'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Sylvester I, Pope (died 335), thirty-third (XXXIII) Bishop of Rome (314-335): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, Wikipedia-link, & Wikipedia-link Saint Sylvester's Day; Pontifex-link, & Wikipedia-link Pontifex.
Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
The most important event of his reign was the Council of Nicaea in May 325, which condemned the Alexandrian Christian priest Arius, founder of Arianism, a heretical doctrine teaching that God the Son (Jesus) was neither equal with God the Father nor eternal.Wikipedia-link Nicaea, Heresy-link Arianism, & Wikipedia-link Arianism
'Tis also the festival of Saints Savinian & Potentian of Sens, Martyrs & Bishops (died circa 390, also spelt Sabinian), first (I) & second (II) Bishops of Sens, martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Theodosius I the Great: Martyr-link Sierra, Martyr-link Papa, & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Sens & Wikipedia-link Sens.
'Tis also the festival of Saints Valerius Pinianus, Abbot, & Melania the Younger, Abbess (circa 381-420 & 383-439, A.K.A. Pinian), husband & wife, who took vows of celibacy after the deaths of their children: Saint-link Papa & Wikipedia-link Papa, Saint-link Mike & Wikipedia-link Mike.
Commentary: St. Melania the Younger, granddaughter St. Melania the Elder [8 June].
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Wisinto of Kremsmünster, Priest, O.S.B. (died circa 1250): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Jean-François Régis, Priest, S.J. (1597-1640, Anglicized as John Francis Regis): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
The First Letter of John, chapter two, verses eighteen thru twenty-one;
Psalm Ninety-six (R/. eleven[a]), verses one & two, eleven & twelve, & thirteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter one, verses one thru eighteen.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel comes to its climax with the magnificent phrase: "And the Word became flesh and lived among us."Video reflection by Bishop Mitchell Rozanski (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
The gnostic temptation has tugged at the Church, on and off, for nearly the past two thousand years. This is the suggestion, common to all forms of puritanism, that the spiritual is attained through a negation of the material. But authentic Christianity, inspired by this stunning claim of St. John, has consistently held off gnosticism, for it knows that the Word of God took to himself a human nature and thereby elevated all of matter and made it a sacrament of the divine presence.
The Greek phrase behind "lived among us" is literally translated as "tabernacled among us" or "pitched his tent among us." No Jew of John’s time would have missed the wonderful connection implied between Jesus and the temple. According to the book of Exodus, the Ark of the Covenant—the embodiment of Yahweh’s presence—was originally housed in a tent or tabernacle. The evangelist is telling us that now, in the flesh of Jesus, Yahweh has established his definitive tabernacle among us.
Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Sylvester I
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter thirty-four, verses eleven thru sixteen;
Psalm Twenty-three (R/. one), verses one, two, & three(a); four; five; & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter sixteen, verses thirteen thru nineteen.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"Time is precious, it passes quickly. Time is a phase during which we make choices for our decisive & definitive state. Our fidelity to our duties decides our future & eternal fate. Time is a gift from God."Christian Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 29 May)
"Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world."Chesterton Quote o' the Day
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)
"To have such an adventure as Christmas is to make an adventure recurrent & therefore, in one sense, to make an adventure everlasting."
—G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
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