Saints + Scripture

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin & Martyr (1890-1902), martyred by her attempted rapist, Alessandro Serenelli: Martyr-link ūna, Martyr-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Moria Goretti is an Italian virgin-martyr of the Catholic Church, & one of the youngest canonized saints. Her father died when she was nine. Maria took over household duties while her mother, brothers, & sister worked in the fields. One afternoon, Alessandro, the Serenellis' son, made sexual advances to her. When she refused to submit to him, he stabbed her fourteen times.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Sexburga of Ely, Abbess (circa 635-699; also spelt Seaxburh, Saxburgh), Queen of Kent, foundress of abbeys at Milton Regis & Minster-in-Sheppey: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Abbey.

Commentary: Sister of Ss. Æthelburh of Faremoutiers [7 July], Sæthryth [7 January], Etheldreda [23 June], & Withburga [8 July]; & mother of Ss. Ermenilda of Ely [13 February] & Ercongotha [23 February].

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Thomas Aufield, Priest & Martyr (1552-1585, also spelt Alfield, etc.), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Amos, chapter eight, verses four, five, six, & nine thru twelve;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses two, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, & one hundred thirty-one;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verses nine thru thirteen.

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

Friends, our Gospel for today is the simple but magnificent story of the conversion of Matthew. I urge you to read it and meditate upon it this week, for it’s about you. The Bible says that Jesus told Matthew, "Follow me." The call of Jesus is meant to get into your mind, and then past your mind into your body, and then through your body into your life, into your most practical decisions.

And then we hear that Matthew "got up and followed him." The verb used here in the Greek is the same verb used to describe the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead: Matthew rose. Conversion means a transition into a higher life, arising from a preoccupation with the goods of the world and a reorientation to the things of God.

Then we hear what happened after Matthew’s conversion: "And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples." This deeply annoys the Pharisees, who ask of Jesus’ disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" The answer is that Jesus loves sinners, and he doesn’t require perfection before he approaches them.

Video reflection by Father Praveen Lakkisetti: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Maria Goretti
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter six, verses thirteen(c), fourteen, fifteen(a), & seventeen thru twenty;
Psalm Thirty-one, verse six;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twelve, verses twenty-four, twenty-five, & twenty-six.

Mass Readings—Requiem for Charlie Alpha Sierra
The Book of Proverbs, chapter thirty-one, verses ten thru thirty-one;
Psalm Twenty-seven;
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter four, verses thirteen thru eighteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses one thru six.

Commentary: Yesterday, I was asked to serve as an extraordinary Eucharistic minister (E.E.M.) at a Requiem today. I agreed, knowing this would require me to depart early from the Genesee County Jail, where I minister to the inmates on Friday mornings. At the Requiem, one of the parish's three deacons was present; a layman is an extraordinary Eucharistic minister, a deacon is the ordinary Eucharistic minister of the cup. Also, there was only one cup for the Precious Blood, not the usual two (usual for a Requiem at Holy Redeemer). One cup & a deacon present meant I wasn't needed as an E.E.M. Had I known this, I would not have left the jail early. *sigh* I wish I could say that such crossed wires were uncommon in parish life at Holy Redeemer.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"One of the underlying problems today is a loss of appreciation of the virtue of chastity. How important it is to recover this virtue in our own time! Chastity helps us to harmonize all the dimensions of our sexuality & thus to live joyfully in accordance with God's will."
—Pope St. John Paul II (the Great, 1920-2005; feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"Holiness consists simply in doing God's will, & being just what God wants us to be."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"The noblest power of man is reason. The highest goal of reason is the knowledge of God."
—St. Albert the Great, Doctor of the Church (1200-1280, feast day: 15 November)