Saints + Scripture

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

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Junípero Serra, Priest, O.F.M. (1713-1784, the "Apostle of California;" A.K.A. Miquel Josep Serra i Ferrer, Miguel José Serra Ferrer): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis the festival of Blesseds George Beesley & Montford Scott, Priests & Martyr (died 1591, also spelt Bisley), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, two of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Golf Bravo & Wikipedia-link Golf Bravo, Martyr-link Mike Sierra & Wikipedia-link Mike Sierra; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

'Tis the festival of Blessed Thomas Maxfield, Priest & Martyr (circa 1590-1616, also spelt Macclesfield), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king James VI & I, one of the one hundred sixty Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

'Tis the festival of Saint Oliver Plunkett, Bishop & Martyr (circa 1625-1681, also spelt Oilibhéar Pluincéid), Archbishop of Armagh (1669-1681); martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king Charles II, the last victim of the perjurer Titus Oates's "Popish Plot" hoax; one of the Irish Martyrs: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Armagh, Popish Plot-link & Wikipedia-link Popish Plot, & Martyrs-link Éire & Wikipedia-link Éire.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Amos, chapter five, verses fourteen, fifteen, & twenty-one thru twenty-four;
Psalm Fifty (R/. twenty-three[b]), verses seven, eight & nine, ten & eleven, twelve & thirteen, & sixteen(b/c) & seventeen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eight, verses twenty-eight thru thirty-four.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus drove demons out of two possessed persons. Notice that the demons always know who Jesus is. The demonic voice stands for the sinful structure of consciousness; it is the mouthpiece for a soul dominated by the fearful ego.

When the New Being appears, when the new consciousness emerges in the person of Jesus, it is precisely this demonic power that most clearly recognizes it, just as a threatened animal is most acutely aware of the approach of the predator. The ego-dominated psyche knows intuitively what the onset of Jesus means: "What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?"

What is important for us spiritually is to listen with great attentiveness to these inner voices of protest, to these demons within us, for they will, paradoxically, facilitate the assimilation of the Christ, showing us clearly where we have to be changed.

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

Video reflection by Doctor John Bergsma (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Junípero Serra
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-two, verses seven thru ten;
Psalm One Hundred Ten (R/. four[b]);
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter sixteen, verses fifteen thru twenty.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Contentness Plateau, Day 10
The Second Book of Samuel, chapter three, verse one.

Commentary: Abner Defects to David (2 Samuel, 3:1).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Do not remain passive when the dignity & honor of the human person are threatened. This threat is due to violence, economic exploitation, & the decay of morals, of which our permissive society too often gives a sorry display."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Always go forward & never turn back."
—St. Junípero Serra (1713-1784, feast: 1 July)

Commentary: Of course, the very statue of St. Junípero shown above was recently pulled down by riotous vandals—ignorant, deeply hateful individuals. How can I say that without knowing specifically whom those vandals are? Padre Serra was a champion of the natives' rights, a tireless defender of their dignity; to pull down his statue based on claims of racism is to act out of hateful ignorance or hateful dishonesty.

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Do not let the past disturb you, just leave everything in the Sacred Heart & begin again with joy."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Commentary: I am humbled & grateful for these words on the day of such an unfavorable Operation ÖSTERREICH Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in.

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"How does God know? God does not know the way we know. We know by looking at things. God knows by looking at Himself. We can get a faint idea of God's knowledge from an architect. Before an architect puts up a building, he can tell you the size of the building, its dimensions, the location of each room, its height, the number of elevators it will have, & so forth. How does he know all of this before the building is built? Because he is the designer of the building. Now God is a designer too, but God is not just a designer of the human universe. He's the cause of the very being of the universe. And just as an architect need only look into his own mind to understand the nature of his building & as a poet knows his verses in his own mind, so God knows all things by looking at Himself. He does not need to wait for you to turn a corner before He knows that you are doing so. He does not see little boys putting their fingers into the cookie jar & conclude they are stealing. Everything is naked & open to the eyes of God."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Mass Matters
Through yesterday, 30 June, I heard Mass one hundred four times (CIV) in 2020. I am only counting Masses @ which I was physically present, even if I did not receive the Eucharist, not live-streamed nor televised Masses. The count is down from the previous few years, due principally to the suspension of public Mass due to the COVID-19 pandemic & the attendant panic.