Saint & Scripture: XXIV Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Long Road Back, Part III of VII | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Sunday, 16 September was the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of That Week
Mass Readings—Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty, verses five thru nine(a);
Psalm One Hundred Fourteen, verses one & two, three & four, five & six, & eight & nine;
The Letter of James, chapter two, verses fourteen thru eighteen;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter eight, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-five.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel reports Peter’s confession of faith in the midst of the disciples, when Jesus asks that strange question: “Who do people say that I am?” What he gets by way of response is, first, a public opinion survey: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

Then Jesus turns to those closest to him, and he asks them, “But who do you say that I am?” They are silent, afraid, unwilling, unable to speak. Finally it is Peter who speaks: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And he gets it right. Does he get it right because he is the most intelligent? Please. Because he is holy and close to Jesus? Please. We know the whole story of Peter’s weakness, betrayal, stupidity.

It is the Father who has given Peter this insight—not Peter’s clever mind or searching heart. It is a supernatural gift, a special charism. And it is upon this inspired confession that the Church is built.

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

Video reflection by Father Eddie Dwyer (uCatholic): Weekend Reflection.

Audio reflection by Scott Hahn, Ph.D. (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Breaking the Bread.

Mass Journal: Week Thirty-eight
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:

Yesterday, I was visiting a friend in Atlanta. He lives in a beautiful neighborhood & as we drove past these magnificent homes, one after another, I began to ask myself, "If your spiritual life were a house, what would it be like?" I would like to place that question before you now. If your spiritual life were a house, what would it be like? What street would it be one? What part of town would it be in? What would it look like? Would it be a house or a home? Is it in need of renovation? Is it peaceful, noisy, distracting, well organized, messy?

†

Otherwise, 16 September would have been the festival of Saints Cornelius, Pope, & Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs (died 253 & 258, respectively), twenty-first (XXI) Bishop of Rome, martyred in the reign of the emperors Gallus & Volusianus; & Bishop of Carthage, martyred in the reign of the emperors Valerian & Gallienus: Martyr-link C-O ūnus, Martyr-link C-O duo, Martyr-link C-O trēs, & Wikipedia-link C-O; Martyr-link C-Y ūnus, Martyr-link C-Y duo, & Wikipedia-link C-Y; Wikipedia-link Pontiff.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also have been the festival of Saint Ninian, Bishop (circa 360-432, "the Apostle to the Southern Picts;" A.K.A. Ringan, Trynnian), founder of the Candida Casa ("White House"), later called Whithorn Priory: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Casa.

'Twould also have been the festival of Saint Edith of Wilton, Religious, O.S.B. (circa 961-986; also spelt Eadgyth, Ediva, Editha; A.K.A. of Barking): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also have been the festival of Blessed Victor III, Pope, O.S.B. (circa 1026-1087, A.K.A. Dauferio, Desiderius), one hundred fifty-eighth (CLVIII) Bishop of Rome, abbot of the Abbey of Monte Cassino: Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Pontiff, Abbey-link, & Wikipedia-link Abbey.

Papal Quote o' That Day

"Have no enemies. Conquer hostility with the power of love. Cultivate a mentality & practice of nonviolence. Be open to the needy, the poor, the marginalized. May they be the specially invited guests at the tanle of your lives."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' That Day

"With tenderness, I have given everything to His Divine Heart."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Christian Quote o' That Day

"God loved men. For their sake He created the cosmos; He subjected everything on earth to them; He gave them the ability to speak & understand; He permitted them alone to look up to heaven; He formed them after His likeness; He sent His Son to them; He promised them the kingdom of heaven, & He will give it to those who love Him."
—from the Letter to Diognetus (second century)

Commentary: Wikipedia-link Epistle