Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot
Summer Book Club: "The Web"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, Priest, & Companions, Martyrs (died 1648-1930, A.K.A. the Martyr Saints of China): Martyr-link Alpha Zulu Romeo, Martyrs-link ūnus, Martyrs-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

The eighty-seven Chinese Catholics & thirty-three Western missionaries, from the mid-seventeenth century to 1930, were martyred because of their refusal to apostatize. Many died in the Boxer Rebellion, in which xenophobic peasants slaughtered thirty thousand Chinese converts to Christianity along with missionaries & other foreigners.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Giovanna Scopelli, Religious, O.Carm. (1428-1491): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Nicolaas Pieck, Priest (O.F.M.), & Companions, Martyrs (died 1572, A.K.A. the nineteen Martyrs of Gorkum), martyred by Calvinist heretics: Martyr-link November Papa & Wikipedia-link November Papa, Martyrs-link Gorkum & Wikipedia-link Gorkum.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Veronica Giuliani, Abbess, O.S.C. Cap. (1660-1727, A.K.A. Orsola Giuliani), stigmatic: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link; Stigmata-link & Wikipedia-link Stigmata.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Hosea, chapter two, verses sixteen, seventeen(b), eighteen, twenty-one, & twenty-two;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses two & three, four & five, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verses eighteen thru twenty-six.

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

Friends, the centerpiece of our Gospel today is the story of the hemorrhaging woman. To get at the power of the Gospel, we have to reacquaint ourselves with the Jewish attitudes regarding the clean and the unclean. In the book of Leviticus we find carefully laid out prescriptions dealing with animals, plants, foods, and situations that are unclean. These prescriptions were meant to identify the Jewish people as a people. But they had a rather severe downside, since they placed certain people in extremely difficult situations.

Having a flow of blood for twelve years meant that for that entire period the woman in our Gospel was a virtual pariah. Anyone with whom she came in contact would be considered unclean. She couldn’t participate in the ordinary life of her society.

She touches Jesus and should have rendered him unclean. But so great is her faith, that her touch, instead, renders her clean. Jesus effectively restores her to full participation in her community.

The most important outcome is this: Jesus implicitly puts an end to the ritual code of Leviticus. The identity of the new Israel, the Church, would not be through ritual behaviors but through imitation of him.

Video reflection by Msgr. James Vlaun (Telecare T.V.): United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Augustine Zhao Rong & Companions
The First Letter of John, chapter five, verses one thru five;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six, verse five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twelve, verses twenty-four, twenty-five, & twenty-six.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"God is present, no matter how often humanity may forget God. Christianity has the living & modern spiritual energy, ready to confront the negations of a materialistic world."
—Pope John XXIII (1881-1963, feast day: 11 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"Yes, life is a treasure. Each moment is… an eternity seeing God face to face, being one with Him."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Do justice, God sees you."
—St. Veronica Giuliani (1660-1727, feast day: 9 July)