Saints + Scripture

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

9 Days for Life: Day 4
May expectant fathers lovingly support the mothers of their children in welcoming new life.

The Popish Plot
"Week of Prayer for Christian Unity"

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop & Doctor of the Church, C.O., O.M., O.F.M. Cap. (1567-1622, the "Gentleman Saint"), Bishop of Geneva (1602-1622), author of Introduction to the Devout Life; co-founder of the Visitation Sisters, formally the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (V.H.M.): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Geneva, Doctors-link & Wikipedia-link Doctors, & Wikipedia-link Introduction to the Devout Life; & Order-link V.H.M. & Wikipedia-link V.H.M.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

His ardent love of God & soul, his great kindliness, rare wisdom, & sure teaching made St. Francis exceptionally influential in bringing abotu conversions & in guiding souls in the spiritual life. He won back to the faith more than seventy thousand (70,000) heretics, thus restoring to the Church a great part of the Chablais, which had been ravaged by Protestantism.

Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

O Lord, St. Francis de Sales spoke about how people can encounter You in the ordinary circumstances of their life. May his life & teachings call me to a greater commitment to spiritual growth.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Felician of Foligno, Bishop & Martyr (circa 158-250), Bishop of Foligno (193-250), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Decius, a victim of the Decian Persecution; first bishop to receive the pallium: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Foligno, Persecutions-link & Wikipedia-link Decian Persecution, & Pallium-link & Wikipedia-link Pallium.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Exuperantius of Cingoli, Bishop (floruit 496), Bishop of Cingoli: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Cingoli.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds William Ireland, Priest (S.J.), & John Grove, Martyrs (died 1679, A.K.A. William Ironmonger), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king Charles II, victims of the perjurer Titus Oates's "Popish Plot" hoax: Martyr-link Whiskey India, Martyr-link Juliett Golf, & Wikipedia-link; Popish Plot-link & Wikipedia-link Popish Plot.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Marie Poussepin, Religious, T.O.S.D. (1653-1744), foundress of the Jacobines, formally the Dominican Sisters of Charity of the Presentation of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Tours: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Order-link Dominican Sisters.

'Tis also the festival of the thirteen Martyrs of Pratulin (died 1874, A.K.A. the Martyrs of Podlasie), martyred in the reign of the Russian emperor Alexander II: Martyrs-link & Wikipedia-link Pratulin.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
The First Book of Samuel, chapter twenty-four, verses three thru twenty-one;
Psalm Fifty-seven (R/. two[a]), verses two, three & four, & six & eleven;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter three, verses thirteen thru nineteen.

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

Friends, today in the Gospel Jesus gathers his disciples. And he appointed twelve Apostles "that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach."

St. Thérèse of Lisieux tells us that she endeavored to write down her spiritual memoir at the prompting of her sister, who was also her religious superior to whom she was bound in obedience. After praying that she say nothing displeasing to Christ, she took up the Gospel of Mark, and her eyes fell on these words: "He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him."

This verse, she says, is the interpretive key to her life, for it describes the way Christ has worked in her soul: "He does not call those who are worthy, but those whom he pleases." Hers was a story of a divine love, graciously willing the good of the other, that awakens an imitative reaction in the one who is loved.

It is not a narrative of economic exchange—rewards for worthiness—but of the loop of grace, unmerited love engendering disinterested love, the divine life propagating itself in what is other.

Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D. (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Francis de Sales
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter three, verses eight thru twelve;
Psalm Thirty-seven (R/. thirty[a]), verses three & four, five & six, & thirty & thirty-one;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses nine thru seventeen.

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 12
The Book of Exodus, chapter five, verses five thru twenty-one.

Commentary: Bricks without Straw (continued; Exodus, 5:5-21).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"(The Gospel of Life) is the proclamation that Jesus has a unique relationship with every person, which enables us to see in every human face the face of Christ."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great, Evangelium Vitae № 81 (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast day: 22 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"A man of the theater came to see me a few years ago. His reason was this: one night after a show he was talking to a number of theatrical people backstage & they said to him, 'You are a Catholic, aren't you?'

"And he said, 'I used to be, but I've done considerable reading in comparative religion, psychology, psychiatry, & metaphysics, & I had to give it up. Nobody could answer my questions.'

"Someone said, 'Why don't you go to Bishop Sheen & have him answer your questions?'

"So he said, 'Here I am, & I have a number of questions that I would like to put to you.'

"I said to him, 'Now before you ask a single question, you go back to the hotel where you are living, get rid of that chorus girl you're living with, & then come back & ask the questions.'

"He threw up his hands & laughed, & he said, 'Oh, certainly. I am trying to fool you just like I tried to fool myself.' That's the reason.

"I saw him not very long ago & I said, 'Well, you are still off the track aren't you?'

"'Yes,' he said, 'but I have not thrown away the map.' Now here was a perfect example of someone covering up conscience."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Proverb of the Day (Jeremiah, 1:5)

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you.