Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot
Scriptural Saturday: "False Gods"

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin, O.S.B. (circa 480-543): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

According to a ninth century tradition, she was the twin sister of [St.] Benedict of Nursia [11 July]. The most common story told about her is that she would, once a year, go & visit her brother at a place near his abbey, & they would spend the day worshiping together & discussing sacred texts & issues. Scholastica is the foundress of the women's branch of the Benedictine monasticism.

'Tis also the festival of Saint William of Maleval, Hermit (died 1157, A.K.A. the Great), founder of the Williamites, formally the Hermits of Saint William: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Hermits.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Clare of Rimini, Religious, O.S.C. (circa 1282-1346, A.K.A. Chiara Agolanti): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Aloysius Stepinac, Bishop & Martyr (1898-1960, also spelt Alojzije Stepinac), martyred in the reign of the Communist dictator Josip Broz Tito: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The First Book of Kings, chapter twelve, verses twenty-six thru thirty-two & chapter thirteen, verses thirty-three & thirty-four;
Psalm One Hundred Six, verses six & seven(a/b), nineteen & twenty, & twenty-one & twenty-two;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter eight, verses one thru ten.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel tells of Jesus feeding the four thousand with seven loaves and a few fish.

An awful lot of contemporary theologians and Bible commentators have tried to explain away the miracles of Jesus as spiritual symbols. Perhaps most notoriously, many preachers tried to explain the multiplication of the loaves and fishes as a "miracle" of charity, with everyone sharing the little that he had.

But I think it’s hard to deny that the first Christians were intensely interested in the miracles of Jesus, and that they didn’t see them as mere literary symbols! They saw them for what they really were: actions of God, breaking into our world.

Video reflection by Deacon Bernard Nojadera: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Scholastica
The Song of Songs, chapter eight, verses six & seven;
Confer Psalm One Hundred Forty-eight, verses twelve(a) & thirteen(a);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses thirty-eight thru forty-two.

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Love is sufficient of itself; it gives pleasure by itself & because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in the practice. Of all the movements, sensations, & feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal though it be. For when God loves, all He desires is to be loved in return. The sole purpose of His love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love Him are made happy by their love of Him."
—St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church (1090-1153, feast day: 20 August)