Thursday, October 4, 2018

Saints + Scripture

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi, Deacon, O.F.M. (circa 1181-1226, A.K.A. Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone), founder of the perpetually feuding & dividing Franciscans, composed (in part) of the Order of Friars Minor (formerly Observant), the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, & the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin; the Poor Clares, formally the Order of Saint Clare; the Secular Franciscan Order, historically the Third Order of Saint Francis; & the Custody of the Holy Land; there are even, improbably & hypocritically, Franciscan Protestants: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Order-link, Wikipedia-link O.F.M., Wikipedia-link O.F.M. Conv., & Wikipedia-link O.F.M. Cap.; Wikipedia-link O.S.C.; Wikipedia-link O.F.S. & Wikipedia-link T.O.S.F.; Wikipedia-link Custody; & Wikipedia-link Protestants.


Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
He was an Italian Catholic friar, deacon, & preacher. he founded the men's Order of Friars Minor, the women's Order of Saint Clare, the Third Order of Saint Francis, & the Custody of the Holy Land. Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in history.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Damaris of Athens (floruit first century): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wife of St. Dionysius the Areopagite [3 October].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Hierotheos the Thesmothete, Bishop (floruit first century): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saints Domnina, Berenice, & Prosdoce, Martyrs (died circa 303), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian, victims of the Great Persecution: Martyr-link Delta, Martyr-link Bravo, Martyr-link Papa, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Persecution.

Commentary: A mother, St. Domnina, her two daughters, Ss. Berenice & Prosdoce.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ammon the Great, Hermit (circa 286-348, also spelt Amun, etc.), founder of the monasteries at Kellia, Nitria, & Scetis: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Kilo, Wikipedia-link November, & Wikipedia-link Sierra.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Job, chapter nineteen, verses twenty-one thru twenty-seven;
Psalm Twenty-seven, verses seven & eight(a), eight(b/c) & nine (a/b/c), & thirteen & fourteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses one thru twelve.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, our Gospel, taken from the magnificent tenth chapter of Luke’s Gospel, is a portrait of the Church. It shows us what Jesus wants his followers to be doing and how to do it. Listen to how the passage begins: "The Lord appointed a further seventy-two and sent them in pairs before him to every town and place he intended to visit."

We are a missionary Church. We are sent by the Lord to spread his word and do his work. The Christian Gospel is just not something that we are meant to cling to for our own benefit. Rather, it is like seed that we are meant to give away.

He sends them two by two. We do this work together, with others, in community. Ministers need people to support them, pray for them, talk to them, challenge them. St. Francis had an experience of God and then, within months, gathered people around him; St. Dominic, from the beginning, had brothers in his work; St. Teresa of Calcutta attracted a number of her former students to join her in her mission. We don’t go it alone.
Video reflection by Father Roger Lopez, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.


Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi
The Letter to the Galatians, chapter six, verses fourteen thru eighteen;
Confer Psalm Sixteen, verse five(a);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eleven, verses twenty-five thru thirty.

Commentary: Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Papal Quote o' the Day
"In the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, I urge you all toopen your hearts to God's love, to respond by your prayers & by the deeds of your lives. Let go of your doubts & fears, & allow the mercy of God to draw you to His Heart."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)
Little Flower Quote o' the Day
"It is so consoling to think that Jesus, the strong God, experienced all our weaknesses, that He trembled at the sight of the bitter chalice—the cup that He had longed for so ardently."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
Saint Quote o' the Day
"Sanctify yourself & you will sanctify society."
—St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226, feast day: 4 October)

No comments: