Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop & Martyr, O.S.B.M. (circa 1580-1623), martyred spontaneously by an Orthodox Christian mob: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was caught in a battle between Catholic & Orthodox, Latin & Byzantine, & found himself criticized & opposed on every side: by the Orthodox for being Catholic & by the Latins for being Byzantine. He held firmly to Catholic unity against the Orthodox & just as firmly to Byzantine rights against the Latins. At that period of history, it was a no-win situation, & he is the great martyr to the cause of unity.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

St. Josaphat is one of the most dramaic figures in the history of ecumenism. His efforts to unite the Slav-Ruthenian Church to the Church of Rome triggered a cruel & ruthless persecution. Originally namd John Kuncevic, he was born into an Orthodox family in 1580 but joined the Uniate Ruthenian Church after abandoning a business career in Vilna. He was convinced that only the monks, who were ascetics & promoters of the liturgy, could unite the Orthodox Ruthenians to the Catholics. In 1604, he became a Basilian monk & took the name Josaphat, & began to work for the reform of the Basilians. He preached union & wrote a book in which he demonstrated from exclusively Slavic texts the unity of the Church. Eventually he became archimandrite, the equivalent of an abbot in the Latin Church. He was accused of endangering civil peace & was murdered by a mob & thrown into the Dvina River in the year 1623.

Forgive me, but I cannot help but think of Principal Skinner's line from The Simpsons: "There's no justice like angry mob justice!"

We also remember Saint Cunibert (circa 600-663), bishop: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter ten (verses one thru fifty-two).

Mass Readings
The Book of Wisdom, chapter seven, verse twenty-two(b) thru chapter eight, verse one;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses eighty-nine thru ninety-one, one hundred thirty, one hundred thirty-five, one hundred seventy-five;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seventeen, twenty thru twenty-five;

or, for the Memorial,
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verses one thru seven, eleven & twelve;
Psalm Forty, verse five(a);
or, Psalm One, verse two(a);
or, Psalm Ninety-two, verses thirteen & fourteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter seventeen, twenty thru twenty-six.