Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope & Doctor of the Church (circa 540-604), Sixty-fourth Bishop of Rome: Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '14 & Wayback Machine '15. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

A pious & learned man, Gregory preferred the monastic life. He managed to found & endow several monasteries before he was drawn into ecclesiastical politics. As pope, he sponsored evangelist missions, centralized the papacy's administrative machinery, & fought corruption & negligence.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Phoebe, Deaconess (first century): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter four, verses six(b) thru fifteen;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses seventeen thru twenty-one;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter six, verses one thru five;

or, for St. Gregory:
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter four, verses one, two, five, six, & seven;
Psalm Ninety-six, verse three;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-two, verses twenty-four thru thirty.

Personal Reading
The First Book of Samuel, chapter six (verses one thru twenty-one);
The First Book of Samuel, chapter seven (verses one thru seventeen);
The First Book of Samuel, chapter eight (verses one thru twenty-two).

Commentary: The Ark to Be Returned (6:1-9), the Ark in Beth-shemesh (6:10-16), Guilt Offering (6:17&18), Penalty for Irreverence (6:19-7:1), Religious Reform (7:2-6), Rout of the Philistines (7:7-17), Request for a King (8:1-5), God Grants the Request (8:6-9), the Rights of a King (8:10-18), & Persistent Demand (8:19-22). Chapters 1-7 comprised Part I: History of the Last Judges, Eli & Samuel. Chapter 8 commences Part II: Establishment of the Monarchy in Israel.