Saints + Scripture: Quadragesima

The Popish Plot
vLent 2019: "Catholic T-Shirt Club Unboxing 5"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saints Perpetua & Felicity, Martyrs (died 203, of Carthage; A.K.A. Vibia Perpetua; also spelt Felicitas), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus, as attested in the ancient & partially autobiographical Passion of Saint Perpatua, Saint Felicitas, & Their Companions: Martyrs-link, Martyr-link Papa, Martyr-link Foxtrot, & Martyrs-link Companions; Wikipedia-link Passion.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Vibia Perpetua was a married noblewoman, said to have been twenty-two-years-old at the time of her death, & the mother of an infant she was nursing. Felicity, a slave imprisoned with her & pregnant at the time, was martyred with her.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Eubulus of Cæsarea, Martyr (died 308), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Galerius & Maximinus II, a victim of the Great Persecution: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Persecution.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds John Larke, John Ireland, & Robert Singleton, Priests; & German Gardiner, Martyrs (died 1544; A.K.A. John Singleton; also spelt Jermyn Gardiner), martyred in the reign of the English king Henry VIII: Martyr-link Juliet Lima & Wikipedia-link Juliet Lima, Martyr-link Juliet India, Wikipedia-link Romeo Sierra, & Martyr-link Golf Golf & Wikipedia-link Golf Golf.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Leonid Feodorov, Bishop & Martyr, M.S.U. (1879-1935; A.K.A. Leonidas Pierre, Leontiy, Leontios), martyred in the reign of the Communist dictator Joseph Stalin, one of the twenty-five Martyrs Killed under Communist Regimes in Eastern Europe: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Eastern Europe.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Luc Sy & Maisam Pho Inpèng, Martyrs (died 1970), martyred by the Pathet Lao Communists, two of the seventeen Martyrs of Laos: Martyr-link Lima Sierra, Martyr-link Mike Papa India, & Wikipedia-link (List); Wikipedia-link Laos.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday after Ash Wednesday
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty, verses fifteen thru twenty;
Psalm One, verses one & two, three, & four & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses twenty-two thru twenty-five.

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

Friends, our Gospel today from Luke lays out Jesus’ conditions for discipleship: "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."

How do we overcome pain? How do we attain joy? Not from a Stoic resignation, nor from a Buddhist negation of the self, nor from a Platonic contemplation of the eternal forms, but rather from the sacrifice of the self in love. Jesus is going to Jerusalem in order to give himself away, to sacrifice himself in love for the other—and in this, he will become a source of life to others.

Ronald Knox talked about the sign of the cross this way: the first two gestures form the letter "I" and the next two cross it out. That’s what the cross of Jesus meant and means. The path of discipleship is the path of self-sacrificing love—and that means the path of suffering.

Reflect: How there is no authentic love without suffering? Think of examples in your own life.

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

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of Ss. Perpetua & Felicity
The Letter to the Romans, chapter eight, verses thirty-one(b) thru thirty-nine;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-four, verses two & three, four & five, & seven & eight;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses thirty-four thru thirty-nine.

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 46
The Book of Exodus, chapter nineteen, verses sixteen thru twenty-five.

Commentary: God Speaks to Moses on the Mountain (Exodus, 19:16-25).

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"May God give us the grace to love Him & save souls for Him."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"It is folly to be unwilling to think of death, which is certain, & on which eternity depends."
—St. Alphonsus Ligouri, Doctor of the Church (1696-1787, feast day:)

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)