Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:
O Lord, Sts. Timothy & Titus taught the early Churches about the sanctity of family life. May they intercede for the members of my family to make them holy & filled with your peace.'Tis also the festival of Saint Paula, Abbess (347-404, of Rome; A.K.A. the Widow), one of the Desert Mothers: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Mothers.
Commentary: Mother of Ss. Eustochium [28 September] & Blaesilla [22 January].
'Tis also the festival of Saint Alberic of Cîteaux, Abbot, O.Cist. (died 1109, A.K.A. Aubrey), prior of the Abbey of Molesme & the Abbey of Cîteaux, one of the founders of the Order of Cistercians (O.Cist.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Molesme & Wikipedia-link Cîteaux; & Order-link O.Cist. & Wikipedia-link O.Cist.
'Tis also the festival of Saint José Gabriel del Rosario Brochero, Priest, T.O.S.D. (1840-1914, the "Gaucho Priest"): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Michał Kozal, Bishop & Martyr (1893-1943, also spelt Michaël), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: This is not an accusation, merely a statement of my own puzzlement: I am at a loss to explain why Bl. Michał is not counted among the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Saturday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to Timothy, chapter one, verses one thru eight;
or, the Letter to Titus, chapter one, verses one thru five;
Psalm Ninety-six, verses one & two(a), two(b) & three, seven & eight(a), & ten;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter three, verses twenty & twenty-one.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, relatives of Jesus claim that he is mad. You know, in cases like this, the basic problem is always the fearful ego. Ego-addicts know that sometimes the best defense is a good offense. If you want to protect the ego and its prerogatives, you must oppress and demoralize those around you.Video reflection by Father Juan Molina, O.SS.T.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
There is a very unsubtle version of this method: you attack, put down, insult, and undermine those around you. This is the method of the bully. But the religious version is much subtler and thus more insidious and dangerous. It takes the law itself—especially the moral law—and uses it to accuse and oppress. “I know what’s right and wrong; I know what the Church expects of us; and I know that you are not living up to it.”
And so I accuse you; I gossip about you; I remind you of your inadequacy. Mind you, this is not to condemn the legitimate exercise of fraternal correction or the office of preaching. But it’s a reminder to not be sucked into the slavery of ego addiction. We must stay alert to this and avoid it at all costs.
Mass Readings—Memorial of Ss. Timothy & Titus
The Second Letter to Timothy, chapter one, verses one thru eight;
or, the Letter to Titus, chapter one, verses one thru five;
Psalm Ninety-six, verses one & two(a), two(b) & three, seven & eight(a), & ten;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses one thru nine.
Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 6
The Book of Exodus, chapter three, verses one thru six.
Commentary: Moses & the Burning Bush (Exodus, 3:1-6).
The Imitation of Christ
Book I: Useful Admonitions for the Spiritual Life
Chapter 8: "On Avoiding Too Much Familiarity"
Chapter 9: "On Being Obedient & Submissive"
Chapter 10: "On Avoiding Superfluous Words"
Papal Quote o' the Day
"Marriage is a communion of life. It is the home. It is work. It is concern for the children. It is also joy & leisure in common."Little Flower Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)
"I know that love strengthens every vocation, that love is everything, that it embraces all times & all places, because it is eternal."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)
"The great battle the Church has to fight today is the affirmation of self. This stands in the way of God using us as an instrument. Look at the way the prophet Elisha handled a good woman who was suffering from considerable poverty. The wife of a member of the company of prophets appealed to Elisha:'My husband, your servant has died, & you know what a man he was. He feared the Lord, but a creditor has come to take my two boys as slaves.' Elisha said to her, 'How can I help you? Tell me what you have in the house.' 'Nothing at all,' she said, 'except a flask of oil.' 'Go out then,' he said, '& borrow vessels & pots from all your neighbors. Get as many empty ones as you can & when you come home, shut yourself in with your sons & pour from the flask into these vessels, & as they are filled, set them aside.' She left him & shut herself in with her sons, & they brought her the pots. She filled them, & when they were all full she said to one of her sons, 'Bring me another pot.' 'There is not one left,' he said. And the flow of the oil ceased. Why is it that some of us have more of Christ than others? Is it because Christ cannot get in? The more empty of self we are, the more he can fill us."
—Venerable Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979)
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