Saints + Scripture: Allhallowtide

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

The Popish Plot
Wacky Wednesday: "The Catholic Origins of Halloween"

O.K. Catholics
Billy Opinion Land: "Is Halloween Really Pagan?"

'Tis All Hallows' Eve (also spelt Hallowe'en, A.K.A. All Saints' Eve), the vigil of the Solemnity of All Saints: All Hallows' Eve-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg, Bishop, O.S.B. (circa 924-994, the "Great Almoner;" A.K.A. of Ratisbon): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Tommaso of Florence, Religious, T.O.S.F. (1370-1447, A.K.A. Tommaso Bellacci): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Alphonsus Rodríguez, Religious, S.J. (1532-1617, also spelt Alonso): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Irene Stefani, Religious, M.C. (1891-1930, "Nyaatha" [meaning "Merciful Mother"]): Blessed-link ūna, Blessed-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter six, verses one thru nine;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses ten & eleven, twelve & thirteen(a/b), & thirteen(c/d) & fourteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter thirteen, verses twenty-two thru thirty.

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

Friends, our Gospel for today features a question that people have been asking from time immemorial and that they still ask today: "Lord, will only a few people be saved?" Heaven, hell, salvation, damnation, who will be in and who will be out? We have remained fascinated with these questions for a long time.

Here’s how I would recommend we approach this issue. The doctrine concerning hell is a corollary of two more fundamental truths—namely, that God is love and that we are free. Love (willing the good of the other) is all that God is. He doesn’t go in and out of love; he doesn’t change his mind; he’s not loving to some and not to others. He is indeed like the sun that shines on the good and bad alike, in the words of Jesus.

No act of ours can possibly make him stop loving us. In this regard, he is like the best of parents. However, we are free. We are not God’s marionettes, and hence we can say yes or we can say no to his love. If we turn toward it, we open like a sunflower; if we turn from it, we get burned.

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

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The person who does not feel indebted to God remains entangled in restless inclination toward self. But to the heart of the truly humble believer the Lord reveals His presence, His sovereignty in saving power, His justice in the infinite greatness of His mercy."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"My frail barque has great difficulty in reaching port. I sighted it long since, & still I find myself afar off. Yet Jesus steers this little barque, & I am sure that on His appointed day it will come safely to the blessed haven of the Carmel."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Christian Quote o' the Day

"A religion without mystery is necessarily a religion without God."
—Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667, feast day:)