Saints + Scripture: The Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle

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

'Tis the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle: Apostle-link ūnus, Apostle-link duo, Apostle-link trēs, Wikipedia-link Cathedra Petri, & Wikipedia-link Feast.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

[The Chair of Saint Peter] is a relic conserved in Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the sovereign enclave of the Pope inside Rome. The relic is a wooden throne that tradition claims the Apostle Saint Peter, the leader of the early Christians in Rome & the first Pope, used as Bishop of Rome.

Wikipedia-link Saint Peter's Basilica & Wikipedia-link Vatican City

Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

O Lord, protect & guide those who have been given authority in the Church, especially Pope Francis & our Bishop Earl Boyea. Make them generous & courageous in the exercise of their ministry.

Wikipedia-link Pope Francis & Wikipedia-link Earl Boyea

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle
The First Letter of Peter, chapter five, verses one thru four;
Psalm Twenty-three (R/. one), verses one, two, & three(a); four; five; & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter sixteen, verses thirteen thru nineteen.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus declares that Peter is the rock upon which he will build his Church.

The Church is built not on a worldly foundation but on a mystical foundation, born of Peter’s faith in the revealing God. The Church is neither democratic nor aristocratic—it is charismatic. And this is where its power comes from.

How has the Church managed to survive over the centuries? It is the oldest institution in the West, by far. Nations, empires, and institutions have come and gone, but the Church remains. And the Church, founded on the rock of Peter, is strangely there. Well, we have it from Jesus himself: "The gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it."

Jesus then gives to Peter keys as a sign of his authority: "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven." Chesterton commented on the keys, saying that they are strangely shaped and they are hard. The Church’s creed, elaborating upon the confession of Peter, is a strange and complex business; it is not something that would be contrived by the mind of human beings. And it is hard, unbending, unchanging—for its purpose is to open a very definite door.

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

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 41
The Book of Exodus, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-two thru thirty-six.

Commentary: Manna from Heaven (concluded; Exodus, 16:22-36).

'Tis also the festival of Saint Limnaeus, Hermit (fifth century): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link (List).

'Tis also the festival of Saint Maximianus of Ravenna, Bishop (499-556), first (I) Archbishop of Ravenna (546-556), for whom was carved the magnificent Throne of Maximian: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Ravenna & Wikipedia-link Ravenna, Wikipedia-link Cathedra.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Margaret of Cortona, Religious, T.O.S.F. (1247-1297): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Marie of Jesus, Religious, S.M.R. (1818-1878, A.K.A. Émilie d'Oultremont), foundress of the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix (S.M.R.): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link S.M.R.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Richard Henkes, Priest & Martyr, S.A.C. (1900-1945), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Bl. Richard was beatified on 15 September 2019.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Authority is a duty,a burden, a debt, a ministry to others, to lead them to the life of God It is a channel, an obligatory, necessary, but saving channel, & it is called the care of souls. This is the pastoral function."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"The world in which we live is the battleground of the Church. I believe that we are now living at the end of Christendom. It is the end of Christendom, but not the end of Christianity. What is Christendom? Christendom is the political, economic, moral, social, legal life of a nation as inspired by the gospel ethic. That is finished. Abortion, the breakdown of family life, dishonesty, even the natural virtues upon which the supernatural virtues were based, are being discredited. Christianity is not at the end. But we are at the end of Christendom. And I believe that the sooner we face up to this fact, the sooner we will be able to solve many of our problems."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)