Saints + Scripture

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, Religious, V.H.M. (1572-1641, A.K.A. Jeanne-Françoise Frémiot), co-foundress of the Visitation Sisters (V.H.M., with the Doctor of the Church St. Francis de Sales [24 January]), formally the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ & Wikipedia-link; Order-link V.H.M. & Wikipedia-link V.H.M.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

[St.] Francis de Sales became her spiritual director. She started the Congregation of the Visitation. The order accepted women who ere rejected by other orders because of poor health or age. During its first eight years,the new order also was unusual in its public outreach, in contrast to most female religious who remained cloistered.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Jænberht of Canterbury, Bishop & Abbot (died 792, also spelt Jambert), abbot of Saint Augustine's Abbey & fourteenth (XIV) Archbishop of Canterbury: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link St. Augustine's, Diocese-link Canterbury, Wikipedia-link Canterbury, & Wikipedia-link Archbishops.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Innocent XI, Pope (1611-1689, the "Savior of Hungary;" A.K.A. Benedetto Odescalchi), two hundred fortieth (CCXL) Bishop of Rome: Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontiffs-link & Wikipedia-link Pontiff.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Józef Straszewski, Priest & Martyr (1885-1942), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List, № 42); Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Karl Leisner, Priest & Martyr (1915-1945), martyred by the regime of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, which he outlived: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Bl. Karl died of tuberculosis in August 1945; he is accounted a martyr because of the brutality & medical experiments to which he was subjected in the Dachau Concentration Camp's Priest Barracks (Wikipedia-link Priesterblock).

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter ten, verses twelve thru twenty-two;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-seven, verses twelve & thirteen, fourteen & fifteen, & nineteen & twenty;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter seventeen, verses twenty-two thru twenty-seven.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus prophesies his crucifixion and resurrection: “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day."

What enabled the first Christians to hold up the cross, to sing its praises, to wear it as a decoration, is the fact that God raised up and ratified precisely this crucified Jesus. “You killed him, but God raised him up.” Therefore, God was involved in this terrible thing; God was there, working out his salvific purposes.

But what does this mean? There have been numerous attempts throughout the Christian centuries to name the salvific nature of the cross. Let me offer just one take on it. It became clear to the first Christians that somehow, on that terrible cross, sin had been dealt with. The curse of sin had been removed, taken care of. On that terrible cross, Jesus functioned as the “lamb of God,” sacrificed for sin.

Does this mean God the Father is a cruel taskmaster demanding a bloody sacrifice so that his anger might be appeased? No; Jesus’ crucifixion was the opening up of the divine heart so that we could see that no sin of ours could finally separate us from the love of God.

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

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Jane Frances de Chantal
The Book of Proverbs, chapter thirty-one, verses ten thru thirteen, nineteen & twenty, & thirty & thirty-one;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-one, verses one(b/c/d/e), two, & three;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter three, verses thirty-one thru thirty-five.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Progeny Point, Day 15
The Book of Genesis, chapter thirty-two, verses three thru twenty-one & chapter thirty-three, verses one thru four.

Commentary: Jacob Sends Gifts to Appease Esau (Genesis, 32:3-21) & Jacob & Esau Meet (Genesis, 33:1-4).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Let us restore in ourselves the right awareness of sin, which is not frightening. The awareness of goodwill grows in opposition to the awareness of evil. The sense of responsibility will grow, rising from inner moral judgment & widening to the sense of our duties, personal, social, & religious"
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 29 May)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Hold your eyes on God & leave the doing to Him. That is all the doing you have to worry about."
—St. Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641, feast day: 12 August)