Saints + Scripture: Quadragesima

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

Life without the Eucharist: Day 13
In the now-twice weekly "Monday Morning Ministry Memo" from Thursday, Deborah Amato, Chief of Staff of the Diocese Lansing said that "Most of our priests" are still offering confession. That is great news! I asked if she could furnish a list & she replied that she would do so in Monday's "Ministry Memo." Such was not the case when the "Ministry Memo" arrived in my inbox this morning, but it could well be the case that that memo had been prepared too far in advance. I remain hopeful that I will be able to make my confession sooner rather than later.

'Tis the Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent (meaning "Spring;" the Latin name is Quadragesima, meaning "fortieth"): Quadragesima-link & Wikipedia-link Quadragesima.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
The Book of Daniel, chapter thirteen, verses one thru nine, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, nineteen thru thirty, & thirty-three thru sixty-two
(or, the Book of Daniel, chapter thirteen, verses forty-one[c] thru sixty-two);
Psalm Twenty-three (R/. four [a/b]), verses one, two, & three(a); three(b) & four; five; & six;
The Gospel according to John, chapter eight, verses one thru eleven.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel presents the story of the woman caught in adultery, which is one of the clearest demonstrations of what Catholic philosopher René Girard called the scapegoat mechanism.

The scribes and Pharisees bring to Jesus a woman they had caught in adultery. Where must they have been standing and how long must they have been waiting in order to catch her? Their eagerness to find a victim is testimony to the insatiable human need for scapegoats.

The novelty of the Gospel is revealed in Jesus’ refusal to contribute to the energy of the gathering storm: "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Jesus directs the energy of scapegoating violence back toward the accusers. He unveils the dangerous secret that the unstable order of the society has been predicated upon scapegoating. The Church Fathers emphasized this point with a neat interpretive move: they imagined that Jesus was writing in the sand none other than the sins of those who were threatening the woman.

Then we see, at least in seminal form, the new order: "Go, and from now on do not sin any more." The connection between Jesus and the woman is not the consequence of condemnation but rather the fruit of forgiveness offered and accepted.

Reflect: Reflect on the prevalence of scapegoating in contemporary culture. Think especially about the times when you have been guilty of singling out an individual or some group as a scapegoat.

Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

"Easter of Hope" Reflection (Array of Hope):

In Today’s Gospel, we see that no one but God has the power or authority to condemn us, but the fear of being condemned by those around us can impact us greatly. We base our decisions on what we think will make us accepted. And sometimes we will even sacrifice our morals if they are unpopular. The woman in today’s Gospel was judged in regards to her sin, but so often we find ourselves being judged for fighting to do what is right.

Place yourself in today’s Gospel, what would you have done? It is impossible to please everyone. When we are aiming to please the world, we are not aiming to please God. When we seek Him, the rest will fall into place. This means that sometimes we will not be accepted, but that is a risk of presenting the Truth. More than anyone, Christ understands what it feels like to be mocked and tortured for the sake of righteousness. We have no control over how others react, our responsibility lies in choosing to live as God has intended for us. His judgment is the only one that matters. Just as He freed the woman who committed adultery, Christ chooses to free us from condemnation as well. In accepting this gift of freedom, we must also not condemn our neighbors.

Today’s Tip: Be a bold follower on Christ. Chose not to judge or condemn others but chose to do good. Don’t wait for others to take the lead or worry about the opinions of the crowd. Be an example of courage and faith.

Scripture Study—Wisdom Books
The Book of Sirach, chapter fifty (verses one thru twenty-nine).

Commentary: Simon, Son of Onias; a Benediction, & an Epilogue

Scripture Study—Exodus 90: Day 78
The Book of Exodus, chapter thirty-four, verses one thru nine.

Commentary: New Tables of Stone (Exodus, 34:1-9).

Scripture Study—The 3:16 Project
The Book of Amos, chapter chapter three, verse fifteen.

"I will strike the winter house with the summer house;
& the houses of ivory shall perish,
& the great houses shall come to end end," says the LORD.

Commentary: The third chapter of Amos doesn't have sixteen verses, only fifteen

'Tis the commemoration of Saint Crónán Mochua of Balla, Bishop & Abbot (died 637, A.K.A. Mo Chua, Crónán mac Bécáin), founding bishop & abbot of the diocese & abbey at Balla: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Balla.

'Tis also the commemoration of Saint John Climacus, Abbot (circa 579-649; A.K.A. John Scholasticus, John Sinaites), author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link The Ladder of Divine Ascent.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. "Climacus" is an epithet, meaning "of the ladder."

'Tis also the commemoration of Saint Peter de Regalado, Priest, O.F.M. Conv. (1390-1456, also spelt Peter Regalatus): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the commemoration of Blessed Amadeus of Savoy (1435-1472, A.K.A. Duke Amadeus IX "the Happy" of Savoy): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the commemoration of Saint Ludovico of Casoria, Priest, O.F.M. (1814-1885, A.K.A. Arcangelo Palmentieri), founder of the extinct Gray Friars of Charity (1859) & the extant Gray Sisters of Saint Elizabeth (1862): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the commemoration of Blessed Maria Restituta Kafka, Virgin & Martyr, S.F.C.C. (1894-1943, A.K.A. Helena Kafková), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Proverb o' the Day (Sirach, 50:28-29)

Blessed is he who concerns himself with these things,
& he who lays them to heart will become wise.
For if he does them, he will be strong for all things,
for the light of the Lord is his path.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Above all it is my conviction that all work is a fundamental dimension of human existence on the earth. This is true of all work—from the simplest to the most difficult, from the less paying to the most rewarding."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"St. Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, a letter which he wrote from prison, said: 'It is now my happiness to suffer for you. This is my way of helping to complete in my poor human nature the full tale of Christ's affliction still to be endured for the sake of his body, which is the Church.' Our Lord says, 'It is finished.' Paul says, 'It is not finished.' Certainly the sufferings of our Blessed Lord were finished in Him as the head of the Church, but they are not finished in His Body. The quota of the physical Christ is finished. The quota of the mystical Christ is not. So St. Paul says: I am helping to fill up that quota. And so Christ's wounds are eternally fresh. They're all over the world. They're in those who have the faith, & they're in those who do not have the faith. This vision will come to us as we live close to the cross & meditate on the Passion of our Lord. Nothing gives us so much understanding of the love of God, the sacrificial love, as God coming down to this world from heavenly headquarters & saying, I will take the pain as my own. This vicarious love is the agape love of Christianity. No wonder, then, St. John tells us about the Lamb, the Lamb with the marks of slaughter upon Him. If Christ is in agony until the end of the world, & He is, then our vision changes. The Passion is not a past history like the Battle of Waterloo. So maybe we had better change our lives to be more closely linked with the Lamb who has the marks of slaughter upon Him."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Chesterton Quote o' the Day

"They will tell you the modern world rebels against Religion. It rebels much more against Reason."
—G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)