Saints + Scripture

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the festival of Saint Richard the Pilgrim (died circa 722, also spelt Ricarius; A.K.A. the King, the Saxon, of Swabia, etc.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Brother-in-law of St. Boniface [5 June] & father of Ss. Willibald [7 June], Winebald [18 December], & Walpurga [25 February].

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Thomas Sherwood, Martyr (circa 1551-1578), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Egidio Maria of San Giuseppe, Religious, O.F.M. (1729-1812, the "Consoler of Naples;" Anglicized as Giles Mary of Saint Joseph, A.K.A. Francesco Postillo): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Pius IX, Pope (1792-1878, A.K.A. Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti), two hundred fifty-fifth (CCLV) Bishop of Rome, who convened the First Vatican Council & became the original "Prisoner in the Vatican": Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Pontiff, Wikipedia-link Council, & Wikipedia-link Prisoner.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Adalbert Nierychlewski, Priest & Martyr (1903-1942, A.K.A. Wojciech Nierychlewski), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List, № 77); Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
The Letter to the Hebrews, chapter twelve, verses eighteen, nineteen, & twenty-one thru twenty-four;
Psalm Forty-eight, verses two & three(a/b), three(c/d) & four, nine, & ten & eleven;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter six, verses seven thru thirteen.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus sends the Twelve on their mission to announce the nearness of the kingdom. I want to say a few things about our embracing our mission and being equipped for it.

What do you need for your mission? You need a keen sense of God as the absolute center of your life. In a word, you require the spiritual gifts of piety and fear of the Lord. I realize that these terms can sound fussy and puritanical, but they are actually naming something strong and essential.

You need fear of the Lord, which does not mean that you are afraid of God. It means that nothing to you is more important than God, that everything in your life centers around and is subordinate to your love for God. And your equipping needs to include piety. That means that you honor God above everything else, that you worship him alone. These spiritual gifts enable you to find true balance; they allow you to know what your life is about.

Equipped with these gifts, you are ready for mission. Having received the fire of the Holy Spirit, you are ready to set the world on fire.

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

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 18
The Book of Exodus, chapter seven, verse twenty-five;
The Book of Exodus, chapter eight, verses one thru fifteen.

Commentary: The Second Plague: Frogs (Exodus, 7:25-8:15).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Jesus is the joy of the earth; He is the physician of every human infirmity. He is personified in every person who suffers, arousing compassion & generous love. Jesus, therefore, is present always & everywhere."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 26 September)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"Our Beloved needs neither our brilliant deeds nor our beautiful thoughts. Were He in search of lofty ideas, has He not His Angels, whose knowledge infinitely surpasses that of the greatest genius of earth?"
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"The Eucharist is the privileged summit of the meeting of Christ's love for us; a love that is made available for each of us, a love that is made to be sacrificial lamb & food for our hunger for life. As the Apostle says, 'He loved me & gave Himself up for me.'" (Galatians, 2:20)
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 26 September)