Saturday, May 18, 2019

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint John I, Pope & Martyr (died 526), fifty-third (LIII) Bishop of Rome, martyred in the reign of the Gothic king Theodoric, an Arian heretic: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, Martyr-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Pontiff-link & Wikipedia-link Pontiff; & Wikipedia-link Arian.


Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
He was sent on a diplomatic mission to Constantinople by the Ostrogoth king Theodoric to negotiate better treatment for Arians. Although relatively successful, upon his return to Ravenna, Theodoric had the pope imprisoned for allegedly conspiring with Constantinople. The frail pope died of neglect & ill-treatment.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury (died circa 944, also spelt Elgiva, etc.), Queen of England: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Eric of Sweden, Martyr (circa 1120-1161, A.K.A. King Eric IX the Lawgiver), martyred by pagans led by the usurper Magnus Henriksson: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Felix of Cantalice, Religious, O.F.M. Cap. (1515-1587, "Brother Deo Gratias;" A.K.A. Felice Porri): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Marcin Oprządek, Priest & Martyr, O.F.M. (1884-1942, A.K.A. Jan Oprządek), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link List, № 4); Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter thirteen, verses forty-four thru fifty-two;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one, two & three(a/b), & three(c/d) & four;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses seven thru fourteen.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus declares his mutual indwelling with God: "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?"

Charles Williams, a friend of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, stated that the master idea of Christianity is "coinherence," what he described as mutual indwelling.

But we sometimes forget that we are all interconnected. How do we often identify ourselves? Almost exclusively through the naming of relationships: we are sons, brothers, daughters, mothers, fathers, members of organizations, or members of the Church.

Yet read the Gospel today and see how Jesus identifies himself. Jesus reveals the coinherence that obtains within the very existence of God. "Lord," Philip said to him, "show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus replied, "Philip, after I have been with you all this time, you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father."

How can this be true, unless the Father and the Son coinhere in each other? Though Father and Son are really distinct, they are utterly implicated in each other by a mutual act of love. As Jesus says, "It is the Father who lives in me accomplishing his works."
Video reflection by Sister Mary MacCarrick, O.S.F.(s.): United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.


Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. John I
The Book of Revelation, chapter three, verses fourteen(b), twenty, twenty-one, & twenty-two;
Psalm Twenty-three, verses one, two, & three(a); four; five; & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-two, verses twenty-four thru thirty.

Mass Readings—Ordination of Deacons
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter on, verses four thru nine;
Psalm Nineteen, verses two & three; four & five(a/b); & five(c), six, & seven;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verses one thru seven, eleven, twelve, & thirteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses nine thru seventeen.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Reflection Peak, Day 16
The Book of Genesis, chapter two, verses eighteen thru twenty-five.

Commentary: Another Account of Creation (cont'd; Genesis, 2:18-25).

Papal Quote o' the Day
"Christ did not found an abstract religion, a mere school of religious thought. He set up a community of apostles, of teachers, with the task of spreading His message & so giving rise to a society of believers: His Church. He promised the Spirit of truth to His Church & then sent Him."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 26 September)
Little Flower Quote o' the Day
"It is so wonderful to think that God is really just, that God takes into account our weakness & our frailty."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
Saint Quote o' the Day
"I was talking to a young woman who was in an iron lung for twenty-one years. The only part of her body that she could move was her head. She told me that she was visited the week before by six seminarians. They told her they were about to be ordained priests. She told them, 'I hope you're also going to be ordained victims. Because our Lord was not only a priest, He was a victim; He offered Himself for others. So you have to do that.' They replied that the Lord didn't want them to suffer. She said, 'You young men are imposing a tremendous additional penance on me to make you worthy of your priesthood.' She was filling up in her own body the sufferings that were wanting to them. So those of us who have the faith have to begin restoring the idea of reparation."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

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