Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Book of Nehemiah, chapter eight, verses two, three, four(a), five, six, eight, nine, & ten;
Psalm Nineteen, verses eight, nine, ten, & fifteen;
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter twelve, verses twelve thru thirty
(or, the First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter twelve, verses twelve, thirteen, fourteen, & twenty-seven);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses one thru four & chapter four, verses fourteen thru twenty-one.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel recounts Jesus’ inaugural address in his hometown synagogue. Jesus reads words from the prophet Isaiah that he felt best summed up who he was and what his mission was. Therefore it behooves us to listen carefully.Ruach Yahweh, the breath of God, the spirit that hovered over the surface of the waters at the beginning of time, the life energy of God—this is what has seized and animated Jesus.
Jesus first says, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me." The
Animated by the Ruach Yahweh, what does Jesus do? He brings "glad tidings to the poor," "liberty to captives," and "recovery of sight to the blind." In other words, he brings God’s love to those who are marginalized by injustice, freedom to those who are imprisoned in sin, and healing to those whose very self has been broken.
After the Paschal Mystery and Resurrection, he breathed on his disciples, communicating to them something of this spirit—and drawing them into this mission.Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Video reflection by Father Claude Burns (uCatholic): Weekend Reflection with Father Pontifex.
Audio reflection by Scott Hahn, Ph.D. (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Breaking the Bread.
Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 7
The Book of Exodus, chapter three, verses seven thru twenty-two.
Commentary: Moses & the Burning Bush (cont'd; Exodus, 3:7-22).
Mass Journal: Week Nine
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:
I believe God wants us to be happy. I believe God gave us this yearning for happiness that constantly preoccupies our hearts. It seems He has placed this yearning within each human heart as a spiritual navigational instrument designed to lead us to our destiny. God himself is the author of our desire for happiness. The philosophy of Christ is the ultimate philosophy of human happiness. It isn't just a way of life; it is the way of life. At the same time, the philosophy of Christ is one of self-donation. This is the great paradox of God's teaching. In our misguided adventures, we may catch glimpses of happiness as we live outside of the philosophy of Christ. You may even taste happiness for a moment living a life contrary to the philosophy of Christ, but these are stolen moments. They may seem real, but they are just shadows of something infinitely greater.†
Otherwise, 27 January would be the festival of Saint Julian of Le Mans, Bishop (floruit third century), the relic of whose head is kept at the Cathedral of Saint Julian of Le Mans: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Cathedral.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Devota, Martyr (died circa 303), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian, a victim of the Great Persecution: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Persecution.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Natalis of Ulster, Abbot (died 564, A.K.A. Naal, Naile): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Vitalian, Pope (died 672), seventy-sixth (LXXVI) Bishop of Rome: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Pontiff.
'Twould also be the festival of Saint Angela Merici, Virgin, C.S.U. (1474-1540), foundress of the Angelines, formally the Secular Institute of Saint Angela Merici (historically, the Company of Saint Ursula [C.S.U.]), out of which grew the Ursulines, formally the Order of Saint Ursula (O.S.U.): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link C.S.U. & Wikipedia-link O.S.U.
'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Paul Joseph Nardini, Priest, T.O.S.F. (1821-1862), founder of the Nardini Sisters (A.K.A. the Mallersdorfer Sisters), formally the Poor Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Family: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Sisters.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"As people, we are meant to have human joys: the joy of living, the joy of love & friendship, the joy of work well done. As Christians, we have cause for further joy: like Jesus, we know that we are loved by God our Father."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)
"We can lean on nothing but Our Lord, for He alone is immutable."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"Another reason for praying the holy hour is that we need power. Power is born of silence & presence. As the Psalmist put it: 'Be still and know that I am God.' In Prayer we shrug off the burdens of the world. We come in & spend an hour with the Lord & talk to Him & listen & develop our senses of hearing & seeing & touching. Hearing: not doing all the talking, 'Speak, Lord thy servant heareth.' Not listen, Lord, thy servant speaketh. And the Lord does talk to us.
"Seeing: 'The things that are temporal are seen,' says Paul. We have a different vision before the Blessed Sacrament. Remember the priest & the Levite that passed by the wounded man on the road to Jerusalem. They did not want to see him because seeing created responsibility. There will be a shrinking from the Blessed Sacrament whenever there is not a good spiritual attitude in the soul. But when we heighten our spiritual vision, then we're doing something that the apostles had to do. They had to see beyond the veil of the flesh of our Lord in order to comprehend His Divinity. And we have to see behind the veil of the species of bread to see His Divinity as well. When we are used to seeing His Divinity through the species of bread, then we will be better at seeing the image of God in people.
"And finally, touch: touch is the mark of intimacy. Touch is communion. After many hours there begins to be a presence before the Eucharistic Lord, a deep sense of oneness with Christ. We are even reluctant at the end of many an hour to leave the Lord. Like the disciples of Emmaus we say, 'Stay with us Lord, the day is far spent."
—Venerable Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979)
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