Project BLACK MAMBA: Advent

'Tis the Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest & Doctor of the Church, O.Carm. (1542-1591), whose reforms of his own Carmelite Order led after his death to the founding of the Discalced Carmelites, formally the Order of the Discalced Carmelites of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel: Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link O.C.D.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was a major figure in the Counter-Reformation, a Spanish mystic, a Roman Catholic saint, a Carmelite friar, & a priest who was born in Fontiveros, Old Castile. Both his poetry & his studies on the growth of the soul are considered the summit of mystical Spanish literature & one of the peaks of all Spanish literature. His is one of the thirty-six Doctors of the Church.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

John of the Cross was born at Fontiveros in Spain around 1542. After a number of years as a Carmelite, he was persuaded by Saint Teresa of Ávila (15 October) in 1568 to lead a reform movement among the brothers which brought a new energy to the Carmelite Order. Renowned for his wisdom & sanity, he died in Ubeda in 1591. His spiritual writings remain a fitting testimony to his life.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Spyridon, Bishop (circa 270-348): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Nimatullah Kassab, Priest & Abbot, O.L.M. (1808-1858): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Advent Weekday
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty-five, verses six(c) thru eight, eighteen, & twenty-one(c) thru twenty-five;
Psalm Eighty-five, verses nine(a,b) & ten thru fourteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seven, verses eighteen(b) thru twenty-three;

or, for St. John:
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter two, verses one thru ten(a);
Psalm Thirty-seven, verse thirty(a);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-five thru thirty-three.

Individual Reading
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter seven (verses one thru twenty-nine);
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter five, verses sixteen, seventeen, & eighteen;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verses seventeen thru twenty-four;
The Gospel according to John, chapter three, verses three thru eight;
The Letter to the Colossians, chapter three, verses ten, eleven, & twelve;
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter five, verses sixteen, seventeen, & eighteen;
The Letter to the Galatians, chapter two, verse twenty.

Commentary: The reading from Matthew, the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, is my personal reading; Thessalonians is for tonight's religious ed. class; & all the rest are for tonight's C.R.H.P. meeting.

Judging Others (Matthew, 7:1-5), Pearls before Swine (7:6), the Answer to Prayers (7:7-11), the Golden Rule (7:12), the Narrow Gate (7:13&14), False Prophets (7:15-20), the True Disciple (7:21-23), & the Two Foundations (7:24-29).