Saints + Scripture: Octave of Easter (Pascha)

'Tis the Wednesday within the Octave of Easter: Easter-link, Octave-link, Wikipedia-link Easter Week, & Wikipedia-link Octave.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday within the Octave of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter three, verses one thru ten;
Psalm One Hundred Five, verses one & two, three & four, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-four, verses thirteen thru thirty-five.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus enlightens the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Have you ever tried to solve a puzzle and then were surprised when the various pieces suddenly fell into place? Well, this is what happens to these disciples as Jesus begins to speak: "How slow you are to believe all that the prophets have announced! Did not the Messiah have to undergo all this so as to enter into his glory?" The whole of Christianity is hanging here in the balance.

The disciples didn’t get it at first. They didn’t get the secret, the mystery, the key, the pattern. And what was that? God’s self-emptying love, even unto death. God’s act of taking upon himself the sins of the world in order to take them away, the mystery of redemption through suffering.

Jesus explains this first, with reference to the prophets; but then, he makes it as vividly present to them as he can: "He took the bread, pronounced the blessing, then broke the bread and began to distribute it to them." And that’s when the piece fell into place—that’s when the puzzle was solved. The Eucharist made present this love unto death, this love that is more powerful than sin and death. The Eucharist is the key.

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

†

Otherwise, 24 April would be the festival of Saint Mary Salome (floruit 33): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Kinswoman of the Virgin Mary [many, many feast days] & mother of the Apostles Ss. James the Greater [25 July] & John [27 December], the sons of Zebedee.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Mary of Cleophas (floruit 33, A.K.A. of Clopas): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Kinswoman of the Virgin Mary [many, many feast days] & mother of the Apostle St. James the Less [3 May].

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Diarmid of Armagh, Bishop (died circa 852; also spelt Dermot; in the Irish, Diarmait ua Tigernáin), Bishop of Armagh: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Armagh.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint William Firmatus, Priest & Hermit (1026-1103, of Tours): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest & Martyr, O.F.M. Cap. (1577-1622; A.K.A. Mark Rey), martyred by Swiss proponents of the Calvinist heresy: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Heresy-link & Wikipedia-link Heresy.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Let no one in your land be at ease while there is anyone whose human & Christian dignity is not respected & loved. This is true whether that person is a man, a woman, a child, an elderly or sick person, or any child of God!"
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"You came into this land of exile, willing to suffer & to die, in order to carry away every single soul & plunge it into the very heart of the Trinity—love's eternal home."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"What answer can we give or what consolation to someone in a concentration camp, to a mother with several children dying of cancer, a bereavement-what solace do we bring? What is the answer to the problem of evil? There was no answer until the Lord came down from heaven. He broke through this world of sin & evil; He entered into it & made it a part of Himself. He identified Himself with evil. Sinless, He was nevertheless made sin.

A Nazi guard during the Nuremburg Trial said that he was sent in to burn hundreds of Jewish bodies, all naked & dead. When he went to set the fire, he saw in their midst one body clothed, that of a young girl of about eighteen. 'Who are you?'

'I am a Jewess from Salonika.'

'What are you doing here?'

She said, 'Did you think that I could live when my people are dying?' So this is the only answer that there is to the problem of evil. There's no other. Our Lord took it upon Himself."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)