Monday, October 23, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA: Ridiculously Late Edition

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint John of Capistrano, Priest, O.F.M. (1386-1456): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
He was a Franciscan friar & catholic priest from the Italian town of Capestrano, Abruzzo. Famous as a preacher, theologian, & inquisitor, he earned himself the nickname "the Soldier Saint" when in 1456 at age seventy he led a crusade against the invading Ottoman Empire at the siege of Belgrade. Elevated to sainthood, he is the patron saint of jurists & military chaplains.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. John was born in Capistrano in 1386. He studied law at Perugia & for a time was governor of that city. He entered the Order of friars Minor &, after ordination to the priesthood, he led an untiring apostolic life preaching throughout Europe both to strengthen Christian life & to refute heresy.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Ignatius of Constantinople, Bishop & Abbot (circa 798-877): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Arnold Rèche, Religious, F.S.C. (1838-1890, A.K.A. Julian-Nicolas Rèche): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Letter to the Romans, chapter four, verses twenty thru twenty-five;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses sixty-nine & seventy; seventy-one & seventy-two; & seventy-three, seventy-four, & seventy-five;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twelve, verses thirteen thru twenty-one.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today in our Gospel Jesus tells of a rich man who has been so successful that he doesn't have enough space to store his harvest. So he tears down his barns and builds bigger ones. But that very night, he dies—and all of it comes to naught. "Thus it will be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God."

No matter how good, how beautiful a state of affairs is here below, it is destined to pass into non-being. That sunset that I enjoyed last night—that radiantly beautiful display—is now forever gone. It lasted only a while. That beautiful person—attractive, young, full of life, creative, joyful—will eventually age, get sick, break down, and die.

An image that always comes to mind when I think of these things is the gorgeous firework that bursts open like a giant flower and then, in the twinkling of an eye, is gone forever. Everything is haunted by non-being. Everything, finally, is a bubble.

But this is not meant to depress us; it is meant to redirect our attention precisely to the things that are "above," to the eternity of God.
Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (Telecare T.V.): U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.


Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. John of Capistrano
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter five, verses fourteen thru twenty;
Confer Psalm Sixteen, verse five(a);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses fifty-seven thru sixty-two.

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