+(Intro) On this memorial of St Humbeline, sister of St Bernard, we will hear in the gospel Jesus telling us that it is what comes out from within a person is what defiles us so let us reflect a moment of our failures to be attentive to what arises from within our hearts and causes us to sin.
(After the Gospel) There is the story of how St Humbeline, the sister of St Bernard came to visit him and his brothers in the monastery and how Bernard refused to see her since she sought to impress them by her fine clothing and entourage.
Bernard reminded her of what we just heard in our gospel, to amend her life and do away with all her finery. She broke into tears but had the wit to reply: “I may indeed be a sinful woman, but it was for such as me that Christ died, and because I am so sinful l need the help of godly men.”
She repented of her ways, even obtained permission from her husband to enter a convent and eventually became the abbess. At the end of her life, she died in the presence of three of her brothers, Bernard even held her in his arms. And isn’t this the moment that makes all the difference in our lives?
Gen 2:4b-9, 15-17; Mark 7:14-23