Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot
"33 Days to Morning Glory, Week 1: St. Louis de Montfort"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Romuald, Abbot, O.S.B. Cam. (circa 950-1027, of Ravenna), founder of the Camaldolese Order, a tradition that encompasses both eremitic (solitary) & cenobitic (communal) monasticism: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Order-link O.S.B. Cam. & Er.Cam. & Wikipedia-link O.S.B. Cam. & Er.Cam.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was the founder of the Camaldolese order & a major figure in the eleventh-century "Renaissance of eremitical (hermit) asceticism."

'Tis also the festival of Saint Giuliana Falconieri, Virgin, O.S.M. (1270-1341, Anglicized as Juliana), foundress of the Mantellates, tertiaries of the Servite Order (O.S.M.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Order-link O.S.M. & Wikipedia-link O.S.M.

Commentary: Niece of St. Alexis Falconieri, one of the Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order [17 February].

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds William Exmew, Humphrey Middlemore, & Sebastian Newdigate, Priests & Martyrs, O.Cart. (died 1535), martyred in the reign of the English king Henry VIII, three of the Carthusian Martyrs of London: Martyr-link Whiskey Echo & Wikipedia-link Whiskey Echo, Martyr-link Hotel Mike & Wikipedia-link Hotel Mike, Martyr-link Sierra November & Wikipedia-link Sierra November; Martyrs-link Charterhouse & Wikipedia-link Charterhouse.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Thomas Woodhouse, Priest & Martyr, S.J. (1535-1573), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

We also commemorate Venerable Matt Talbot, T.O.S.F. (1856-1925): Venerable-link ūnus, Venerable-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter nine, verses six thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Eleven, verses one(b,c) & two, three & four, & nine;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter six, verses one thru six, sixteen, seventeen, & eighteen.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel asks us to do three things: pray, fast, and give alms. Let’s focus today on prayer. Studies show that prayer is a very common, very popular activity. Even those who profess no belief in God pray!

What is prayer, and how should we pray? Prayer is intimate communion and conversation with God. Judging from Jesus’ own life, prayer is something that we ought to do often, especially at key moments of our lives.

Well, how should we pray? What does it look like? You have to pray with faith, and according to Jesus’ model, you have to pray with forgiveness. The efficacy of prayer seems to depend on the reconciliation of differences.

You also have to pray with persistence. One reason that we don’t receive what we want through prayer is that we give up too easily. Augustine said that God sometimes delays in giving us what we want because he wants our hearts to expand.

Finally, we have to pray in Jesus’ name. In doing so we are relying on his influence with the Father, trusting that the Father will listen to him.

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

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Romuald
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter three, verses eight thru fourteen;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-one, verses one(b/c/d/e), two, & three;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-five thru thirty-three.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Covenant Crag, Day 3
The Book of Genesis, chapter four, verses eight thru sixteen.

Commentary: Cain & Abel (concluded; Genesis, 4:8-16).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Prayer is able to transform the world. Everything is new with prayer, both for individuals & for communities. New goals & new ideals emerge. Christian dignity & action are reaffirmed."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"I understand clearly that through love alone can we become pleasing to God, & my sole ambition is to acquire it."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"When our Lord came to this earth, the gospel says of Him, 'He came unto His own & His own received him not.' He had to be born under the floor of the earth, in a cave. One has to stoop to enter a cave. And the stoop is the stoop of humility. At the end of His life He was rejected by the earth again. The trees turned against Him, the trees that He made, for they gave Him a cross. The bowels of the earth turned against Him, for they produced a hammer & nails. The roses blushed a deeper red, for from their branches came a crown of thorns. And the earth itself would not have His feet, so they raised Him above it. As earth rejected Him, so did the heavens. There was darkness over the earth for three hours. And the sun which He had made as a symbol of Himself & as death & resurrection in daily life now hid its light, almost as if ashamed to shed itself upon the crime of deicide."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)