Saints + Scripture: Christmastide

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

The Octave is over, but the Christmastide continues: Wikipedia-link Christmastide. Merry Christmas!

'Tis the Memorial of Saints Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops & Doctors of the Church (circa 329-379, A.K.A. of Caesarea & circa 325-390; A.K.A. of Nazianzus, the Theologian), two of the three Cappadocian Fathers, opponents of the Arian heresy: Doctors-link Bravo & Golf; Doctor-link Bravo ūnus, Doctor-link Bravo duo, & Wikipedia-link Bravo; Doctor-link Golf ūnus, Doctor-link Golf duo, & Wikipedia-link Golf; Doctors-link, Wikipedia-link Doctors, & Wikipedia-link Cappadocia; & Heresy-link & Wikipedia-link Heresy.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Basil was an influential theologian who supported the Nicene Creed & opposed the heresies of the early Christian church. His ability to balance his theological convictions with his political connections made Basil a powerful advocate for the Nicene position.

St. Basil was the son of Ss. Basil the Elder & Emmelia (30 May), grandson of St. Macrina the Elder (14 January), & brother of Ss. Macrina the Younger (19 July), Naucratius (?), Peter of Sebaste (9 January), & Gregory of Nyssa (10 January).

Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Gregory made a significant impact on the shape of Trinitarian theology among both Greek- & Latin-speaking theologians, & he is remembered as the "Trinitarian Theologian."

St. Gregory Nazianen was the son of Ss. Gregory of Nazianzus the Elder (1 January) & Nonna (5 August) & the brother of Ss. Gorgonia (9 December) & Caesarius (?).

'Tis also the festival of Saint Mainchín of Limerick, Bishop (floruit seventh century; also spelt Munchin; A.K.A. the Wise, Mainchín mac Setnai): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Adalard of Corbie, Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 751-827, also spelt Adelhard, etc.), abbot of the Abbey of Corbie: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Abbey-link & Wikipedia-link Abbey.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Marie Anne Blondin, Religious, S.S.A. (1809-1890, A.K.A. Esther Blondin), foundress of the Sisters of Saint Anne: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link S.S.A.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Christmas Weekday
The First Letter of John, chapter two, verses twenty-two thru twenty-eight;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one, two & three(a/b), & three(c/d) & four;
The Gospel according to John, chapter one, verses nineteen thru twenty-eight.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel John the Baptist identifies himself as "the voice of one crying out in the desert." How often the great heroes of the Biblical revelation have to spend time in the desert: Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist, Paul. Even Jesus himself spends forty days and nights in the desert before commencing his ministry.

They have to wait through a painful time, living a stripped-down life, before they are ready. What does the desert symbolize? Confrontation with one’s own sin; seeing one’s dark side; a deep realization of one’s dependency upon God; an ordering of the priorities of one’s life; a simplification, a getting back to basics. It means any and all of these things.

But the bottom line is that they are compelled to wait, during a time and in a place where very little life seems to be on offer. But it is precisely in such deserts that the flowers bloom. Moses becomes a great leader; Abraham is the father of many nations; Joseph becomes the savior of his people; John the Baptist is the forerunner of the Messiah; Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles—all of this flowering was made possible by the desert.

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

Mass Readings—Memorial of Ss. Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verses one thru seven, eleven, twelve, & thirteen;
Psalm Twenty-three, verse one;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-three, verses eight thru twelve.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Christian life is a sacrifice. Sacrifice inspired by charity has the merit of bringing us into conformity with the earthly life of Jesus. For He became our brother & died for us in order to assure us of joy & glory forever."
—Pope St. John XXIII (1881-1963, feast day: 11 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"Jesus points out to me the only way which leads to Love's furnace—that way is self-surrender—it is the confidence of the little child who sleeps without fear in its father's arms."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"The founder of no other religion is absolutely essential for that religion in the same way that Christ is essential for Christianity. It is true that the founder was necessary for the founding, but the believer in a particular religion does not enter into the same kind of an encounter that a Christian enters into with Christ. It is the personal relationship to Him which is decisive. Christ therefore occupies a different place in Christianity than Buddha does in Buddhism, than Confucius in Confucianism, Mohammed in Islam, & even Moses in Judaism. When you come to Christ, Christianity demands the personal, intimate bond. We have to be one with Him, one with Him in such a way that we cannot in any way claim to be Christian unless we reflect the person, the mind, the will, the heart, and the humanity of Christ."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)