Saints + Scripture

'Tis the festival of Saint Richard the Pilgrim, Confessor (died circa 722, also spelt Ricarius; A.K.A. the Saxon, of Swabia, et al.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Brother-in-law of St. Boniface [5 June] & father of Ss. Willibald [7 June], Winebald [18 December], & Walpurga [25 February].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Colette, Virgin, P.C.C. (1381-1447, of Corbie), foundress of the Colettine Poor Clares: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link P.C.C.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Thomas Sherwood, Martyr (circa 1551-1579), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Egidio Maria of San Giuseppe, Religious, O.F.M. (1729-1812, the "Consoler of Naples;" Anglicized as Giles Mary of Saint Joseph, A.K.A. Francesco Postillo): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Pius IX, Pope (1792-1878, A.K.A. Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti), two hundred fifty-fifth (CCLV) Bishop of Rome, who convened the First Vatican Council & became the original "Prisoner in the Vatican": Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Pontiff, Wikipedia-link Council, & Wikipedia-link Prisoner.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The First Book of Kings, chapter ten, verses one thru ten;
Psalm Thirty-seven, verses five & six, thirty & thirty-one, & thirty-nine & forty;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter seven, verses fourteen thru twenty-three.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus explains that sinful behavior flows from within our hearts. How often the Bible speaks of the "heart." By that it means the core of the self, the deepest center of who we are, that place from which our thoughts and actions arise. God wants to penetrate that heart, so that he is the center of our souls.

But there is something terribly black in the human heart. We are made in the image and likeness of God, but that image can be so distorted by sin as to be barely recognizable. Our faith clearly teaches the awful truth of the fall, and we see the evidence of it in the mystery of sin, which is not to be ignored, not to be trifled with, not to be rationalized away. We are all capable of dark and evil acts. I’m not okay and neither are you.

Have our hearts become hardened, so that God cannot get in? Is there a deep resistance in us to grace?

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

Saint Quote o' the Day

"There are some who desire knowledge merely for its own sake; & that is shameful curiosity. And there are others who desire to know, in order that they may themselves be known; & that is vanity, disgraceful too. Others again, desire knowledge in order to acquire money or preferment by it; that too is a discreditable quest. But there are also some who desire knowledge, that they may build up the souls of others with it & that is charity. Others again, desire it that they may themselves be built up thereby; & that is prudence. Of all these types, only the last two put knowledge to the right use. "
—St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church (1090-1153, feast day: 20 August)