Thursday, July 20, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Apollinaris, Bishop & Martyr (died circa 79, of Ravenna), martyred in the reign of the emperor Vespasian: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
He is a Syrian saint, whom the Roman Martyrology describes as "a bishop who, according to tradition, while spreading among the nations the unsearchable riches of Christ, led his flock as a good shepherd & honored the Church at Classis near Ravenna by a glorious martyrdom."
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
According to tradition, St. Peter sent Appolinaris to Ravenna, Italy, as its first bishop. He preaching of the Good News was so successful that the pagans there beat him & drove him from the city. He returned, however, & was exiled a second time. After preaching in the area surrounding Ravenna, he entered the city again. After being cruelly tortured, he was put on a ship heading to Greece. Pagans there caused him to be expelled to Italy, where he went to Ravenna for a fourth time. He died from wounds received during a savage beating at Classis, a suburb of Ravenna.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Joseph Barsabbas, Bishop & Martyr (died circa 69, A.K.A. Justus, of Eleutheropolis), martyred in the reign of the emperor Vespasian: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: In Acts (1:23-26), "Joseph called Barsabbas, who is also known as Justus" is one of two candidates put forth to assume the office of Apostle vacated by the traitor Judas Iscariot. "The lot fell upon Matthias" [14 May] "& he was counted with the eleven Apostles."

'Tis also the festival of Saint Margaret of Antioch, Virgin & Martyr (circa 289-304, A.K.A. Marina the Great Martyr), martyred in the reign of the emperor Diocletian, one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link XIV.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Book of Exodus, chapter three, verses thirteen thru twenty;
Psalm One Hundred Five, verses one & five, eight & nine, twenty-four & twenty-five, & twenty-six & twenty-seven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eleven, verses twenty-eight, twenty-nine, & thirty.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus is not offering us one more philosophy of God. He is offering us the view from the inside of the Trinity. And that is why we should respond to his compelling invitation: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”

What everyone wants is rest, but not in the sense of relaxation. Rest here means achievement of joy. The great illusion is that joy will come from filling up the ego with goods. In fact, it will come from emptying out, from turning one’s life over to the direction of God.

We also find in today’s Gospel those extraordinary words: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.” Jesus himself is bearing the yoke that he speaks of since he is yoked to the Father, doing only what he sees the Father doing. Jesus is, in his ownmost nature, the one who listens and obeys.

What he is saying, therefore, is to stand next to him, just as one ox stands next to the other as they pull together. Just as Jesus is yoked to the Father, so we should be yoked to him, obeying him as he obeys the Father.
Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Apollinaris
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter thirty-four, verses eleven thru sixteen;
Psalm Twenty-three, verse one;
The Gospel according to John, chapter ten, verses eleven thru sixteen.

Bible Study—The Bible Timeline: Conquest & Judges, Part 1 of 2
The Book of Joshua, chapter five (verses one thru fifteen);
The Book of Joshua, chapter six (verses one thru twenty-seven);
The Book of Joshua, chapter seven (verses one thru twenty-six);
The Book of Joshua, chapter eight (verses one thru thirty-five);
The Book of Joshua, chapter nine (verses one thru twenty-seven).

Commentary: Rites at Gilgal (5:1-12), Siege at Jericho (5:13-6:19), the Fall of Jericho (6:20-27), Defeat at Ai (7:1-15), Achan's Guilt & Punishment (7:16-26), Capture of Ai (8:1-29), Altar on Mount Ebal (8:30-35), Confederacy against Israel (9:1-2), the Gibeonite Deception (9:3-15), & Gibeonites Made Vassals (9:16-27).

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