Saints + Scripture — Tuesday, 26 June

The Long Road Back, Part III of V | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Tuesday, 26 June was the festival of Blesseds Mykola Konrad, Priest, & Volodymyr Pryjma, Martyrs (died 1941), martyred in the reign of the Communist dictator Joseph Stalin: Martyr-link Mike Kilo & Wikipedia-link Mike Kilo, Martyr-link Victor Papa & Wikipedia-link Victor Papa.

'Twas also the festival of Blessed Ya'Qūb of Ghazīr, Priest, O.F.M. Cap. (1875-1954, A.K.A. Khalīl al-Haddād), founder of the Franciscan Sisters of the Cross: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twas also the festival of Saint Josemaría Escrivá, Priest (1902-1975, the "Saint of Ordinary Life"), founder of Opus Dei, formally the Prelature of the Holy Cross & Opus Dei: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Opus Dei.

Scripture of That Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Book of Kings, chapter nineteen, verses nine, ten, & eleven; fourteen thru twenty-one; thirty-one thru thirty-five(a); & thirty-six;
Psalm Forty-eight, verses two & three(a/b), three(c/d) & four, & ten & eleven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter seven, verses six, twelve, thirteen, & fourteen.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus warns, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many."

A question that people have been asking from time immemorial is this: "Will only a few people be saved?" Heaven, hell, salvation, damnation—who will be in and who will be out?

We have remained, understandably enough, fascinated with these issues and questions for a long time. But the official answer of the Church is that we don’t know. We are clearly warned about the real possibility of damnation. We do indeed know that there are many in heaven, for the saints are formally declared to be so. But there are no anti-saints in the Church; there is no one whom the Church has formally declared to be a denizen of Hell.

Therefore, without succumbing for a moment to anything-goes presumption, we are permitted to hope that all people might be saved. Indeed, St. Paul writes to Timothy: "God wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

So pray, hope, and strive to enter through the narrow gate.

Video reflection by Father Robert Agbo: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Papal Quote o' That Day

"Jesus became a baby, He became poor, He became a victim, so that no one might feel that He was above or distant; He placed Himself at the feet of all. Jesus is for all, He belongs to all, & indeed to each of us individually."
—Pope Bl. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 26 September)

Little Flower Quote o' That Day

"Jesus, how tenderly & gently you lead my soul!"
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' That Day

"‘Great’ holiness consists in carrying out the ‘little’ duties of each moment."
—St. Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975, feast day: 26 June)