Saints + Scripture: Lent —The Long Road Back, III of V

Friday, 23 February was the Optional Memorial of Saint Polycarp, Bishop & Martyr (circa 69-155, of Smyrna), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius; Polycarp's Letter to the Philippians is preserved & his martyrdom is attested in the ancient Martyrdom of Polycarp: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Letter & Wikipedia-link Martyrdom.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Polycarp was a second-century Christian bishop of Smyrna. According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp he died a martyr, bound & burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to touch him.

'Twas also the festival of Saint Serenus the Gardner, Martyr (died circa 305, of Billom; also spelt Cerneuf, etc.), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian, a victim of the Great Persecution: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Persecution.

'Twas also the festival of Saint Willigis of Mainz, Bishop (circa 940-1011): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twas also the festival of Blessed Ludwik Mzyk, Priest & Martyr, S.V.D. (1905-1940, also spelt Ludvig), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link CVIII & Wikipedia-link CVIII.

Scripture of That Day
Mass Readings—Lenten Weekday
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter eighteen, verses twenty-one thru twenty-eight;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty, verses one & two; three & four; five, six, & seven(a); & seven(b/c) & eight;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses twenty thru twenty-six.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel passage is an excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount. If we are to begin to understand Jesus’ staggering teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, we have to keep ever in our minds the little tagline, "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Jesus is the Son of God, and his purpose is not primarily to construct a smooth-functioning human society; it is to establish the kingdom of God, that is to say, a body formed by those who participate in him, who share his relationship with the Father.

What is the Father of Jesus Christ like? The Father of Jesus Christ is love, right through. That’s all God is; that’s all he knows how to do. He is not like us: unstable, changing, moving from one attitude to another. No, God simply is love.

Why should you go beyond simply loving those who love you? Because that’s the way God operates: he loves the saints and he also loves the worst sinner in hell. Now, is that easy to do? Of course not. But that’s what Jesus call us to: be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Video reflection by Paula Trigo-Galan: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Papal Quote o' That Day

"Let us ask the Lord to teach us, to leave all rigidity, but to go upwards, to be able to adore & praise God; that He may teach us to be reconciled to one another; & also, that He may teach us to agree with each other to the extent that we can."
—Pope Francis

Little Flower Quote o' That Day

"O Jesus, I will wield my sword in this cause all the days of my life!"
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' That Day

"Nothing appeases an anraged elephant so much as the sight of a little lamb."
—St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church (1567-1622, feast day: 24 January)