Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot
Summer Book Club: "The Family Banker"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Anthony Zaccaria, Priest, C.R.S.P. (1502-1539), founder of the Barnabites, formally the Clerics Regular of Saint Paul; the Angelic Sisters of Saint Paul; & the Oblates of Saint Paul; who popularized the Forty Hours' Devotion: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Barnabites-link, Wikipedia-link C.R.S.P., & Wikipedia-link A.S.P.; & Devotion-link & Wikipedia-link Devotion

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Anthony lived only thirty-six years, but founded three religious communities & contributed to the reformation of the Church.

'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, T.O.S.F. (1271-1336, A.K.A. Isabel, of Aragon), Queen of Portugal: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Grand-niece of St. Elizabeth of Hungary [17 November].

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Patrick Cavanaugh, Edward Cheevers, Matthew Lambert, Robert Myler, John O'Lahy, & an unnamed companion, Martyrs (died 1581, A.K.A. the Wexford Martyrs), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, six of the Irish Martyrs: Martyr-link Papa Charlie, Martyr-link Echo Charlie, Martyr-link Mike Lima, Martyr-link Romeo Mike, & Wikipedia-link Wexford; Martyrs-link Irish & Wikipedia-link Irish.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds George Nichols & Richard Yaxley, Priests, & Thomas Belson & Humphrey Pritchard, Martyrs (died 1589), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, four of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Golf November & Wikipedia-link Golf November, Martyr-link Romeo Yankee, Martyr-link Tango Bravo & Wikipedia-link Tango Bravo, Martyr-link Hotel Papa; Martyr-link LXXXV & Wikipedia-link LXXXV.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Amos, chapter Y, verses Z;
Psalm Nineteen, verses Y;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter Y, verses Z.

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

Friends, in our Gospel today Jesus heals a paralytic, but not before first forgiving his sins: "People brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.’" Jesus read the hearts of scribes who had decided he was blaspheming, and so he replied, "Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk?’" When no reply came, Jesus sent the man off home carrying his stretcher.

The story affirms that Jesus offers us forgiveness and healing. Even though we are sinners, even though we are hopeless in our hatred and stupidity, even though we had gone (and would still go today) to the limits of killing God’s own son, God still loves us; God still forgives us. We know that nothing can possibly separate us from the love of God because we hear in the greeting of the risen Jesus that any and every sin can be forgiven.

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

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Anthony Zaccaria
The Second Letter to Timothy, chapter one, verses thirteen & fourteen & chapter two, verses one, two, & three;
Psalm Forty, verse five(a);
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter ten, verses thirteen thru sixteen.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal
The First Letter of John, chapter three, verses fourteen thru eighteen;
Psalm One Hundred Twelve, verse one;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-five, verses thirty-one thru forty-six
(or, the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-five, verses thirty-one thru forty).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"A man & a woman who love each other, the smile of a child, peace in the home: a sermon without words, but so wonderfully convincing. In them everyone can glimpse, as through a transparency, the reflection of another love & its infinite call."
—Pope Bl. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 26 September)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"You, Lord will descend to my nothingness & transform that nothingness into living fire."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"The measure of love is love without measure."
—St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church (1567-1622, feast day: 24 January)