Calendar Class of August 20, 2025
- Andrea Kirk Assaf
- Aug 20
- 3 min read
A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
Liturgical: Wednesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time
The trees once went out to anoint a king over themselves. So they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ The olive tree answered them, ‘Shall I stop producing my rich oil by which gods and mortals are honored and go to sway over the trees?’
Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ But the fig tree answered them, ‘Shall I stop producing my sweetness and my delicious fruit,
and go to sway over the trees?’ Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I stop producing my wine
that cheers gods and mortals, and go to sway over the trees?’ So all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’ And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
Judges 9:6-15
Pope Leo's Wednesday Catechesis today.
Sanctoral: Bernard of Clairvaux (1090 – August 20, 1153)
Man of the century! Woman of the century! You see such terms applied to so many today—“golfer of the century,” “composer of the century,” “right tackle of the century”—that the line no longer has any punch. But Western Europe’s “man of the twelfth century,” without doubt or controversy, had to be Bernard of Clairvaux. Adviser of popes, preacher of the Second Crusade, defender of the faith, healer of a schism, reformer of a monastic Order, Scripture scholar, theologian, and eloquent preacher: any one of these titles would distinguish an ordinary man. Yet Bernard was all of these—and he still retained a burning desire to return to the hidden monastic life of his younger days.
The Church also commemorates St. Bernard Tolomei (1272-1348), founder of the Olivetan Congregation of Benedictines.
Buon onomastico, Bernie!
Human: 480 BC The Battle of Thermopylae, was one of the most famous last stands in the history of warfare. According to writer and Greek historian Philip Chrysopoulos: “The great Battle of Thermopylae and the valiant fight of 300 fearless Spartans under the command of warrior King Leonidas against ten thousand elite Persian soldiers is one of the most brilliant moments in Ancient Greek history. In retrospect, it proved to be no less than a fight for the defence of Western Civilization itself [because] although the battle itself was lost, the war was won.”
2 AD – on the way to Spain, in Marseilles, Lucius Caesar, son of Marcus Agrippa, grandson of Augustus died. In 17 BC together with his older brother, Gaius, he was adopted by Augustus. In 2 BC he was recognized as an adult and became a youth leader (Princeps Iuventutis) just as his brother had previously. He was buried in the Mausoleum of Augustus.
1597 First Dutch East India Company ships return from the Far East.
1619 Slavery begins in mainland British colonies of North America when the first known African captives (approximately 20) land at Point Comfort, Virginia, before being sold or traded into servitude.
1741 Alaska is first sighted by a Russian expedition led by Danish explorer Vitus Bering.
1993 Oslo Peace Accords are signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization after secret negotiations in Norway, a public ceremony in Washington, D.C. is held the following month
Natural: The Plant Quarantine Act came into effect, placing restrictions on the entry of plants into the U.S. – 1912
Italian: Casino (confusion / country house / brothel)
Quote: "We find rest in those we love, and we provide a resting place for those who love us."— St. Bernard of Clairvaux
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