Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot
Theology Thursday: "Narwhals"

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest & Doctor of the Church, O.F.M. (1195-1231, the Doctor Evangelicus [Evangelical Doctor], the "Hammer of Heretics," the "Professor of Miracles;" A.K.A. Fernando Martins de Bulhões, of Lisbon): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Doctors-link & Wikipedia-link Doctors.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

A Portuguese Catholic priest & friar of the Franciscan Order. Noted by his contemporaries for his powerful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, & undying love & devotion to the poor & the sick, he was one of the most quickly canonized saints in Church history.

Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

O Lord, St. Anthony of Padua had a deep devotion to the Eucharist. May my Communion lead me to be bread that is broken to feed the hunger of a world starving for love.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Damhnade, Virgin (floruit sixth century, also spelt Damnet, Davnet): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gerard of Clairvaux, Religious, O.Cist. (died 1138): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Brother of the Doctor of the Church St. Bernard of Clairvaux [20 August], founding abbot of Clairvaux Abbey & with it St. Gerard's Order of Cistercians (O.Cist.). Not to be confused with Bl. Gerard of Clairvaux [1120-1177, feast day: ?], sixth abbot of Clairvaux: Wikipedia-link Abbey & Wikipedia-link O.Cist.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Marianna Biernacka, Martyr (1888-1943), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter three, verse fifteen thru chapter four, verses one & three thru six;
Psalm Eighty-five, verses nine(a/b) & ten, eleven & twelve, & thirteen & fourteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses twenty thru twenty-six.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel passage is an excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount. If we are to begin to understand Jesus’ staggering teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, we have to keep ever in our minds the little tagline: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Jesus is the Son of God, and his purpose is not primarily to construct a smooth-functioning human society; it is to establish the kingdom of God—that is to say, a body formed by those who participate in him, who share his relationship with the Father.

What is the Father of Jesus Christ like? The Father of Jesus Christ is love, right through. That’s all God is; that’s all he knows how to do. He is not like us: unstable, changing, moving from one attitude to another. No, God simply is love.

Why should you go beyond simply loving those who love you? Because that’s the way God operates: he loves the saints and he also loves the worst sinner in hell. Now, is that easy to do? Of course not. But that’s what Jesus calls us to: be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Video reflection by Fr. Roger Lopez, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua
The Book of Isaiah, chapter sixty-one, verses one, two, & three(d);
Psalm Eighty-nine, verses two & three, four & five, twenty-one & twenty-two, & twenty-five & twenty-seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses one thru nine.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The love that comes from the Eucharist is a love that radiates in the fusion of hearts, in affection, in union, in forgiveness. It makes us see that we have to spend ourselves for the sake of others, for the little ones, the poor, the sick, prisoners, exiles, the suffering."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 29 May)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"My slightest sighs, my greatest sufferings, my sorrows & my joys, my little sacrifices: my flowers, Jesus, for you."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Who were the tempters from the cross? Satan was the tempter at the beginning, telling Jesus how He could win the world without a cross, by allowing people to feed their own instincts, or by doing something spectacular like flying to the moon or jumping from a steeple. He also tempted Jesus to develop a theology which was increasingly important in His century, & destructive. This theology is politics. The world belongs to me, says Satan. So Satan was the first to tempt Him from the cross. Then Peter tempted Jesus; that was why he was called Satan. And finally on the cross, the enemies came & said: Come down & we will believe. They would believe. But would they believe that he was the Son of God? Certainly. Believe that he founded a Church? Yes. Believe in the Eucharist? Yes. Only come down from that cross. That's all we ask. Come down & we would believe."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)