Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA: Late Edition

Mea culpa! Mea culpa! Mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the festival of Saint Oda of Canterbury, Bishop, O.S.B. (circa 870-959; A.K.A. the Good, the Severe; also spelt Odo): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frasseti, Confessor, T.O.S.D. (1901-1925, A.K.A. Girolamo), the "Man of the Eight Beatitudes:" Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Weekday
The Book of Genesis, chapter nineteen, verses fifteen thru twenty-nine;
Psalm Twenty-six, verses two & three, nine & ten, & eleven & twelve;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eight, verses twenty-three thru twenty-seven.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, what we hear in the Gospel for today is a de profundis prayer. Do you know the de profundis prayer? It comes from Psalm 130: "Out of the depths, I have cried to you, O Lord. O Lord, be attentive to the voice of my pleading." It is the prayer offered at the darkest times of life, when we feel utterly incapable of helping ourselves.

During the storm, Jesus' disciples cried out to the Lord in desperation: "O Lord, we are drowning; don't you care?" Perhaps there are some people reading this right now who feel themselves in this precise situation. Perhaps you're reading these words from your hospital bed where you are recovering painfully from surgery, or where you've just received some devastating news. Perhaps you find yourself caught in a terrible, unrelenting depression. Maybe you've just lost a loved one, and you're awash in a sea of grief.

If that's you, then pray as the disciples did. Awaken someone who can help. Jesus sleeping in the midst of the storm is a very powerful symbol of God's sovereignty over even the darkest and most difficult trials that life throws at us.
Mass Readings—Independence Day
The Book of Numbers, chapter six, verses twenty-two thru twenty-seven;
Psalm Eighty-five, verse nine(b);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses one thru twelve(a).

Commentary: Quoth the missalette:
The readings, psalm, & Gospel acclamation may also be taken from the Masses for Various Needs & Occasions: For the Nation, For Peace & Justice (Lectionary 882-886, 887-891). The following (the above) are suggested from among the many options.
Bible Study
Psalm Twenty-two (verses one thru thirty-two);
The Book of Lamentations, chapter three, verses twenty-two & twenty-three.

Commentary: The Prayer of an Innocent Person (Psalm 22) & excerpt from Sufferings of the Prophet & His People (Lamentations, 3:22-23).

Bible Study—The Bible Timeline: Egypt & Exodus, Parts 1 & 2
The Book of Exodus, chapter eighteen (verses one thru twenty-seven);
The Book of Exodus, chapter nineteen (verses one thru twenty-five);
The Book of Exodus, chapter twenty (verses one thru twenty-six);
The Book of Exodus, chapter twenty-one (verses one thru thirty-seven);
The Book of Exodus, chapter twenty-two (verses one thru thirty);
The Book of Exodus, chapter twenty-three (verses one thru thirty-three);
The Book of Exodus, chapter twenty-four (verses one thru eighteen).

Commentary: Meeting with Jethro (18:1-12), Appointment of Minor Judges (18:13-27), III. The Covenant at Mount Sinai: Arrival at Sinai (19:1-15), the Great Theophany (19:16-25), the Ten Commandments (20:1-17), the Fear of God (20:18-26), Laws Regarding Slaves (21:1-11), Personal Injury (21:12-32), Property Damage (21:33-22:5), Trusts & Loans (22:6-14), Social Laws (22:15-23:9), Religious Laws (23:10-19), Reward of Fidelity (23:20-33), Ratification of the Covenant (24:1-11), & Moses on the Mountain (24:12-18).

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