Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot
Summer Book Club: "The Beauty of the Bible"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saints Pontian, Pope, & Hippolytus, Priest, Martyrs (died 235), eighteenth (XVIII) Bishop of Rome & first (I) Antipope, martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Maximinus Thrax: Martyrs-link; Martyr-link Papa ūnus, Martyr-link Papa duo, & Wikipedia-link Papa; Martyr-link Hotel & Wikipedia-link Hotel; Wikipedia-link Pontiff & Wikipedia-link Antipope.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

In 235, during the persecution of Christians in the reign of the emperor Maximinus the Thracian, Pontian was arrested & sent to the island of Sardinia. He resigned to make the election of a new pope possible.

Hippolytus came into conflict with the popes of his time & seems to have headed a schismatic group as a rival to the Bishop of Rome. He opposed the Roman bishops who softened the penitential system to accommodate the large numbers of new pagan converts. However, he was very probably reconciled to the Church when he died as a martyr.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Maximus the Confessor, Abbot (circa 580-662), persecuted & physically mutilated though not martyred in the reign of the Eastern Roman emperor Constans II for opposing the Monothelite heresy: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Heresy.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Jan Berchmans, Religious, S.J. (1599-1621, Anglicized as John): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Jakob Gapp, Priest & Martyr, S.M. (1897-1943), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter one, verses two thru five & twenty-four thru twenty-eight(c);
Psalm One Hundred Forty-eight, verses one & two, eleven & twelve, thirteen, & fourteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter seventeen, verses twenty-two thru twenty-seven.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus prophesies his crucifixion and resurrection: "The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day."

What enabled the first Christians to hold up the cross, to sing its praises, to wear it as a decoration is the fact that God raised up and ratified precisely this crucified Jesus. "You killed him, but God raised him up." Therefore, God was involved in this terrible thing; God was there, working out his salvific purposes.

But what does this mean? There have been numerous attempts throughout the Christian centuries to name the salvific nature of the cross. Let me offer just one take on it. It became clear to the first Christians that somehow, on that terrible cross, sin had been dealt with. The curse of sin had been removed, taken care of. On that terrible cross, Jesus functioned as the "lamb of God," sacrificed for sin.

Does this mean God the Father is a cruel taskmaster demanding a bloody sacrifice so that his anger might be appeased? No; Jesus’ crucifixion was the opening up of the divine heart so that we could see that no sin of ours could finally separate us from the love of God.

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

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of Ss. Pontian & Hippolytus
The First Letter of Peter, chapter four, verses twelve thru nineteen;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-four, verse seven;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses eighteen thru twenty-one.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Whenever you help a sick person, you are a sign of Christ's compassion for all who suffer."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"How short-sighted His creatures can be! They find a soul whose lights surpass their own; they think the Lord loves them less. Yet when did He lose the right to use one of his children to provide others with the nourishment they need?"
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"No one can arrive at the knowledge of divine & human things unless he has previously & thoroughly learned mathematics."
—St. Augustine of Hippo, Doctor of the Church (354-430, feast day: 20 August)