve, and for the many ways You have sustained us through both joys and trials.
OXYGEN 
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