'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Bridget, Religious, O.Ss.S. (circa 1303-1373, of Sweden, of Vadstena; A.K.A. Birgitta Birgersdotter), foundress of the Bridgettines (1346, O.Ss.S.), formally the Order of the Most Holy Savior; one of the six Patron Saints of Europe: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, Saint-link tria, & Wikipedia-link; Order-link O.Ss.S. & Wikipedia-link O.Ss.S.; & Wikipedia-link Europe.
Commentary: Wayback Machine. Kinswoman of St. Ingrid of Skänninge [2 September] & mother of St. Catherine of Sweden [24 March].
'Tis also the festival of Saint Phocas the Gardener, Martyr (died circa 303, of Sinope), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian, a victim of the Great Persecution (303-313): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Persecutions-link & Wikipedia-link Great Persecution.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Liborius of Le Mans, Bishop (died circa 397), second (II) Bishop of Le Mans (348-397): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Le Mans.
'Tis also the festival of Saint John Cassian, Deacon (circa 360-435, A.K.A. the Ascetic, the Roman), founder of the Abbey of Saint Victor (415): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Saint Victor.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Krystyn Gondek, Priest & Martyr, O.F.M. (1909-1942, A.K.A. Wojciech Gondek), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List, № 47); Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Basil Hopko, Bishop & Martyr (1904-1976, also spelt Vasil'), martyred in the reign of the Communist dictator Gustáv Husák: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter two, verses one, two, three, seven, eight, twelve, & thirteen;
Psalm Thirty-six (R/. ten[a]), verses six & seven(a/b), eight & nine, & ten & eleven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses ten thru seventeen.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus explained that he spoke in parables to baffle the crowds, who “look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.” The parables of Jesus are often exercises whose purpose is to confuse and confound the hearer, overturning her expectations and upsetting her theological convictions.Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
God is just, but in light of the parable of the vineyard owner, one realizes that the ordinary notion of justice only vaguely indicates what divine justice is like. God is compassionate, but after hearing the story of the prodigal son, one knows that divine compassion infinitely surpasses even the most radical mode of human love.
But why is the biblical God so elusive? Because he brought the whole of the finite universe into existence. God must be other in a way that transcends any and all modes of otherness discoverable within creation.
Video reflection by Becket Ghioto (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.
Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Bridget
The Letter to the Galatians, chapter two, verses nineteen & twenty;
Psalm Thirty-four (R/. two or nine), verses two & three, four & five, six & seven, eight & nine, & ten & eleven;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses one thru eight.
Scripture Study—Day 91: Contentness Plateau, Day 32
The Second Book of Samuel, chapter eleven, verses sixteen thru twenty-five.
Commentary: David Has Uriah Killed (cont'd; 2 Samuel, 11:16-25).
Papal Quote o' the Day
"In prayer we seek, find, & converse with God just as we would with an intimate friend. We can speak of our sorrows & joys, our weaknesses & problems, & our desires to be better & to help others to be better too."Saint Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
"Our concern must be to know God's will. We must enter that path… if God wants, when God wants, how God wants."Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
—St. Gianna Beretta Molla (1922-1962, feast: 28 April)
"I have never been in a war, but I have seen famine, death, & destruction. I was asking myself the other day: What do people feel when they provoke war? I don't understand it. We are all children of God. In every war, on both sides, everyone involved, everyone affected is a child of God."Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
"Maybe you have often said, 'I do not want an institution standing between God and me.' Well, that’s right. After all, you have a right to communicate with God. But the Church is not that kind of an institution, standing between you & God. Israel was not between the world & God. Think of the Church somewhat in the fashion of a body. Do you ever say, for example, I do not want your lips & eyes & hands & so forth standing between me & you? After all, how can I communicate anything to you, except by something visible & tangible & carnal? Anything visible that you see about me or will ever see about me is nothing but the sign of an invisible soul. The carnal is the token of the spiritual. So when our Blessed Lord came to this earth & took upon Himself a human body, you would not say, 'I do not want this body of Christ standing between me & my love of Christ.' That is the only way of the Incarnation, to communicate the divine through the human. This human nature of our Blessed Lord, this body of His was the instrument of His divinity. When, therefore, our Lord came as priest, as prophet, & as king, everything He did was done through the power & the means of this human nature."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)
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