Theology Thursday: "The Hell"
Commentary: Prepare thyself for bounty unprecedented in the (brief) history of The Popish Plot!
'Tis the festival of Saint Paul of Narbonne, Bishop (died circa 250): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Avitus of Périgord, Hermit (died circa 570): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Nicholas Owen, Martyr, S.J. (circa 1562-1606, A.K.A. John Owen, "Little John"), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king James VI & I, in the aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot; one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales, the realm's foremost constructor of priest holes: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, Wikipedia-link, & YouTube-link The True Enlightenment, "Saint of the Week"; Wikipedia-link Gunpowder Plot; Martyrs-link XL & Wikipedia-link XL; Wikipedia-link Priest Hole.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Clemens August von Galen, Bishop (1878-1946, the "Lion of Münster"), who led the Church's resistance against the Nazis' euthanasia programs: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link against Euthanasia.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Lenten Weekday
The Book of Genesis, chapter seventeen, verses three thru nine;
Psalm One Hundred Five, verses four & five, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to John, chapter eight, verses fifty-one thru fifty-nine.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today Jesus refers to himself as "I AM," the name God revealed to Moses. So, let’s reflect on this episode from Genesis. While tending sheep in the hill country, Moses sees a strange sight. There an angel of the Lord appears to him in fire, flaming out of a bush. God sees him and calls him by name: "Moses, Moses. I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob." This is a very familiar God, one who knows Moses’ ancestors.Video reflection by Fr. Roger Lopez, O.F.M. (Franciscan Media): U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Moses makes bold to ask, "If the Israelites ask me, ‘what is his name?’ what am I to tell them?" "God replied, ‘I am who I am.’" What does that mean? God is saying, in essence, "I cannot be defined, described, or delimited. I am not a being, but rather the sheer act of to-be itself."
"This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you." The sheer act of being itself cannot be avoided, and it cannot be controlled. It can only be surrendered to in faith. How shocking and strange Jesus’ listeners must have found it when Jesus took this name for himself!
†
Bible Study—Follow Me: Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John, Session Six (of Eight)
The Gospel according to John, chapter ten (verses one thru forty-two);
The Gospel according to John, chapter eleven (verses one thru fifty-seven);
The Gospel according to John, chapter twelve (verses one thru fifty);
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter thirty-four, verses one thru six.
Commentary: II. The Book of Signs (concl'd): The Good Shepherd (John, 10:1-21), Feast of the Dedication (10:22-42), the Raising of Lazarus (11:1-44), Session of the Sanhedrin (11:45-54), the Last Passover (11:55-57), the Anointing at Bethany (12:1-11), the Entry into Jerusalem (12:12-19), the Coming of Jesus's Hour (12:20-36a), Unbelief & Belief among the Jews (12:36b-43), & Recapitulation (12:44-50); the Parable of the Shepherds (Ezekiel, 34:1-6).
Papal Quote o' the Day
"Our hope is in Your hands. O Lord, preserve our hope."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope Francis
"Jesus prefers leaving me in darkness to giving me a false light which would not be Himself."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"This, in short, is the difference between us & others who know not God, that in misfortune they complain & murmur, while the adversity does not call us away from the truth of virtue & faith, but strengthens us by its suffering."
—St. Cyprian of Carthage (200-258, feast day: 16 September)
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