Saints + Scripture

Gracefully Catholic
"The Bishop of the Moon"

'Tis the festival of Saint Epaphras of Colosse, Bishop & Martyr (died circa 64),martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Nero: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Mentioned in St.Paul's [25 January, 29 June] epistles to the Colossians & to Philemon.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Macrina the Younger, Virgin (circa 327-379): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. The granddaughter & namesake of St. Macrina the Elder [14 January], the daughter of Ss. Basil the Elder & Emmelia [30 May], & the sister of Ss. Basil the Great [2 January], Naucratius [?], Peter of Sebaste [9 January], & Gregory of Nyssa [10 January].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Symmachus, Pope (circa 460-514), fifty-first (LI) Bishop of Rome, who worked against both the Antipope Laurentius & the Acacian schism: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontiffs-link & Wikipedia-link Pontiff; & Wikipedia-link Antipope & Wikipedia-link Schism.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ambrose Autpert, Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 730-784), abbot of the abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Abbey.

'Tis also the festival of Saint John Plessington, Priest & Martyr (circa 1637-1679, A.K.A. William Scarisbrick), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king Charles II, a victim of the perjurer Titus Oates's "Popish Plot" hoax; one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Plot-link & Wikipedia-link Plot, Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Exodus, chapter eleven, verse ten thru chapter twelve, verse fourteen;
Psalm One Hundred Sixteen, verses twelve & thirteen, fifteen & sixteen(b,c), & seventeen & eighteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twelve, verses one thru eight.

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

Friends, again and again in the Gospels, Jesus is portrayed as violating the sacred command to rest on the seventh day. For example, he often cures on the Sabbath, much to the dismay of the protectors of Jewish law.

And then in today’s Gospel, after his disciples pick grain on the Sabbath, Jesus declares himself "Lord of the Sabbath." It’s hard to express how breathtaking this claim would be for a first-century Jew to make. Yahweh alone could be assigned the title "Lord of the Sabbath," so what is Jesus implying?

In short, he is claiming that he is above their rituals, even perhaps the defining practice of pious Jews, because he is the Lord. Thus, the rules must be placed in subordination to the kingdom of God, the kingdom that the Lord Jesus is ushering in even here and now.

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

Scripture Study—Day 91: Covenant Crag, Day 33
The Book of Genesis, chapter twenty-four, verses one, two, four, & ten thru fifteen.

Commentary: The Marriage of Isaac & Rebekah (Genesis, 24:1-2, 4, 10-15).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Instead of being just a church that welcomes & receives by keeping the doors open, let us try also to be a church that finds new roads, that is able to step outside itself & go to those who do not attend Mass, to those who have quit or are indifferent."
—Pope Francis (born 1936, reigning since 2013)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"But despite their differences of nature & moral gravity, contraception & abortion are often closely connected, as fruits of the same tree."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)