Saints + Scripture

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

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin & Martyr (circa 287-306, A.K.A. of the Wheel), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Maxentius & Galerius, a victim of the Great Persecution; one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers: Martyr-link ūna, Martyr-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link; Persecution-link & Wikipedia-link Great Persecution; & Holy Helpers-link & Wikipedia-link Holy Helpers.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

It is said that she visited her contemporary, the Roman emperor Maxentius, & tried to persuade him to stop persecuting Christians. She succeeded in converting his wife, the Empress. The Emperor send fifty pagan wise men to dispute with her, but she overcame all their arguments & all were subsequently burnt alive for their failure to convince her. She refused to deny her faith & marry the Emperor. He had her beaten for two hours & imprisoned. The Emperor than had her tortured on a spiked wheel, but it fell to pieces & she remained unhurt, although some spectators her willed by flying splinters.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Peter of Alexandria, Bishop & Martyr (died 311, A.K.A. Pope Peter I of Alexandria), seventeenth (XVII) Pope of Alexandria, martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Maxentius & Galerius, a victim of the Great Persecution: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Alexandria & Wikipedia-link Alexandria, Persecution-link & Wikipedia-link Great Persecution.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Alan of Lavaur, Abbot (seventh century), founder of an abbey at Lavaur, namesake of the Cathédrale Saint-Alain de Lavaur: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Saint-Alain de Lavaur.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Beatrice of Ornacieux, Religious, O.Cart. (circa 1240-1309, A.K.A. of Eymeu), co-foundress of the charterhouse at Eymeu: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Elizabeth of Reute, Religious, T.O.R. (1386-1420, A.K.A. Elizabeth Achler), a stigmatist: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Stigmata-link & Wikipedia-link Stigmata.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Daniel, chapter one, verses one thru six & eight thru twenty;
The Book of Daniel, chapter three (R/. fifty-two[b]), verses fifty-two, fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-five, & fifty-six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-one, verses one thru four.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel tells of the poor widow who gave her last penny to the temple treasury. Her behavior makes us consider our possessiveness. What do we tell ourselves all the time? That we’re not happy because we don’t have all the things that we should have or that we want to have. What follows from this is that life becomes a constant quest to get, to acquire, to attain possessions.

Do you remember the parable about the foolish rich man? When his barns were filled with all his possessions, he decided to tear them down and build bigger ones. Why is he a fool? Because (and I want you to repeat this to yourself as I say it) you have everything you need right now to be happy.

What makes you happy is always right in front of you because what makes you happy is love. Love is willing the good of the other, opening yourself to the world around you. Love is not a feeling. It’s an act of the will. It is the great act of dispossession.

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

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Catherine of Alexandria
The Book of Revelation, chapter twenty-one, verses five, six, & seven;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-four (R/. seven), verses two & three, four & five, & seven(c/d) & eight;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses Z.

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 91: Relativism Ridge, Day 21
The Book of Judges, chapter fourteen, verses ten thru twenty.

Commentary: Samson's Marriage at Timnah (concluded; Judges, 14:10-20).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The way that God is seen in this world is by following Christ; seeing is going, is being on the way for our whole life toward the living God, whereby Jesus Christ, by the entire way that He walked, especially by the Paschal Mystery of His suffering, death, Resurrection, & Ascension, presents us with the itinerary."
—Pope Benedict XVI (born 1927, reigned 2005-2013)

Christian Quote o' the Day

"Sainthood lies in the habit of referring the smallest actions to God."
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)

Chesterton Quote o' the Day

"It was the problem of how men could be made to realise the wonder & splendour of being alive, in environments which their own daily criticism treated as dead-alive, & which their imagination had left for dead."
—G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)