Saints + Scripture: XXIX Sunday in Tempus per annum

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

'Tis the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time during the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Book of Exodus, chapter seventeen, verses eight thru thirteen;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-one (R/. confer two), verses one & rwo, three & four, five & six, & seven & eight;
The second Letter to Timothy, chapter three, verse fourteen thru chapter four, verse two;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eighteen, verses one thru eight.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel exhorts us to pray with persistence. This command is everywhere in the Bible. We see it in Abraham’s steady petition on behalf of the people of Sodom. We see it in today’s account of the persistent widow. We hear it in Jesus’ extraordinary teaching: "Knock and the door shall be opened to you; seek and you will find; ask and it will be given to you."

One reason that we don’t receive what we want through prayer is that we give up too easily. What could be behind this rule of prayer? Augustine said that God sometimes delays in giving us what we want because he wants our hearts to expand. The more ardently we desire something, the more ready we are when it comes, the more we treasure it. The very act of asking persistently is accomplishing something spiritually important. So when the Lord seems slow to answer your prayer, never give up.

Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Video reflection by Father Claude Burns (uCatholic): Weekend Reflection with Father Pontifex.

Audio reflection by Scott Hahn, Ph.D. (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Breaking the Bread.

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 91: Decision Dome, Day 28
The Book of Joshua, chapter fourteen, verses one thru five.

Commentary: The Distribution of Territory West of the Jordan (Joshua, 14:1-5).

Mass Journal: Week 47
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:

Mass is not about whom you sit next to. It's not about which priest says Mass. It is not about what you wear or who is there. Mass is not about the music. It's not even about the preaching. It is about gathering as a community to give thanks to God for all the blessings He fills our lives with. It is about receiving the Body & Blood of Christ, not just physically, but spiritually. Perhaps you have been receiving the Eucharist physically every Sunday for your whole life. Next Sunday, prepare yourself, be conscious of the marvel, the wonder, the mystery, & receive spiritually.

†

Otherwise, 20 October would be the festival of Saint Irene of Tomar, Virgin & Martyr (circa 635-653), martyred resisting the assassin-cum-rapist dispatched by her spurned stalker Britald: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Acca of Hexham, Bishop & Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 660-742), seventh (VII) Bishop of Hexham, abbot of Saint Andrew's Abbey (A.K.A. Hexham Abbey): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Hexham & Wikipedia-link Saint Andrew's.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Adelina, Abbess, O.S.B. (died 1125), inaugural (I) abbess of Abbaye Blanche ("White Abbey"): Saint-link; Wikipedia-link Abbaye Blanche.

Commentary: Sister of St. Vitalis of Savigny [16 September].

'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Jakub Strzemię, Bishop, O.F.M. Cap. (circa 1340-1411, Anglicized as James of Strepar), sixth (VI) & ultimate Archbishop of Halyč: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Halyč.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Paul of the Cross, Priest, C.P. (1694-1775, "God's Hunter of Souls," A.K.A. Paolo Francesco Danei), founder of the Passionists (C.P.), formally the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Order-link C.P., & Wikipedia-link C.P..

Papal Quote o' the Day

"It is not enough merely to formulate a social doctrine. It must be translated into reality. This is particularly true of the Church's social doctrine, which has truth as its light, justice as its objective, & love as its driving force."
—Pope St. John XXIII (1881-1963, feast day: 11 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Hope expands the heart, increases courage, & lovingly places us in the hands of God."
—St. Paul of the Cross (1694-1775, feast day: 20 October)

Chesterton Quote o' the Day

"Man has mastery of all things except himself."
—G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)