Project BLACK MAMBA: The Long Road Back, Part VIII

Advent
Saturday, 23 December was the Optional Memorial of Saint John of Kanty, Priest (1390-1473, A.K.A. John Cantius): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was a Polish priest, scholastic philosopher, physicist, & theologian. For most Catholics in this country, John Kanty is an obscure saint[;] probably few people know of Pope [St.] John Paull II's [22 October] deep & lifelong devotion to this professor saint.

'Twas also the festival of Saint Frithbert of Hexham, Bishop (died 766, also spelt Frithubeorht): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twas also the festival of Blessed Hartmann of Brixen, Bishop (circa 1090-1164): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twas also the festival of Saint John Stone, Religious & Martyr, O.S.A. (died circa 1539), martyred in the reign of the king Henry VIII, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link XL.

Scripture of That Day
Mass Readings—Advent Weekday
The Book of Malachi, chapter three, verses one thru four, twenty-three, & twenty-four;
Psalm Twenty-five, verses four & five(a/b), eight & nine, & ten & fourteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses fifty-seven thru sixty-six.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today’s Gospel reflects on the absolutely pivotal figure of John the Baptist. It’s fair to say that you cannot really understand Jesus without understanding John, which is precisely why all four Evangelists tell the story of the Baptist as a kind of overture to the story of Jesus. John sums up Israel, and without the Israelite background, the story of Jesus becomes opaque.

The story of John’s birth brings his parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, into focus. Both are strongly priestly personages. Elizabeth is a descendant of the family of Aaron, the first priest of Israel, and Zechariah was a practicing Temple priest.

What’s important for our purposes is that John was of very priestly stock. So why, when we first hear of him in his adult life, is he out in the desert and not in the Temple? Well, there was a long prophetic tradition that criticized the Temple for its corruption. In John’s time, the Temple was mired in very messy, vile, and violent politics. So what is he doing in the desert? He is offering what the Temple ought to be offering but wasn’t, due to its corruption, namely, the forgiveness of sins.

Video reflection by Father Thomas Sparacino: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. John of Kanty
The Letter of James, chapter two, verses fourteen thru seventeen;
Psalm One Hundred Twelve, verse one;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter six, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-eight.