Thursday, December 20, 2018

Saints + Scripture: Advent

Complex Simplex Edition

The Popish Plot
Theology Thursday: "When Love Was Born"

'Tis the festival of Saint Zephyrinus, Pope (died 217), fifteenth (XV) Bishop of Rome: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Pontiff.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ursicinus of Saint Ursanne (died circa 625), abbot of the Abbey of Saint Ursanne: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Dominic of Silos, Priest & Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 1000-1073), abbot (& later namesake) of the Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Abbey.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Thomas of Dover, Religious & Martyr, O.S.B. (died circa 1295; A.K.A. Thomas Hales, Thomas de Halys), martyred by French pirates: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Vincenzo Romano, Priest (1751-1831, the "Worker Priest," Anglicized as Vincent Romano): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Canonized on 14 October 2018.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
The Book of Isaiah, chapter seven, verses ten thru fourteen;
Psalm Twenty-four, verses one & two, three & four(a/b), & five & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses twenty-six thru thirty-eight.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel of Luke, we find the Annunciation to Mary. Here is what Gabriel said to the Virgin: "Thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus…. The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

No first-century Israelite would have missed the meaning here: this child shall be the fulfillment of the promise made to King David.

And this means that the child is, in fact, the king of the world, the one who would bring unity and peace to the nations. The conviction grew upon Israel that this mysterious descendent of David would be king—not just for a time and not just in an earthly sense, but ruling forever and for all nations. This definitive king of the Jews would be king of the world. He would be our king as well.

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


Papal Quote o' the Day
"Faith & life. These are nothing less than the realities in which we are immersed, & they are the goals to which we would draw attention. Keep them particularly in mind during the coming happy occasion."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 26 September)
Little Flower Quote o' the Day
"You love St. Augustine & St. Mary Magdalen, those souls to whom many sins were forgiven because they loved much. I love them too; I love their sorrow, & especially their audacious love."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
Saint Quote o' the Day
"When our Lord comes, it will not be just to judge the one circumscribed area of the earth in which he labored and revealed himself. It will be to reveal himself and to judge all nations and all empires. When that time is, nobody knows. He refuses to tell us. he only says that it will be sudden, like a flash of lightning. He, the Savior, is the judge. What a beautiful way to have a judgment. Can you imagine any earthly judge saying to a criminal before him: you were guilty, I am going to take all of your sins and crimes upon myself. I will suffer for you. What a judge he would be? But our blessed Lord took upon himself all of our sin as we stood before the bar of divine justice, and he who suffered for us will come to judge us. What a judgment it will be when we will see one who loved us so much."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

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