Saints + Scripture

'Tis the festival of Saint Michael of Synnada, Bishop (died circa 826, A.K.A. the Confessor), exiled for his opposition to Byzantine iconoclasm: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Iconoclasm.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint William of Rochester, Martyr (died circa 1201, A.K.A. of Perth), martyred on pilgrimage by his adopted son, David the Foundling: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Giovanni Battista de' Rossi, Priest (1698-1764, Anglicized as John Baptist Rossi): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Józef Kurzawa & Wincenty Matuszewski, Priests & Martyrs (died 1940), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, two of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link Juliett Kilo & Wikipedia-link Juliett Kilo, Martyr-link Whiskey Mike & Wikipedia-link Whiskey Mike (list, № 78); Martyrs-link CVIII & Wikipedia-link CVIII.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
The Letter of James, chapter four, verses thirteen thru seventeen;
Psalm Forty-nine, verses two & three; six & seven; eight, nine, & ten; & eleven;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter nine, verses thirty-eight thru forty.

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

Friends, today in the Gospel John complains to Jesus that some people not of their group were driving out demons in Jesus’ name. Jesus responds: “Don’t prevent them.…whoever is not against us is for us.” What a wonderful, generous attitude!

John was undoubtedly angry that someone outside of their little circle was going to get credit. If you think that this sort of thing only happened in biblical times, you haven’t spent too much time around the Church! I’m a proud churchman, and I love and admire all of the great people who do so much for Christ’s kingdom, and for very little compensation. But I’ve also been around long enough to see this problem on parish staffs, in diocesan offices, within rectories, and among parish communities. We get so tied up in our little games and protecting our turf, and making sure things go according to the bureaucratic structures that we have established, that we forget what the mission is about.

What Jesus saw was that the mission is what matters. Bringing God’s love to the world, being a conduit of grace: that’s what matters. All of our personal glory, position, privilege—all of that is finally a matter of indifference.

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

Papal Quote o' the Day

"This is how the word of God describes the working of the Spirit: first He rests on each & then brings all of them together in fellowship. To each He gives a gift, & then gathers them all into unity."
—Pope Francis (born 1936, reigning since 2013)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"For me, prayer means launching out from the heart toward God; a cry of grateful love from the crest of joy or the trough of despair: it is a vast supernatural force that opens out my heart & binds me close to Jesus."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"To make room in our life for the Eucharistic Lord, so that He can change our life into His—is that asking too much?"
—St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891-1942, feast day: 9 August)