'Tis the festival of Our Lady of Loreto & the Translation of the Holy House (1291-1294): Madonna-link, Holy House-link, & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Miltiades, Pope (died 314, A.K.A. Melchiades the African), thirty-second (XXXII) Bishop of Rome (311-314), a foe of the Donatist heresy: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontifex-link & Wikipedia-link Pontifex; & Heresy-link Donatism & Wikipedia-link Donatism.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Gregory III, Pope (died 741), ninetieth (XC) Bishop of Rome (731-741), a foe of the Byzantine iconoclastic heresy: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontifex-link & Wikipedia-link Pontifex; & Heresy-link Iconoclasm & Wikipedia-link Iconoclasm.
'Tis also the festival of Saints Edmund Gennings, Polydore Plasden, & Eustace White, Priests; & Swithun Wells, Martyrs (died 1591), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, four of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Echo Golf & Wikipedia-link Echo Golf, Martyr-link Papa Papa & Wikipedia-link Papa Papa, Martyr-link Echo Whiskey & Wikipedia-link Echo Whiskey, & Martyr-link Sierra Whiskey & Wikipedia-link Sierra Whiskey; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.
'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Sidney Hodgson, Brian Lacey, & John Mason, Martyrs (died 1591), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I: Martyr-link Sierra Hotel & Wikipedia-link Sierra Hotel, Martyr-link Bravo Lima, Martyr-link Juliett Mike, & Wikipedia-link Trio.
'Tis also the festival of Saint John Roberts, Priest & Martyr, O.S.B. (1577-1610), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king James VI & I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales; & founder of the Benedictines that eventually founded Downside Abbey: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales; Wikipedia-link Downside.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Thomas Somers, Priest & Martyr (died 1610, A.K.A. Thomas Wilson), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king James VI & I: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm Ninety-six, verses one & two, three & ten(a/c), eleven & twelve, & thirteen
(R/. the Book of Isaiah, chapter forty, verse ten[a/b]);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eighteen, verses twelve, thirteen, & fourteen.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus asks: "If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?" Well, of course not! No self-respecting shepherd would ever think of doing that. If you were a shepherd, you’d cut your losses. That sheep is probably dead anyway if it wandered far enough away.Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
But we are to understand that God is like that foolish shepherd. God’s love throws caution to the wind to seek out the lost sheep. We might expect God to be good to those who are good, and kind to those who follow his commandments. Those who don’t, who wander away, are simply lost. God might give them a few minutes, but then they’re on their own.
No; God is like this kooky shepherd. God loves irrationally, exuberantly risking it all in order to find the one who wandered away. What good news: God does not love according to a strict justice on our terms, but loves in his own extravagant way.
Reflect: Meditate on a time when you were the one lost sheep and received the extravagant, irrational love of God.
"Advent of Hope" reflection (Array of Hope):
It is very common for us to focus on what we do, our accomplishments and our own efforts. We lose hope sometimes because we get so frustrated with all our failures and short comings. Sometimes we feel that we have done all we can do, but that never seems to be enough. It’s so important to recognize that God is constantly searching for us with love. He is our dynamic Good Shepherd who seeks the lost and rejoices when one is found.Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Loretto
Think of a game of hide and seek: it is so much easier to allow yourself to be found rather than to have the responsibility to find someone else. God is doing the seeking and we must allow ourselves to be found. Do not be afraid to call out to Him. God knows us, our weaknesses, failures, sins and strengths. Surrender your heart and let yourself be wrapped up in the embrace of the Holy Spirit. How refreshing it is to know that we are being cared for! The burden of finding God is not on us! No matter how far we stray, He is actively pursuing us, loves us unconditionally and rejoices when we come to Him.
This Advent, may we allow ourselves to be found by our most loving Father!
Hide no longer! In your prayer-time today, actually call out to the Father and let yourself be found, let yourself be helped by Him. Today, surrender!
The Book of Isaiah, chapter seven, verses ten thru fourteen & chapter eight, verse ten;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one (R/. forty-nine), verses forty-six & forty-seven, forty-eight & forty-nine, fifty & fifty-one, fifty-two & fifty-three, & fifty-four & fifty-five;
(or, R/. "O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father");
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses twenty-six thru thirty-eight.
Commentary: Today's daily e-mail from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (U.S.C.C.B.) is the first time I've ever heard of the observance of Our Lady of Loretto as an Optional Memorial. None of the other resources I use make any reference to today as an Optional Memorial, not in the slightest. Further muddying the waters, the link in the U.S.C.C.B. e-mail identified Our Lady of Loretto as both a Memorial (obligatory) & an Optional Memorial. Your guess is as good as mine.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"Narazeth is the school in which one can begin to understand the life of Jesus: the school of the Gospel. Here one learns to watch, to listen, to meditate, & to penetrate the most profound & mysterious meaning of this manifestation of the Son of God."Saint Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John XXIII (1881-1963, feast day: 11 October)
"Through her, as through a pure crystal, Your mercy was passed on to us. Through her, man became pleasing to God; through her, streams of grace flowed down upon us."
—St. Maria Faustyna of the Blessed Sacrament (1905-1938, feast day: 5 October)
Chesterton Quote o' the Day
"Christmas has become too commercial; so many of these thinkers would destroy the Christmas that has been spoiled, & preserve the commercialism that has spoiled it."
—G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
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