Project BLACK MAMBA: Advent

'Tis the festival of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified, Priest & Abbot (439-532; also spelt Sava; A.K.A. the Great, of Mar Saba), founder of the Monastery of Mar Saba, formally the Holy Lavra of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Monastery.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Justinian, Priest & Martyr (floruit sixth century, of Ramsey Island; A.K.A. Jestin), martyred by his own diabolically-inspired servants: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gérald of Braga, Bishop, O.S.B. (died 1109, A.K.A. of Moissac): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Niels Stenson, Bishop (1638-1686, Italicized as Nicolas Steno), the "Father of Geology," also an anatomist who first described the parotid duct (A.K.A. the Stenson duct): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Duct.

Science!

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Advent Weekday
The Book of Isaiah, chapter eleven, verses one thru ten;
Psalm Seventy-two, verses one & two, seven & eight, twelve & thirteen, & seventeen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses twenty-one thru twenty-four.

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

Friends, today in the Gospel we hear Jesus in intimate conversation with his Father. The passage invites us into very deep mysteries. Jesus addresses his Father and thereby reveals his own deepest identity within the Holy Trinity. He says, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, you have revealed them to the little ones."

It is important to keep in mind that this is not simply a good and holy man addressing God, but rather the very Son of God addressing his Father. We are being given a share in the inner life of God, the conversation between the first two Trinitarian persons.

And what are the "things" that have been concealed from the learned and revealed to the little ones? Nothing other than the mystery of Jesus’ relationship to his Father, the love that obtains between Father and Son, the inner life of God. From the beginning, this is what God wanted to give us.

Video reflection by Father Michael LaMarca: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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

"Fortitude is the disposition of soul which enables us to despise all inconveniences & the loss of things not in our power."
—St. Augustine of Hippo, Doctor of the Church (28 August)