Saints + Scripture — Thursday, 26 July

The Long Road Back | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Popish Plot
Summer Book Club: "Doctors"

Thursday, 26 July was the Memorial of Saints Joachim & Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary (circa 50 B.C.-A.D. 15): Saints-link Juliett & Alpha, Saint-link Juliett & Wikipedia-link Juliett, & Saint-link Alpha & Wikipedia-link Alpha.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Joachim & St. Anne remind us of the mystery of the Incarnation: God truly became man & entered into a human family that included not only his mother Mary [the Blessed Virgin; 1 January, 25 March, 31 May, 15 August, 8 September, 8 December, et al.] & father [St.] Joseph [19 March, 1 May] but their parents, & their parents, & their parents, all the way back to Adam (& Eve). Like all of us, Jesus was born into a web of relationships, the "cradle of life & love" that is the family.

'Twas also the festival of Blesseds Robert Nutter, O.P. & Edward Thwing, Priests & Martyrs (died 1600), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, two of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Romeo November & Wikipedia-link Romeo November; Martyr-link Echo Tango & Wikipedia-link Echo Tango; Martyrs-link LXXXV & Wikipedia-link LXXXV.

'Twas also the festival of Blessed William Ward, Priest & Martyr (circa 1560-1641, A.K.A. William Webster), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king Charles I, one of the Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

'Twas also the festival of Servant of God Jacques Hamel, Priest & Martyr (1930-2016), martyred by Muslim jihadists loyal to Daesh (I.S.I.L., the "Islamic State"): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Martyrdom.

Scripture of That Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter two, verses one, two, three, seven, eight, twelve, & thirteen;
Psalm Thirty-six, verses six & seven(a/b), eight & nine, & ten & eleven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses ten thru seventeen.

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

Friends, today in our Gospel the disciples ask Jesus why he speaks to the crowds in parables. Jesus is explaining the kingdom of God in these provocative and puzzling stories and images that seemed to be his preferred way of preaching. And he replies to his disciples, “This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’” In other words, because the crowds refused to believe in him and what he has to say.

Many parables are strange and initially off-putting and puzzling. Of course, that is the point of parables: to bother us, throw us off base, confuse us a bit. How characteristic this was of Jesus’ preaching! He rarely lays things out in doctrinal form: he prefers to tell these puzzling, funny stories. Why? Because in many cases stories reveal truth that arguments can’t quite capture.

Video reflection by Fr. Roger Lopez, O.F.M. (Franciscan Media): U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of Ss. Joachim & Anne
The Book of Sirach, chapter forty-four, verses one & ten thru fifteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verse thirty-two;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses sixteen & seventeen.

Papal Quote o' That Day

"Heat & food are not enough; there is also the heart; we must think of the heart of our old people. The Lord said that parents must be respected & loved, even when they are old."
—Pope Venerable John Paul I (1912-1978, feast day: 28 September)

Little Flower Quote o' That Day

"There are some who take such a gloomy view of things they make them much worse, I always look on the bright side."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' That Day

"To read Sacred Scripture means to turn to Christ for advice."
—St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226, feast day: 4 October)