Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot
"Pope's Prayer Intentions for September 2020."


'Tis the festival of Saint Terentian of Todi, Bishop & Martyr (died 118), Bishop of Todi, martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Todi.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Vibiana, Virgin & Martyr (floruit third century): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Sixtus of Reims, Bishop (died circa 300), inaugural Bishop of Reims (290-300): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Reims.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Verena of Zurich, Hermitess (circa 250-344, A.K.A. of Zurzach): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Kinswoman of the martyr St. Viktor of Xanten [10 October].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Fiacre of Breuil, Priest & Abbot (circa 600-670): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Giles, Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 650-710, the Hermit; also spelt Aegidius), founder of the Abbey of Saint-Gilles (original, of Saints Peter & Paul), one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Saint-Gilles; & Holy Helpers-link & Wikipedia-link Holy Helpers.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter two, verses ten(b) thru sixteen;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five (R/. seventeen), verses eight & nine, ten & eleven, twelve & thirteen(a/b), & thirteen(c/d) & fourteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter four, verses thirty-one thru thirty-seven.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel reports that Jesus came to Capernaum, entered the synagogue on a sabbath, and began to teach. So far, so ordinary. Any bar-mitzvahed adult had the privilege of speaking in synagogue and commenting on the Scripture.

But then it says that the people “were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority.” Once again, we’d probably pass over this rather quickly, but it meant the world to a first-century Jew. The ordinary teachers would have appealed to their own teachers and authorities, and finally to Moses and the Torah, which were unassailable.

The Sermon on the Mount gives a wonderful example of Jesus’s authoritative teaching. He appears as the new Moses. Like Moses, he goes up on a mountain, and like Moses, he brings down a kind of new law. But here the comparisons get strained, for Jesus does something that even Moses could never do: he claims authority over the Torah itself. “You have heard it said… but I say.”

What he means is that they have heard it said in the Torah! And this was the authority beyond which there was no appeal. That’s why the people “were astonished at his teaching.”
Video reflection by Father Daniel Ogbeifun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Rob Corzine (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.


Scripture Study—Day 91: Decapitation Rock, Day 30
The Second Book of Samuel, chapter twenty-one, verses fifteen thru twenty-two.

Commentary: Wars with the Philistines (2 Samuel, 21:15-22).

Scripture Study—Pierced Hands Bible Reading Plan: Day 26
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter one (verses one thru Z);
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter two, verses one thru eighteen;
The Book of the Psalms, psalm twenty-six (verses one thru twelve);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twelve, verses thirty-eight thru fifty.

Commentary: Salutation (Philippians, 1:1-2), Paul's Prayer for the Philippians (Philippians, 1:3-11), Paul's Present Circumstances (Philippians, 1:12-18), To Live Is Christ (Philippians, 1:19-30), Imitating Christ's Humility (Philippians, 2:1-11), & Shining as Lights in the World (Philippians, 2:12-18); Plea for Justice & Declaration of Rightousness (Psalm 26); & the Sign of Jonah (Matthew, 12:38-42), the Return of the Unclean Spirit (Matthew, 12:43-45), & the True Kindred of Jesus (Matthew, 12:46-50).

Scripture Study—Pierced Hands Bible Reading Plan: Day 27
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter two, verses nineteen thru thirty;
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter three (verses one thru twenty-one);
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter four (verses one thru twenty-three);
The Book of the Psalms, psalm twenty-seven (verses one thru fourteen);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses one thru thirty.

Commentary: Timothy & Epaphroditus (Philippians, 2:19-30), Loss of All to Gain Christ (Philippians, 3:1-11), Pressing toward the Goal (Philippians, 3:12-21), Exhortations (Philippians, 4:1-9), Acknowledgment of the Philippians' Gifts (Philippians, 4:10-20), & Final Greetings & Benediction (Philippians, 4:21-23); Triumphant Song of Confidence (Psalm 27); & the Parable of the Sower (Matthew, 13:1-9), the Purpose of the Parables (Matthew, 13:10-17), the Parable of the Sower Explained (Matthew, 13:18-23), & the Parable of Weeds among the Wheat (Matthew, 13:24-30).

Papal Quote o' the Day
"God is not the god of a particular place, or a deity linked to specific sacred time, but the God of a person, the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, capable of interacting with man & establishing a covenant with him. Faith is our response to a word which engages us personally, to a 'Thou' Who calls us by name."
—Pope Francis (b. 1936, r. 2013-present)
Saint Quote o' the Day
"Be witness to the love of the Eucharistic Christ, a love that spurs us on to unlimited generosity. It also spurs us on to total surrender to Him, & through Him to all those who seek Him with a true heart."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"Be a soul of prayer. If we don't learn to pray, all of our life will be handicapped."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day
"Show me your hands. Do they have scars from giving. Show me your feet. Are they wounded in service? Show me your heart. Have you left a place for divine love?"
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

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