Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Romuald was born in Ravenna in the middle of the tenth century. He embraced the hermit's life & for many years traveled through various lands seeking solitude & establishing small monasteries while directing himself to a life of perfection by the practice of the virtues. he fought strenuously against the depraved habits of the monks of his day. he died around the year 1027.Nothing, again, in the Holy Redeemer bulletin. I shall write to the bulletin editor today, asking for the hagiographies to be made more of a priority.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Thomas Woodhouse, Priest & Martyr (1535-1573), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the festival of Venerable Matt Talbot, Confessor, T.O.S.F.* (1856-1925): Venerable-link ūnus, Venerable-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Ven. Matt Talbot was a Third Order Franciscan, those who do not take religious vows. Over fifty years after his death, the Third Order of Saint Francis was renamed the Secular Franciscan Order; so, today Ven. Matt's post-nominal letter would be O.F.S. instead of T.O.S.F.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Weekday
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter six, verses one thru ten;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one, two(b), 3(a,b), & three (c,d) & four;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses thirty-eight thru forty-two.
Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel gives Jesus’ teaching about non-resistance to evil people. We are continually wanting God to behave as we would, that is to say, withdrawing his love from those who don’t deserve it and giving his love to those who do deserve it. But this is just not the way God operates. Why should you pray for someone who is persecuting you? Why shouldn’t you be allowed at least to answer him in kind—an eye for an eye? Because God doesn’t operate that way, and you are being drawn into the divine life.Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Romuald
Why should you turn the other cheek to someone who has struck you? Because it’s practical?! No, because that’s the way God operates, and you’re being called into the divine life. Why should you go beyond simply loving those who love you? Because that’s the way God operates: he loves the saints and he loves the worst of sinners.
Is any of this easy to do? Of course not. Are we able to get to this state through willing it, through earnest practice? Of course not! That’s why love is referred to as a theological virtue. It is the sheerest participation in the divine life, and it can only come from God.
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter three, verses eight thru fourteen;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-one;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-five thru thirty-three.
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