Saints + Scripture

9 Days for Life: Day 1
May the tragic practice of abortion end.

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin & Martyr (circa 291-304, of Rome, A.K.A. Ines), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian, a victim of the Great Persecution; martyred at the site of the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone & buried in the Catacombs of Saint Agnes, atop which sits the basilica of Sant'Agnese fuori le mura ("outside the walls"): Martyr-link ūna, Martyr-link duæ, Martyr-link Array of Hope, & Wikipedia-link; Persecutions-link, & Wikipedia-link Great Persecution; & Wikipedia-link Sant'Agnese in Agone, Wikipedia-link Catacombs of Saint Agnes, & Wikipedia-link Sant'Agnese fuori le mura.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Agnes is dep[icted in at with a lamb, evoking her name which resembles the Latin word of "lamb," agnus (the given name is Greek, from hagnē ἁγνή "chaste, pure"). She is also shown with a martyr's palm. She is the patron saint of girls & chastity.

Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

"Despite her youth, St. Agnes experienced the victorious strength of the love of Christ. Sustained by that inner force, she was able to 'conquer overwhelmingly.' May she be your model of courage & generosity in every event of your life."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast day: 22 October)

'Tis also the festival of Saint Publius of Malta, Bishop & Martyr (circa 20-112, A.K.A. of Athens), fourth (IV) Bishop of Athens (90-112), first (I) Bishop of Malta (60-90), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Trajan: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Athens, Wikipedia-link Malta, & Persecutions-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Bríga of Kilbride, Abbess (sixth century; also spelt Brigid, A.K.A. of Killbrige), founding abbess of the monastery at Oughter Ard: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Oughter Ard.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Meinrad of Einsiedeln, Priest & Martyr, O.S.B. (circa 797-861, the "Martyr of Hospitality;" A.K.A. of Reichenau), martyred by brigands once they discovered he possessed nothing worth stealing; atop his hermitage was later build Einsiedeln Abbey: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Einsiedeln.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Edward Stransham, Priest & Martyr (1557-1586), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the one hundred sixty Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Nicholas Woodfen, Priest & Martyr (1550-1586; A.K.A. Nicholas Wheeler, Nicholas Devereux), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyr-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

Commentary: Bls. Edward & Nicholas were matryed together @ Tyburn: Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Alban Roe, Priest & Martyr, O.S.B. (1583-1642), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king Charles I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyr-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
The First Book of Samuel, chapter sixteen, verses one thru thirteen;
Psalm Eighty-nine (R/. twenty-one[a]), verses twenty, twenty-one & twenty-two, & twenty-seven & twenty-eight;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter two, verses twenty-three thru twenty-eight.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus acknowledges that he is the Lord.

And the claim of the first Christians was Iesous Kyrios/—Jesus is Lord. This was bound to annoy both Jews and Gentiles. The Jews would be massively put off by the use of the term Kyrios in describing an ordinary human being. Moreover, the implication that this man was the Messiah of Israel—when he had died at the hands of Israel’s enemies—was simply blasphemous.

And for the Greeks, this claim was subversive, for a watchword of the time was Kaiser Kyrios—the Emperor is Lord. A new system of allegiance was being proposed, a new type of ordering and lordship—and this was indeed a threat to the regnant system.

Christians should enter the public arena boldly and confidently, for we are not announcing a private or personal spirituality, but rather declaring a new King under whose lordship everything must fall. If Jesus is truly Lord, then government, business, family life, the arts, sexuality, and entertainment all come properly under his headship.

Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (U.S. Con. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Agnes
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter one, verses twenty-six thru thirty-one;
Psalm Twenty-three (R/. one), verses one(b), two, & three(a); four; five; & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses forty-four, forty-five, & forty-six.

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 9
The Book of Exodus, chapter four, verses ten thru seventeen.

Commentary: God Gives Moses Help for His Mission (concluded; Exodus, 4:10-17).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Our defense of the innocent unborn needs to be clear, firm, & passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred & demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development. Equally sacred, however, are the lives of the poor, those already born, the destitute, the abandoned & the underprivileged, the vulnerable infirm & elderly exposed to covert euthanasia, the victims of human trafficking, new forms of slavery, & every form of rejection."
—Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate № 101 (b. 1936, r. 2013-present)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Christ has made my soul beautiful with the jewels of grace & virtue."
—St. Agnes (291-304, feast day: 21 January)

Christian Quote o' the Day

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
—Martin Luther King Junior (1929-1968)