Project BLACK MAMBA: Late Edition

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Louis (1214-1270, A.K.A. King Louis IX of France): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Louis IX (1215-1270) who became King of France at the age of twelve. St. Louis gave to all the example of a life overflowing with charity & sovereign justice. He was a Franciscan tertiary.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

At his coronation as king of France, Louis IX bound himself by oath to behave as God's anointed, as the father of his people, & feudal lord of the King of Peace. Other kings had done the same, of course. Louis was different in that he actually interpreted his kingly duties in the light of faith. After the violence of two previous reigns, he brought peace & justice.

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph Calasanz, Priest, Sch.P. (circa 1556-1648), founder of the Piarists, formally the Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Order-link & Wikipedia-link Sch.P.

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Joseph is the founder of the Poor Clerks regular (Piarists), a community devoted to the task of educating youth.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Luigi Bordino, Priest (1922-1977): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Alessandro Dordi, Priest & Martyr (1931-1991), martyred by the Shining Path Communists, one of the Three Martyrs of Chimbote: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link III.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Book of Ruth, chapter one, verses one, three thru six, fourteen(b), fifteen, sixteen, & twenty-two;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-six, verses five & six(a,b), six(c,d) & seven, eight & nine(a), & nine(b,c) & ten;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-two, verses thirty-four thru forty.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today's Gospel some Pharisees challenge Jesus to answer which commandment of the law is the greatest. Jesus responds that every power, every capacity in us must be given over to the love of God. But what exactly does it mean to love God?

St. Bernard of Clairvaux is helpful here. He said that the goal of the spiritual life is to love God alone, for the sake of God alone. Obviously, there are many things that compete for the love of God alone—money, sex, power, pleasure. But what Bernard saw is that even if God alone is the center of my life, I still might not be truly loving him for his sake alone. I might be using him.

He makes a helpful little distinction. He says that a slave has a kind of love for his master, but it is not truly love, for it is much more like fear. This can be very helpfully applied to the spiritual life. Many people who claim they love God, really fear him. What might he do to me? If I don't do the right things, I will be punished. Such attitudes are a long way from love.

Video reflection by Deacon Mike Pawelek: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Louis
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-eight, verses six thru eleven;
Psalm On Hundred Twelve, verse one;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-two, verses thirty-four thru forty.

Commentary: Your eyes to not deceive you, the Gospel is the same for St. Louis's memorial as for the feria.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Joseph Calasanz
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter twelve, verse thirty-one thru chapter thirteen, verse thirteen
(or, the First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter thirteen, verses four thru thirteen);
Psalm Thirty-four, verse two;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eighteen, verses one thru five.

Bible Study—The Bible Timeline: Divided Kingdom, Part 1 of 2
The First Book of Kings, chapter fourteen (verses one thru thirty-one);
The First Book of Kings, chapter fifteen (verses one thru thirty-four);
The First Book of Kings, chapter sixteen (verses one thru thirty-four).

Commentary: From II. Judah & Israel to the Time of Ahab: Death of Abijah (14:1-20), Reign of Rehoboam (14:21-31), Reign of Abijam (15:1-8), Reign of Asa (15:9-24), Reign of Nadab (15:25-32), Reign of Baasha (15:33-16:7), Reign of Elah (16:8-14), Reign of Zimri (16:15-22), Reign of Omri (16:23-28), & Reign of Ahab (16:29-34).