Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Benedict of Cupra, Martyr (died circa 304), martyred in the reign of the emperors Diocletian & Maximian: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Great Persecution.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Edward the Confessor (circa 1003-1066, A.K.A. King Edward of England*): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: *St. Edward was the third Anglo-Saxon king—first of Wessex, then of England—named Edward, but the regnal numbering started over from scratch after the Norman Conquest in 1066, which was itself precipitated by the Confessor's death. The first post-Conquest king Edward, Edward I (reigned 1272-1307), was the "Longshanks" so unfairly vilified in the otherwise excellent motion picture Braveheart (1995).
'Tis also the centenary, the one hundredth anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun, the final & crowning apparition of Our Lady of Fátima (apparitions 13 May-13 October 1917): Madonna-link, Wikipedia-link Fátima, & Wikipedia-link Sun.
Commentary: Reflection by Monsignor Jerry Vincke, quoted in the Holy Family bulletin:
Sun shook: One hundred years ago on October 13, 1917, God provided one of the greatest manifestations of His power in the history of the Catholic Church. Rain had been coming down for more than a day in Fatima, Portugal. Everyone was drenched. Mud was all over. Our Lady appeared to [St.] Jacinta, [St.] Francesco [both 20 February], & [Servant of God] Lucia. They were surrounded by an estimated crowd of 50,000 [fifty thousand] people. Our Blessed Mother told the children she was "the Lady of the Rosary." She also told them that the war would end soon (W.W.I ended on November 1918 [sort of, but not fully]), pleaded to the children (& all) "not to offend the Lord our God anymore, because He is already so much offended," as well as to build a chapel there. What happened next was truly a miracle. The sun literally danced (only God can control the sun). The ground immediately became dry as did the people's clothes. In summary, what does the message of Our Lady of Fatima mean for us? In the midst of evil, there is the merciful love of God under the watchful care of the Mother of Jesus & of the Church. As one author of Fatima wrote, "The action of God, the Lord of history, & the co-responsibility of man in the drama of his creative freedom, are the two pillars upon which human history is built. Our Lady, who appeared at Fatima, recalls these forgotten values. She reminds us that man's future is in God & that we are active & responsible partners in creating that future."We produced not one, but two episodes about the one hundredth anniversary of Our Lady of Fátima & the Miracle of the Sun for The Popish Plot, the YouTube channel I host in conjunction with Brother & Mrs. Nacho, our wee, wacky, whimsical contribution to the New Evangelization (as are these Project BLACK MAMBA posts):
The Popish Plot—Taco Tuesday: 100th Anniversary of Fátima, Part 1
The Popish Plot—Fermentation Friday: 100th Anniversary of Fátima, Part 2.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Book of Joel, chapter one, verses thirteen, fourteen, & fifteen & chapter two, verses one & two;
Psalm Nine, verses two & three, six & sixteen, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eleven, verses fifteen thru twenty-six.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today's Gospel we learn of a person possessed by a demon. Jesus meets the man and drives out the demon, but then is immediately accused of being in league with Satan. Some of the witnesses said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons."communio, of one bringing things back together.
Jesus' response is wonderful in its logic and laconicism: "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?"
The demonic power is always one of scattering. It breaks up communion. But Jesus, as always, is the voice of
Think back to Jesus' feeding of the five thousand. Facing a large, hungry crowd, his disciples beg him to "dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves." But Jesus answers, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves."
Whatever drives the Church apart is an echo of this "dismiss the crowds" impulse, and a reminder of the demonic tendency to divide. In times of trial and threat, this is a very common instinct. We blame, attack, break up, and disperse. But Jesus is right: "There is no need for them to go away."
And today he says, "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."Video reflection by Laura Brill: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Bible Study—The Bible Timeline, Session 18: Messianic Fulfillment, Part 1 of 3
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter three (verses one thru thirty-eight);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter four, verses one thru thirteen.
Commentary: III. The Preparation for the Public Ministry (3:1-4:13): The Preaching of John the Baptist (3:1-20), the Baptism of Jesus (3:21-22), the Genealogy of Jesus (3:23-38), & the Temptation of Jesus (4:1-13).
Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter thirteen (verses one thru twenty-five).
Commentary: II. First Collection of the Proverbs of Solomon (cont'd, 13:1-25).
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