Saints + Scripture

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

The Popish Plot
"Bonus Episode: From 'Whistle Pig Extravaganza!'"

'Tis the festival of Saint Brigid of Kildare, Abbess (circa 451-525 also spelt Bride, etc.; A.K.A. Ffraid, of Ireland), co-patroness of Ireland, first (I) abbess of the Monastery of Kildare, foundress of many monasteries besides: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Kildare.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Kildare is an Anglicization of the Irish Cill Dara, meaning "church of the oak."

'Tis also the festival of Saint Darlugdach of Kildare, Abbess (died circa 526), second (II) abbess of the Monastery of Kildare: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Kildare.

Commentary: St. Darlugdach died one year to the day after her predecessor as abbess, St. Brigid.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Severus of Avranches, Bishop (died circa 690), Bishop of Avranches: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Avranches, Diocese-link Coutances, & Wikipedia-link Coutances–Avranches.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed John of the Grating, Bishop & Abbot, O.Cist. (1098-1163), first (I) Bishop of Saint-Malo (1146-1163), founder of the abbeys of Sainte-Croix de Guingamp & Saint-Jacques de Montfort: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Saint-Malo.

Commentary: The epithet "of the Grating" derives from Bl. John's shrine, & was thus bestowed posthumously.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Conor O'Devany, Bishop (O.F.M.), & Patrick O'Loughran, Priest, Martyrs (died 1612; A.K.A. Cornelius O'Devany, Concobhar Ó Duibheannaigh; A.K.A. Patrick O'Lougham, Pádraig Ó Lochráin), Bishop of Down & Connor (1582-1612); martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king James VI & I, two of the Irish Martyrs: Martyr-link Charlie Oscar & Wikipedia-link Charlie Oscar, Martyr-link Papa Oscar & Wikipedia-link Papa Oscar; Wikipedia-link Down & Connor; & Martyrs-link Éire & Wikipedia-link Éire.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Henry Morse, Priest & Martyr, S.J. (1595-1645), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king Charles I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Book of Samuel, chapter twelve, verses one thru seven(a) & ten thru seventeen;
Psalm Fifty-one (R/. twelve[a]), verses twelve & thirteen, fourteen & fifteen, & sixteen & seventeen;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter four, verses thirty-five thru forty-one.

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

Friends, in this wonderful story of the calming of the storm at sea, we witness the spiritual dynamics of fear and trust. Making their way across the lake, the disciples stand symbolically for all of us journeying through life. When they confront the mighty waves, they are immediately filled with terror. Similarly, when the trials and anxieties of life confront us, the first reaction is fear.

Jesus is "asleep on a cushion." He stands for the divine power that is "asleep" within all of us. He symbolizes that divine energy which remains unaffected by the fear-storms generated by the grasping ego.

At a spiritual level, we see that this divine power successfully calms the waves: "He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’"

This beautiful narrative suggests that if we but awaken to the presence of Christ within us, then we can withstand even the most frightening storms. When, at the close of the story, Jesus asked the bewildered disciples, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" he is wondering why they have not yet experienced the change of heart necessary for living in the kingdom of God.

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

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 20
The Book of Exodus, chapter eight, verses twenty thru thirty-two.

Commentary: The Fourth Plague: Swarms of Flies (Exodus, 8:20-32).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"'To be perfect'means to love God not a little, but a great deal. It means not to stop at the point at which we have arrived, but with His help to progress in love."
—Pope Ven. John Paul I (1912-1978, r. 1978)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"The Lord is testing His Church. This testing is like the story of Gideon. Here's this great leader of the army of Israel, with an army of thirty thousand soldiers to do battle with an army of fifty thousand. What does God say to him? He said, 'Your army's too great. Tell the cowards to leave.' How many cowards were there? Twenty thousand: two out of three. God thins his ranks. Then He said to Gideon: 'Your army is still too great, for if you win it would seem it was through your own power. Send them to the river & watch them drink.' Some of them threw themselves prone on their stomachs & drank leisurely, comfortably, & to the full. Others ran along the bank, lapping up the water with their hands, & drinking in the fashion of dogs. And God said, 'That's your army, three hundred, & I'll be with you.' So God is thinning our ranks now as then, because we are preparing for a stronger & more holy church."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)