Saints + Scripture

'Tis the festival of Saint Reginos, Bishop & Martyr (died 362, also spelt Riginos), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Julian the Apostate: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Walpurga, Abbess, O.S.B. (circa 710-779; also spelt Walburga, Valderburg, etc.; A.K.A. Guibor): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Daughter of St. Richard the Pilgrim [7 February], niece of St. Boniface [5 June], & sister of Ss. Willibald [7 June] & Winebald [18 December].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gerland of Agrigento, Bishop (died circa 1104, A.K.A. of Besançon; also spelt Giullannu): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio, Religious, O.F.M. (1502-1600, the "Angel of Mexico"): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saints Luigi Versiglia, Bishop, & Callistus Caravario, Priest, Martyrs, S.D.B. (died 1930), martyred defending girls from Bolshevik slavers, the last two of the one hundred twenty Martyr Saints of China, A.K.A. Saint Augustine Zhao Rong & Companions: Martyr-link Lima Victor, Martyr-link Charlie Charlie, & Wikipedia-link (List, № 115 & № 116); Martyrs-link China & Wikipedia-link China.

Scripture of This Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Sirach, chapter one, verses one thru ten;
Psalm Ninety-three, verses one(a/b), one(c/d) & two, & five
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter nine, verses fourteen thru twenty-nine.

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

Friends, today in the Gospel Jesus demonstrates the power of the prayer of faith. Have you noticed how Jesus, time and again, says to people before working a miracle, "Do you believe I can do this?" Once, Matthew tells us, Jesus was unable to perform many miracles because he met with so little faith among the people.

Lots of people today, especially in the healing ministry, seem able to reproduce what Jesus did, precisely because of the purity of their faith. Is part of our problem simply a lack of faith? We allow our skepticism to get the better of us; we’re just a little embarrassed by asking God for things, or we’re convinced that he is a distant power only vaguely connected to our lives.

Can you hear the simple faith in the opening line of Jesus’ great prayer: "Abba in heaven…"? Another astonishing line of Jesus in this regard is this: "I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours." Even before you receive it, believe that it is yours and give thanks for it, blithely confident that you will receive it.

Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 36
The Book of Exodus, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-one thru Thirty-one.

Commentary: Crossing the Red Sea (concluded; Exodus, 14:21-25) & the Egyptians Drown in the Sea (14:26-31).

The Imitation of Christ
Book III: On Interior Conversation
Chapter 1: "On the Way Christ Speaks Inwardly to the Soul"

Papal Quote o' This Day

"The meek endure conflict & jealousy, rivalries that arise within families & among neighbors. They do not, however, passively accept situations of injustice. They are anything but indifferent, but they do not respond to violence with violence, to hared with hatred."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' This Day

"Enlighten me, O Good Jesus, with the brightness of internal light, & cast out all darkness from the dwelling of my heart."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' This Day

"Many of us have seen the Loggia of Raphael. It contains thirteen different rooms with columns & a ceiling on which there are paintings, all rather typical of that period of the Church when she was in a decline: the Reformation. If you remember walking through the Loggia of Raphael, you'll remember seeing peacocks, foxes, & elephants. There are only four religious paintings: the Transfiguration is the last one in the life of our Lord. There is no crucifixion. No cross. You will always know the dark days of the Church when there is a walking away from the cross of Christ."
—Venerable Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979)