Saints + Scripture: Better Late Than Never

9 Days for Life: Day Seven
May those who long for a child of their own be filled with trust in God's loving plan.

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop & Doctor of the Church, C.O., O.M., O.F.M. Cap. (1567-1622), the "Gentleman Saint;" author of the classic Introduction to the Devout Life; co-founder of the Visitation Sisters, formally the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary: Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, Doctor-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Introduction & Wikipedia-link V.H.M..

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He is noted for his deep faith & gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. Also known for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction & spiritual formation.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

Francis was destined by his father to be a lawyer so that the young man could eventually take his elder's place as a senator from the province of Savoy in France. For this reason Francis was sent to Padua to study law. After receiving his doctorate, he returned home &, in due time, told his parents he wished to enter the priesthood. Francis was ordained & elected provost of the Diocese of Geneva, then a center for the Calvinists. Francis set out to convert them, especially in the district of Chablais. By preaching & distributing the little pamphlets he wrote to explain true catholic doctrine, he had remarkable success. His gentle character was a great asset in winning souls. He practiced his own axiom, "A spoonful of honey attracts more flies than a barrelful of vinegar.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Felician of Foligno, Bishop & Martyr (circa 158-250), martyred in the reign of the emperor Decius, a victim of the Decian Persecution: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Persecution.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds William Ireland, S.J., Priest; & John Grove, Martyrs (died 1679), martyred in the reign of the king Charles II, victims of the perjurer Titus Oates's "Popish Plot" hoax: Martyr-link Whiskey India, Martyr-link Juliett Golf, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Popish Plot.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Wincenty Lewoniuk & Companions, Martyrs (died 1874, A.K.A. the Martyrs of Pratulin, the Martyrs of Podlasie), martyred for refusing to convert to Russian Orthodoxy in the reign of the emperor Alexander II: Martyr-link; Martyrs-link XIII & Wikipedia-link XIII.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Second Book of Samuel, chapter seven, verses four thru seventeen;
Psalm Eighty-nine, verses four & five, twenty-seven & twenty-eight, & twenty-nine & thirty;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter four, verses one thru twenty.

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

Friends, our Gospel for today is the parable of the sower and the seed. It has to do with the growth and development of the kingdom of God. We hear that Jesus began to teach by the sea and that a very large crowd gathered around him. This is Jesus speaking to the whole world.

He then presents the parable of the sower: A sower goes out to sow, and as he sows, some of the seed falls on the path, where the birds eat it up; some falls on rocky ground, where it is scorched in the sun; some falls among thorns, where its life is choked off; and some falls on rich soil, where it bears fruit—thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.

Keep in mind that Jesus himself, in person, is the seed sown. Jesus is the Logos that wants to take root in us. This seed is sown far and wide, through all sorts of means, but in you, let the seed be sown deep, where it can’t be stolen, scorched, or choked.

Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Francis de Sales
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter three, verses eight thru twelve;
Psalm Thirty-seven, verse thirty(a);
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses nine thru seventeen.

†

Bible Study—Wisdom Books
The Book of Psalms, psalm forty-one (verses one thru fourteen);
The Book of Sirach, chapter one (of fifty-one; verses one thru twenty-nine).

Commentary: Thanksgiving after Sickness (Psalm 41), end of the First Book (Psalms 1-41); Praise of Wisdom (Sirach, 1:1-29), Sirach A.K.A. the Wisdom of Sirach or the Book of Ecclesiasticus.

Bible Study—Pauline Epistles
The Letter to the Galatians, chapter one (of six; verses one thru twenty-four);
The Letter to the Galatians, chapter two (verses one thru twenty-one);
The Letter to the Galatians, chapter three (verses one thru twenty-nine).

Commentary: I. Address: Greeting (Galatians, 1:1-5); II. Loyalty to the Gospel (1:6-10); III. Paul's Defense of His Gospel & His Authority: His Call by Christ (1:11-24), the Council of Jerusalem (2:1-10), Peter's Inconsistency at Antioch (2:11-14), & Faith & Works (2:15-21); & IV. Faith & Liberty: Justification by Faith (3:1-14), the Law Did Not Nullify the Promise (3:15-22), & What Faith Has Brought Us (3:23-29).

Saint Quote o' the Day

"We must never undervalue any person. The workman loves not that his work should be despised in his presence. Now God is present everywhere, & every person is His work."
—St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church (1567-1622, feast day: 24 January)