Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the festival of Saints Marianus of Lambesa, Lector, & James of Numidia, Deacon, Martyrs (died 259), martyred in the reign of the emperor Valerian: Martyrs-link, Martyr-link Mike, & Martyr-link Juliett.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Gerard of Lunel, Hermit, T.O.S.F. (circa 1275-1298, A.K.A. Géri): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint François de Laval, Bishop, M.E.P. (1623-1708): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Unsurprisingly given his laudable service as the first Bishop of Quebec, St. François is honored with an Optional Memorial in Canada.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter nine, verses thirty-one thru forty-two;
Psalm One Hundred Sixteen, verses twelve & thirteen, fourteen & fifteen; & sixteen & seventeen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter six, verses sixty thru sixty-nine.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron:

Friends, we come today to the end of the extraordinary sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. He has told his listeners, “Unless you gnaw on the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” We hear that “many of Jesus’ disciples …said, ‘This saying is hard; who can accept it.’” Knowing their murmuring, Jesus says, “Does this shock you?” Now, if his words were meant in a symbolic sense, they wouldn’t have had this explosive, shocking effect on his listeners. Given every opportunity to clarify his meaning along symbolic lines, Jesus does nothing of the kind.

What follows from these words of the Lord is one of the saddest moments in the New Testament: the Scripture tells us that most of his followers abandoned him. But when Jesus asks whether his disciples will leave, too, Peter speaks for the Twelve: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

The Church, down through the ages to the present day, has stood with Peter. Jesus is not one interesting teacher among many; he is the only one, the one with the words of eternal life, indeed, the Holy One of God. And he comes to us through the flesh and blood of the Eucharist.