Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop & Doctor of the Church (354-430, of Hippo): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Son of St. Monica [27 August]. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

The story of the life of Saint Augustine is different from almost every other saint story, because it is taken from his own words & not from what has been said about him. He wrote a wonderful book called The Confessions of Saint Augustine, & in it we find all that he thought & did from the time he was a little child. He was a famous Catholic writer & started to the Augustinian order. He became one of the greatest saints who ever lived.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

A Christian at thirty-three, a priest at thirty-six, a bishop at forty-one: Many people are familiar with the biographical sketch of Augustine of Hippo, a sinner turned saint. Born in Tagaste in modern-day Algeria, the young Augustine distinguished himself in studies but rejected the Scriptures. His mother St. Monica prayed for his conversion which occurred at the age of thirty-two when he heard a voice say "take & read" [in Latin, Tolle lege]. Augustine took the scriptures & read the following passage from St. Paul's letter to the Romans: "Let us live honorably as in daylight; not in carousing & drunkenness, not in sexual excess & liust, not in quarreling & jealousy. rather, put on the Lord Jesus Christ & make no provision for the desire of the flesh" (Romans, 13:13-14).

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds James Claxton & Thomas Felton (O.F.M.), Priests & Martyr (died 1588, Claxton A.K.A. Clarkson), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I: Martyr-link Juliett Charlie, Martyr-link Tango Foxtrot, & Wikipedia-link Tango Foxtrot.

Commentary: Bl. Thomas Felton was the son of Bl. John Felton [8 August], also martyred by the bloody "Good Queen Bess."

'Tis also the festival of Saint Edmund Arrowsmith, Priest & Martyr, S.J. (1585-1628), martyred in the reign of the king Charles I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link XL.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter one, verses one thru five, eight(b), nine, & ten;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-nine, verses one(b) & 2; three & four; & five, six(a), & nine(b);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-three, verses thirteen thru twenty-two.

Commentary: Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Augustine
The First Letter of John, chapter four, verses seven thru sixteen;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verse twelve;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-three, verses eight thru twelve.

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

Friends, on this feast day of St. Augustine, we reflect on the development of Catholic teaching. In one very real sense, the Father speaks all he can possibly speak in his Son, rightly called the Logos. There is no more to be revealed, no more to be said, than what is expressed in Jesus. Nevertheless, the fullness of that revelation unfolds only over space and time, much the way that a seed unfolds very gradually into a mighty oak.

A lively mind takes an idea, turns it over, considers it, looks at it from various viewpoints, questions it. Then, in lively conversation, that mind throws the idea to another mind, who performs a similar set of operations.

This “play of lively minds” goes on over the centuries. St. John throwing the idea of the Incarnation to St. Polycarp, who threw it to St. Irenaeus, who threw it to Origen, who threw it to Augustine, who passed it to Thomas Aquinas, who shared it with Robert Bellarmine, who spoke it to John Henry Newman and others, who have given it to us.

Now who guarantees that this process moves forward? The answer is the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promised to the Church.

Bible Study—The Bible Timeline: Divided Kingdom, Part 1 of 2
The First Book of Kings, chapter seventeen (verses one thru twenty-four);
The First Book of Kings, chapter eighteen (verses one thru forty-six);
The First Book of Kings, chapter nineteen (verses one thru twenty-one);
The First Book of Kings, chapter twenty-one (verses one thru twenty-eight);
The Second Book of Kings, chapter one (of twenty-five, verses one thru eighteen);
The Second Book of Kings, chapter two (verses one thru twenty-five);
The Second Book of Kings, chapter four (verses one thru forty-four);
The Second Book of Kings, chapter five (verses one thru twenty-seven);
The Second Book of Kings, chapter six, verses one thru seven;
The Book of Hosea, chapter one (verses one thru eight);
The Book of Hosea, chapter two (verses one thru twenty-five);
The Book of Hosea, chapter three (verses one thru five).

Commentary: III. Stories of the Prophets: Drought Predicted by Elijah (1 Kings, 17:1-6), Elijah & the Widow (17:7-24), Elijah & the Prophets of Baal (18:1-46), Flight to Horeb (19:1-18), Call of Elisha (19:19-21), & Seizure of Naboth's Vineyard (21:1-28);

IV. The Kingdoms of Israel & Judah: Ahaziah Consults Baalzebub (2 Kings, 1:1-8), Death of Two Captains (1:9-12), Death of the King (1:13-18), Elijah & Elisha (2:1-8), Elisha Succeeds Elijah (2:9-18), Healing of the Water (2:19-22), the Prophet's Curse (2:23-25), the Widow's Oil (4:1-7), Elisha & the Shunammite (4:8-37), the Poisoned Stew (4:38-41), the Multiplication of Loaves (4:42-44), Cure of Naaman (5:1-27), & Recovery of the Lost Ax (6:1-7); &

I. The Prophet's Marriage & Its Lesson: Marriage with an Unfaithful Wife (Hosea, 1:1-8), Israel's Punishment & Restoration (2:4-7, 10-15, 8-9, 16-25), & Triumph of Love (3:1-5 & 2:1-3).