Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Albert the Great, Bishop & Doctor of the Church, O.P. (circa 1206-1280, of Cologne; in the Latin, Albertus Magnus), in life called the "Universal Doctor" (Doctor universalis) & "Expert Doctor" (Doctor expertus): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was the first German Dominican to achieve the title, "Master of Theology." He later went on to teach theology at the University of Paris, & became Chair of Theology at the College of St. James. One of his students was the famous Thomas Aquinas [January 28] who would also become a doctor of the Church & a saint.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

Saint Albert was born at Lauingen along the Danube about the year 1206. Having studied at Padua 7 Paris, he entered the Order of Preachers (the Dominicans) & excelled as a teacher. One of his most famous students was St. Thomas Aquinas. Ordained bishop of Ratisbon [A.K.A. Regensberg], [Albert] strove earnestly to establish peace among people & between cities. He wrote brilliantly on a variety of subjects from the secular to the sacred. He died at Cologne in 1280.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Mary of the Passion, Religious, F.M.M. (1839-1904, A.K.A. Hélène-Marie-Philippine de Chappotin de Neuville), foundress of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary: Blessed-link ūna, Blessed-link duae, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link F.M.M.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Raphael of Saint Joseph, Priest, O.C.D. (1835-1907, A.K.A. Józef Kalinowski): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture o' the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Book of Wisdom, chapter six, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm Eighty-two, verses three & four & six & seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seventeen, verses eleven thru nineteen.

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

Friends, today's Gospel recounts the Lord's healing of ten lepers, only one of whom comes back to give thanks. Leprosy frightened people in ancient times, just as contagious and mysterious diseases frighten people today. But, more than this, leprosy rendered someone unclean and therefore incapable of engaging in the act of worship. It is not accidental that the person responsible for examining the patient in ancient Israel was the priest. The priest's job was to monitor the whole process of Israelite worship, very much including who could and couldn't participate in the Temple.

What is so important about worship? To worship is to order the whole of one's life toward the living God, and, in doing so, to become interiorly and exteriorly rightly ordered. To worship is to signal to oneself what one's life is finally about. Worship is not something that God needs, but it is very much something that we need.

Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Albert the Great
The Book of Sirach, chapter fifteen, verses one thru six;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verse twelve;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses forty-seven thru fifty-two.

†

Bible Study—Psalms & Proverbs
The Book of Psalms, psalm eighteen (verses one thru fifty-one);
The Book of Proverbs, chapter fifteen (verses one thru thirty-three).

Commentary: A King's Thanksgiving for Victory (Psalm 18) & II: First Collection of the Wisdom of Solomon (cont'd; Proverbs, 15:1-33).

Saint Quote o' the Day
From "Heroes' Words" in 54-Day Basic Training in Holiness by Father Richard Heilman:

"This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections."
—St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church (20 August)