Saints + Scripture: XXXIII Sunday in Tempus per annum

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

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Book of Malachi, chapter three, verses nineteen & twenty(a);
Psalm Ninety-eight (R/. cf. nine), verses five & six, seven & eight, & nine;
The Second Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter three, verses seven thru twelve;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-one, verses five thru nineteen.

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

Friends, today in the Gospel Jesus describes the world’s violent resistance to the establishment of God’s kingdom. From the earliest days until the present, the community of Jesus Christ has been the focus of the world’s violence. The old principle of "killing the messenger" applies here. The Church will announce, until the end of time, that the old world is passing away, that a new world of love, nonviolence, and life is emerging. This announcement always infuriates the world of sin—always. The twentieth century proved this by being the bloodiest on record, and the century with the most martyrs.

Jesus promises to give us "a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute." What do we do in the meantime? We maintain a detachment from this world that is passing away, our eyes fixed on the world that will never end. And we speak—confidently, boldly, provocatively—the message of the Gospel, the dying and rising of the Lord.

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

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

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 91: Relativism Ridge, Day 13
The Book of Judges, chapter six, verses thirty-three thru forty.

Commentary: Gideon Destroys the Altar of Baal (concluded; Judges, 6:33-35) & the Sign of the Fleece (Judges, 6:36-40).

Mass Journal: Week 51
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:

The early Church was unstoppable, & as far as I can tell, it was because they followed this simple strategy. They believed that the values & principles of the Gospel were the best way to live. They nurtured friendships. They were deeply committed to a life of prayer. They were courageous in telling their story. They were generous & welcoming. Friendship is the original model of evangelization, & it is the model that will triumph in the modern context Friendship establishes trust & mutual respect, which together bring about the openness & acceptance that give birth to vulnerable dialogue. Only then can we begin addressing the questions that every human heart longs to answer: Who am I? Where did I come from? What am I here for? How do I do it? Where am I going? Friendship is the key to evangelization.

†

Otherwise, 17 November would be festival of Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus, Bishop (circa 213-270, of Neocaesarea, of Pontus; A.K.A. Theodore), Bishop of Neocaesarea: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Neocaesarea.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. The epithet Thaumaturgus means "wonder-" or "miracle-worker."

'Twould also be festival of Saints Acisclus & Victoria of Córdoba, Martyrs (died 304), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian, victims of the Great Persecution (303-313): Martyr-link Alpha, Martyr-link Victor, & Wikipedia-link; Persecutions-link & Wikipedia-link Great Persecution.

'Twould also be festival of Saint Gregory of Tours, Bishop (circa 538-594, A.K.A. Georgius Florentius), Bishop of Tours: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Tours & Wikipedia-link Tours.

Commentary: Great-nephew of St. Eustadius [3 January].

'Twould also be festival of Saint Hilda of Whitby, Abbess, O.S.B. (circa 614-680, also spelt Hild), second (II) abbess of Hartlepool Abbey, founding (I) abbess of Whitby Abbey (A.K.A. Streanæshealh): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Hartlepool & Wikipedia-link Whitby.

Commentary: Grand-niece of St. Edwin of Northumbria [12 October] & sister of St. Hereswitha [3 September].

'Twould also be festival of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious, T.O.S.F. (1207-1231, A.K.A. of Thuringia): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Descendant of Ss. Olga of Kiev [11 July] & Vladimir of Kiev [15 July]; niece of St. Hedwig of Silesia [16 October]; mother of Bl. Gertrude of Aldenberg [13 August]; aunt of Ss. Margaret of Hungary [18 January] & Kinga of Poland [24 July], & Bl. Yolanda of Poland [11 June]; & great-aunt of St. Elizabeth of Portugal [4 July].

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The laity, because of their vocation to be salt of the earth 7 the light of the world, should be well grounded in the Church's social doctrine. Then, through their presence in public life, they should contribute to strengthening the fabric of society."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, He can work through anyone."
—St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226, feast day: 4 October)

Chesterton Quote o' the Day

"All architecture is great architecture after sunset; perhaps architecture is really a nocturnal art, like the art of fireworks."
—G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)