'Tis the festival of Saint Abdas of Susa, Bishop & Martyr (died 420, A.K.A. of Kaskhar), martyred in the reign of the Sassanid king Shapur II: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Brendan of Clonfert, Priest & Abbot (circa 484-577, A.K.A. the Navigator, the Voyager), one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Apostles-link Éire & Wikipedia-link Éire.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Simon Stock, Religious, O.Carm. (circa 1165-1265), to whom was revealed the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Scapular-link & Wikipedia-link Scapular.
'Tis also the festival of Saint John of Nepomuk, Priest & Martyr (circa 1340-1393, A.K.A. John Nepomucene, etc.), martyred in the reign of the Bohemian king Wenceslaus IV: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Andrzej Bobola, Priest & Martyr, S.J. (1591-1657, the "Apostle of Lithuania" & the "Hunter of Souls;" Anglicized as Andrew Bobola), martyred in the reign of the Cossack warlord Bohdan Khmelnytsky: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Vladimir Ghika, Priest & Martyr (1873-1954, the "Apostolic Wanderer"), martyred in the reign of the Communist dictator Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter thirteen, verses thirteen thru twenty-five;
Psalm Eighty-nine, verses two & three, twenty-one & twenty-two, & twenty-five & twenty-seven;
The Gospel according to John, chapter thirteen, verses sixteen thru twenty.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel passage, Jesus pointedly calls us to humble behavior. “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.”Video reflection by Father Roger Lopez, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
St. Catherine of Siena once heard the Lord say to her, “Remember that I AM and you are not.” And St. Paul said, “What do you have that you have not received? So why do you boast?”
To believe in God is to know these truths. To live them out is to live in the attitude of humility. Thomas Aquinas said that humility is truth. It is living out the deepest truth of things: God is God, and we are not.
Now, all of this sounds very clear when it’s stated in this abstract manner, but we know how hard it is to live out! In our fallen world, we forget so readily that we are creatures, that we have been made from nothing. Then our egos begin to inflate: “I am. I want. I expect. I demand.” The ego becomes a massive monkey on our backs, and it has to be fed and pampered constantly.
That’s why today’s Gospel is so important. We are only messengers, not greater than the Master.
Scripture Study—Day 91: Reflection Peak, Day 14
The Book of Genesis, chapter two, verses eight & nine.
Commentary: Another Account of Creation (cont'd; Genesis, 2:8-9).
Papal Quote o' the Day
"How sweet, how consoling it is for us who wish to walk in the footsteps of the Lord to have before us Mary, her image, her remembrance, her kindness, her humility & purity, her greatness. How close to us the Gospel is in the power that Mary personifies & radiates with human & superhuman splendor."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 26 September)
"The power of prayer has been understood by all the saints, & especially, perhaps, by those who have illumined the world with the light of Christ's teaching."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"I once gave a retreat to the monks of Gethsemane in Kentucky. At that time there were well over two hundred of them in the monastery. At the end of compline, when the chapel was in total darkness, they began the “Salve Regina.” Way at the far end of this great chapel there was a large window. As a faint light began to play on it, it turned out to be an image of the Blessed Mother, surrounded by saints. And as they sang, more & more light poured upon it, until she almost seemed alive. I have never seen so many men in love with one woman. It would positively tear your heart out as they sang to the glory of the woman that they loved. It was a happy memory, this singing."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)
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