Saints + Scripture: Holy Week

The Popish Plot
Vlog Post: "Why Are You Reading the Bible?"

Commentary: Day five o' The Popish Plot's "Turn It Up to 11" fête!

In all frankness, we stumbled backwards into "Turn It Up to 11," a reference to This Is Spinal Tap. Several other Catholic YouTube channels did "vLent" (vlog + Lent = vLent), some posting on all "forty" days o' Lent (which isn't over yet, not 'til 4:00 P.M. on Holy Thursday, when the Easter Triduum commences), others slapping the #vlent hashtag on their regularly scheduled content. By the time we learned o' vLent, it was too late the fulfill the challenge ourselves, but we resolved to do a mini vLent by posting a new episode every day o' Holy Week, including the Triduum. As our plans for this came together & we looked at our regular, constantly evolving posting schedule, we realized that between Holy Week & what we already had scheduled for the fifth week o' Lent, we only needed one or two more episodes to turn it up to eleven. Why not just make ten louder? Because eleven is one more than ten!

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of Holy Week
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty-two, verses one thru seven;
Psalm Twenty-seven, verses one, two, three, & thirteen & fourteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twelve, verses one thru eleven.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus for his death and burial. By this act, she anticipates the visit of three women to the tomb of Jesus. Early on the morning of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of James, and Salome will bring spices to anoint the body of Jesus.

They will look in and see a young man—and be frightened out of their wits. Can you imagine? You walk into a tomb, fully expecting to see a dead body, and you see instead someone alive and well—someone different than the man who was buried there! But that will not be the end of their surprise. The man will announce that the Jesus whom they seek is not there, that he has been raised up and will go ahead of them into Galilee.

From this grave of Jesus we will learn that everything we took to be the case is not the case. God is the enemy of death, and he has shown us his power over death in the most unambiguous way; our lives no longer need to be dominated by the fear of death, and we see the proof of this in the most vivid way imaginable.

Keep all of that in mind as we read this beautiful story of Mary of Bethany anointing the feet of Jesus.

Video reflection by Msgr. James Vlaun (Telecare T.V.): United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

†

Otherwise, 26 March would be the festival of Saint Felix of Trier, Bishop (died circa 399): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Govan, Hermit (circa 500-586, also spelt Cofen, etc.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Ludger of Utrecht, Bishop & Abbot (circa 743-809, A.K.A. of Münster; the "Apostle of Saxony"), founder of the Abbey of Werden & the Abbey of St. Ludger's, & inaugural Bishop of Münster: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Werden, Wikipedia-link St. Ludger's, & Wikipedia-link Münster.

Commentary: Brothers of Ss. Gerburgis & Hildegrin [19 June].

'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Maddalena Caterina Morano, Religious, F.M.A. (1847-1908): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"We thank God, Who has raised up in many a desire to be close to their neighbor & to follow the law of charity which is the heart of the Gospel."
—Pope Francis

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"How powerless I am to express in human language the secrets of heaven!"
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"When you encounter difficulties & contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness & time."
—St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church (1567-1622, feast day: 24 January)