Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the festival of Saint Laurence O'Toole, Bishop & Abbot, O.S.A. (1128-1180, A.K.A. Lorcán Ua Tuathail), abbot of the Monastery at Glendalough before being consecrated Archbishop of Dublin: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Glendalough & Wikipedia-link Dublin.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Nikola Tavelić & Companions (Déodat of Rodez, Pierre of Narbonne, & Stefano of Cueno), Priests & Martyrs, O.F.M. (died 1391, Anglicized as Nicholas Tavelic; A.K.A. the Martyrs of the Jaffa Gate), martyred in the reign of the sultan Sayf ad-Din Barquq: Martyrs-link, Martyr-link November Tango & Wikipedia-link, Martyr-link Delta, Martyr-link Papa, & Martyr-link Sierra.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Giovanni Liccio, Priest, O.P. (1400-1511, Anglicized as John Licci): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Maria Luiza Merkert, Religious, C.S.S.E. (1817-1872), co-foundress of the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link C.S.S.E.

Scripture o' the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Book of Wisdom, chapter two, verse twenty-three thru chapter three, verse nine;
Psalm Eighty-two, verses two & three, sixteen & seventeen, & eighteen & nineteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seventeen, verses seven thru ten.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, as is often the case with Jesus' more difficult parables, we have to pay careful attention to today's Gospel story. It's all about justice, which is rendering to each what is due—a good and noble thing. When justice is your primary consideration, you are basically in charge, morally speaking. But what Jesus is doing today in this striking and annoying story is to shake us out of that understanding of our relationship to God.

The point is this: God owes us precisely nothing. Everything we have, including our very existence, is a sheer gift. We are in absolutely no position ever to demand anything of God. To move into this space is to move out of the stance of faith. And so no matter what God asks, the proper response is, "I am an unprofitable servant; I have done what I was obliged to do."
Video reflection by Father Greg Dobson: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.


Bible Study—Psalms & Proverbs
The Book of Psalms, psalm seventeen (verses one thru fifteen);
The Book of Proverbs, chapter fourteen (verses one thru thirty-five).

Commentary: Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors (Psalm 17); II: First Collection of the Wisdom of Solomon (cont'd; Proverbs, 14:1-35).

Saint Quote o' the Day
From "Heroes' Words" in 54-Day Basic Training in Holiness by Father Richard Heilman:
"If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze!"
—St. Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church (29 April)

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