Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the festival of Saint Giovanni Gualberto, Abbot, O.S.B. Vall. (circa 985-1073, Anglicized as John Gualbert), founder of the Vallumbrosan Order, a Benedictine congregation: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link O.S.B. Vall.

'Tis also the festival of Saint John Jones, Priest & Martyr, O.F.M. (circa 1530-1598, A.K.A. Godfrey Maurice), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link, Martyrs-link, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link XL.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint John Wall, Priest & Martyr, O.F.M. (1620-1679, A.K.A. Joachim of Saint Anne), martyred in the reign of the king Charles II, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link, Martyrs-link, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link XL.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Weekday
The Book of Genesis, chapter forty-one, verses fifty-five, fifty-six, & fifty-seven & chapter forty-two, verses five, six, seven(a), & seventeen thru twenty-four(a);
Psalm Thirty-three, verses two & three, ten & eleven, & eighteen & nineteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses one thru seven.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus names and commissions the twelve apostles. Perhaps we can see here a fulfillment of his prophetic invitation to the first disciples: "Come after me and I will make you fishers of men."

"Come after me." This is a Hebraicism that indicates discipleship. Jesus is not offering a doctrine, a theology, or a set of beliefs. He is offering himself. He's saying, "Walk in my path; enter into the world that I have opened up."

"And I will make you fishers of men." This is one of the best lines in Scripture. Notice the first part of the phrase: "I will make you..." God is the one who makes us from nothing. To live in sin is to live outside of the creative power of God, to pretend that we can make ourselves. How wonderful that he tells us that he will make us!

And what he makes us is always a reflection of himself: a fisher of men. God wants to draw all things and all people into a community around him, in him. He is a fisher of people—and so wants us to be.
Bible Study—The Bible Timelines: Desert Wanderings
The Book of Numbers, chapter one (verses one thru fifty-four);
The Book of Numbers, chapter two (verses one thru thirty-four);
The Book of Numbers, chapter ten (verses one thru thirty-six).

Commentary: I. Preparation for the Departure from Sinai: The Census (1:1-3), Moses's Assistants (1:4-19a), Count of the Twelve (1:19b-46), Levites Omitted from the Census (1:47-54), Arrangement of the Tribes (2:1-34), & the Silver Trumpets (10:1-10); II. From Sinai to the Plains of Moab: Departure from Sinai (10:11-28a), Hobab as Guide (10:28b-32), & Into the Desert (10:33-36).

God's Comic
Eye of the Tiber yet again proves funniest when it strikes a little too close to home for comfort, as in this headline, "Catholic Mom Confident Nice, Pretty Girl Who Sits Behind Her at Mass Would Be Perfect for Her Deadbeat Son": Tiber-link.

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