Saints + Scripture

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot & Doctor of the Church, O.Cist. (1090-1153, of Clairvaux), who attended the Second Lateran Council (1139) & preached the Second Crusade (1147-1149): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, Doctor-link The True Enlightenment!, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Doctors, Wikipedia-link Council, & Wikipedia-link Crusade.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was a French abbot & a major leader in the reform of Benedictine monasticism that caused the formation of the Cistercian order.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ronald of Orkney, Martyr (circa 1103-1158, A.K.A. Rögnvald Kali Kolsson), martyred by the Viking outlaw Thorbjorn Klerk, who build Saint Magnus Cathedral: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Cathedral.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Georg Häfner, Priest & Martyr (1900-1942), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Władysław Mączkowski, Priest & Martyr (1911-1942), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List, № 74); Martyrs-link CVIII & Wikipedia-link CVIII.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter twenty-four, verses fifteen thru twenty-four;
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two, verses eighteen & nineteen, twenty, & twenty-one;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nineteen, verses sixteen thru twenty-two.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel is the story of the rich young man. The rich young man has a deep desire to share in everlasting life. He is hungry for the infinite good of the spirit. He knows what he wants, and he knows where to find it. Jesus is the infinite Good that the soul wants. He is God’s own self made flesh.

If you want to live in friendship with God, there are certain things that you must cut out of your life. Friendship with God means a life of love; therefore, those things that egregiously violate love have to be eliminated.

Jesus looks at him with love and says, “There is one thing more you must do. Go and sell what you have and give it to the poor; you will have treasure in heaven. After that come follow me.” God is nothing but love, straight through, and therefore the life of friendship with him, in the richest sense, is a life of total, self-forgetting love.

But at this point the young man tragically balks. The spiritual life, at the highest pitch, is about giving your life away, and this is why his many possessions are a problem.

Video reflection by Msgr. James Vlaun (Telecare T.V.): United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Bernard
The Book of Sirach, chapter fifteen, verses one thru sixteen;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verse twelve;
The Gospel according to John, chapter seventeen, verses twenty thru twenty-six.

Bible Study—Wisdom Books
The Book of Psalms, psalm fifty-two (verses one thru eleven);
The Book of Psalms, psalm fifty-three (verses one thru seven);
The Book of Psalms, psalm fifty-four (verses one thru nine);
The Book of Proverbs, chapter nineteen (verses one thru twenty-nine);
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty (verses one thru thirty).

Commentary: The Deceitful Tongue (Psalm 52), A Lament over Widespread Corruption (Psalm 53), & Confident Prayer in Great Peril (Psalm 54); & II. First Collection of the Proverbs of Solomon (cont'd; Proverbs, 19:1-20:30)

Proverb o' Yesterday (Proverbs, 19:17)

He who has compassion on the poor lends to the LORD,
and He will repay him for his good deed.

Proverb o' Today (Proverbs, 20:18)

Plans made after advice succeed;
so with wise guidance wage your war.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"To discover the Lord's concrete will for us, we must listen to the Word of God, pray, & discuss our problems & discoveries with others. In this way, we will discern the gifts we have received & use them profitably."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"I understood that love encompasses all vocations & that love is everything. Love encompasses all times and places."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Action & contemplation are very close companions; they live together in one house on equal terms. Martha & Mary are sisters."
—St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church (1090-1153, feast day: 20 August)