Saints + Scripture

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

The Popish Plot
Theology Thursday: "The Redemption of Mercy Me"

'Tis the Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop & Doctor of the Church (circa 349-407), also one of the Fathers of the Church: Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Doctors-link & Wikipedia-link Doctors, Fathers-link & Wikipedia-link Fathers.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He is known for his preaching & public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical & political leaders. Chrysostom was among the most prolific authors in the early Christian Church, exceeded only by [St.] Augustine of Hippo [28 August] in the quantity of his surviving writings.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Venerius of Tino, Abbot (circa 560-630, A.K.A. the Hermit): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Amatus of Sion, Bishop & Abbot (died circa 690, also spelt Aimé): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Maria Luisa Angelica, Virgin & Abbess, O.S.B. (1799-1847, A.K.A. Gertrude Prosperi): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter eight, verses one(b) thru seven, eleven, twelve, & thirteen;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-nine, verses one(b), two, & three; thirteen & fourteen(a/b); & twenty-three & twenty-four;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter six, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-eight.

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

Friends, our Gospel today is taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain in Luke. It is one of more the puzzling texts in the New Testament. It speaks of loving our enemies. Not tolerating them, or vaguely accepting them, but loving them. When you hate your enemy, you confirm him as your enemy. But when you love him in response to his hatred, you confuse and confound him, taking away the very energy that feeds his hatred.

There is a form of oriental martial arts called aikido. The idea of aikido is to absorb the aggressive energy of your opponent, moving with it, continually frustrating him until he comes to the point of realizing that fighting is useless.

Some have pointed out that there is a great deal of this in Jesus’ strategy of nonviolence and love of the enemy. You creatively absorb the aggression of your opponent, really using it against him, to show him the futility of violence. So when someone insults you, send back a compliment instead of an insult.

Video reflection by Father Roger Lopez, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. John Chrysostom
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verses one thru seven, eleven, twelve, & thirteen;
Psalm Forty, verses eight(a) & nine(a);
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter four, verses one thru ten & thirteen thru twenty
(or, the Gospel according to Mark, chapter four, verses one thru nine).

Bible Study—Wisdom Books
The Book of Proverbs, chapter thirteen (verses one thru twenty-five).

Commentary: Wise Saying of Solomon (cont'd; Proverbs, 13:1-25).

Proverb o' the Day (Proverbs, 13:4)

The soul of the sluggard craves, and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Insist that your priests & those who collaborate with them in the liturgical service make ever more & more progress. Let them enhance the dignity of the celebration, the quality of the readings, & the beauty of the singing."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"Joy isn't found in the material objects surrounding us, but in the inner recesses of the soul. One can possess joy in a prison cell as well as in a palace."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"But you, when you see the priest offering the Sacrifice, consider not the priest who is ministering, but see the hand of God invisibly outstretched."
—St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church (349-407, feast day: 13 September)