Friday, 31 August was the festival of Saints Joseph of Arimathea & Nicodemus (floruit first century): Saints-link, Saint-link Juliett & Wikipedia-link Juliett, & Saint-link November & Wikipedia-link November.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Twas also the festival of Saint Aristides of Athens (died circa 134, A.K.A. the Philosopher, Marcianus Aristides), author of the Apology of Aristides: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Apology.
'Twas also the festival of Saint Aiden of Lindisfarne, Bishop (circa 590-651, the "Apostle of Northumbria"), founder of the Lindisfarne Priory: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Priory & Wikipedia-link Holy Island.
'Twas also the festival of Saint Raymond Nonnatus, Priest, O. de M. (1204-1240): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Nonnatus is an epithet, meaning "not born" from the Latin non natus, referring to St. Raymond's birth by Caesarean section.
'Twas also the festival of Blessed Andrea Dotti, Priest, O.S.M. (1256-1315, Anglicized as Andrew Dotti): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Wayback Machine. Bl. Andrea's festival was previously chronicled on 3 September, but we here at BLACK MAMBA are now convinced 31 August is to be preferred.
Scripture of That Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter one, verses seventeen thru twenty-five;
Psalm Thirty-three, verses one & two, four & five, & ten & eleven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-five, verses one thru thirteen.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, our Gospel today is the parable that compares the kingdom of heaven "with ten virgins who with their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom." This is an image borrowed from the customs of the time. The bridesmaids would wait for the groom and, upon his appearance, accompany him.Video reflection by Father Praveen Lakkisetti: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Well, this is the Christian community, waiting for Christ the groom to arrive. Did Jesus tell this parable because he knew that his Church would be in for a long period of waiting?
We are wise in our waiting if we pray on a regular basis; if we educate ourselves in the faith; if we participate in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist; if we perform the corporal and spiritual works of mercy; if we become people of love. We are foolish in our waiting if we neglect these things.
And here is one of the hardest truths of this parable: the divine life, so cultivated, cannot simply be shared with another at the last minute. The wise virgins are not being difficult and self-absorbed when they tell their friends that they can’t help them. A saint can’t simply infuse his life into another; it just doesn’t work that way.
Papal Quote o' That Day
"No matter where we look, no matter how we strive, if we wander far from God, we will not enjoy nature's tranquility, nor harmony & peace of soul. We will be restless & harassed, as though tossed by fever."Little Flower Quote o' That Day
—Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)
"Jesus, I smile through my own tears when I contemplate Your sorrows."Catholic Quote o' That Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"Jesus Christ is the center of all things & the foundation of all things; he who does not know Him knows nothing about the world & nothing about himself."
—Blaise Pascal (1588-1651)
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