Saints + Scripture

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

The Popish Plot
"Catholic T-shirt Club Unboxing: St. Martin de Porres"

'Tis the festival of Saint Aspren of Naples, Bishop (first-second century), inaugural Bishop of Naples (twenty-three years): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Naples-link, Wikipedia-link Diocese, Wikipedia-link Archdiocese, & Wikipedia-link Bishops.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Dalmatius of Constantinople, Abbot (died 440), Archimandrite of the Dalmatian Monastery, a foe of the Nestorian heresy: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Archimandrite-link & Wikipedia-link Archimandrite; & Heresy-link & Wikipedia-link Nestorianism.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Euphronius of Autun, Bishop (died circa 490), Bishop of Autun (450-490): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Autun.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Senach of Clonard, Abbot (died circa 590), second (II) Abbot of Clonard Abbey (552-590): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link (List); Abbey-link, Wikipedia-link Clonard, & Wikipedia-link Abbots.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Waltheof of Melrose, Priest & Abbot, O.Cist. (circa 1095-1160), second (II) Abbot of Melrose Abbey (1148-11160), monk at Rievaulx Abbey (1143-1148), & prior of Kirkham Priory (1134): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Melrose & Wikipedia-link Abbots, Wikipedia-link Rievaulx, & Wikipedia-link Kirkham.

Commentary: Grandson of St. Waltheof of Northumbria [31 August].

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Augustin Kažotić, Bishop & Martyr, O.P. (circa 1260-1323, A.K.A. Augustine Gazotich), Bishop of Lucera (1322-1323), martyred by a Saracen of Lucera; Bishop of Zagreb (1303-1322); & a father of the Council of Vienne (the fifteen [XV] ecumenical council, 1311-1312): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Zagreb & Wikipedia-link Vienne; & Wikipedia-link Lucera & Wikipedia-link Saracens.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter twenty-eight, verses one thru seventeen;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen (R/. sixty-eight[b]), verses twenty-nine, forty-three, seventy-nine, eighty, ninety-five, & one hundred two;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-two thru thirty-six.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus comes to his disciples walking on the water. Whenever we encounter the disciples in a boat, we are dealing with the Church, the barque of Peter. Here we see the beginning of the Church’s journey through time.

Winds and waves toss the barque. Anyone acquainted with Church history knows the truth of this—and it’s a special comfort for those enduring our tumultuous times. We are engaged in a spiritual warfare, a battle not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities.
Early in the morning, the disciples saw Jesus coming toward them, "walking on the sea." Terrified, they cried out. But Jesus calmed them with the words, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Then Peter said, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."

Peter stands preeminently for the Church across the ages. And here is the Church at its best, reaching out in confidence to Christ. The fruit of that confidence is participation in the Lord’s power: "Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus." Relying on our own power, we can do nothing. But relying on him, we can do anything.

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

Video reflection by Curtis Mitch (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Scripture Study—Pierced Hands Bible Reading Plan: Day 3
The Book of Genesis, chapter one (verses one thru thirty-one);
The Book of Genesis, chapter two (verses one thru twenty-five);
The Book of Genesis, chapter three (verses one thru twenty-four);
Psalm Three (verses one thru eight);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter two, verses one thru twelve.

Commentary: Six Days of Creation & the Sabbath (Genesis, 1:1-2:3), Another Account of Creation (Genesis, 2:4-25), & the Fall of Man (Genesis, 3:1-24); Trust in God under Adversity (Psalm 3); & the Visit of the Wise Men (Matthew, 2:1-12).

Scripture Study—Day 91: Decapitation Rock, Day 1
The Second Book of Samuel, chapter thirteen, verses one thru five.

Commentary: Amnon Defiles Tamar (2 Samuel, 13:1-5).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"In the light of faith, each one of you can look at others as if they were an icon, a portrait—at least a potential one—of Christ."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"So great is the goodness of God in your regard, that when you ask through ignorance for that which is not beneficial, He does not grant your prayer in this matter, but gives you something better instead."
—St. Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist., Doctor of the Church (1090-1153, feast: 20 August)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"The sound of your footsteps in search of souls to love should be like sweet music for Jesus. Keep the thirst for souls ever burning in your hearts."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"As Catholics, we do not subscribe to a system of dogmas. We begin with a Person, the Person of our Lord continued in His mystical body the Church. What is faith? Faith is the meeting of two personalities. You & the Lord. There is no adhesion to an abstract dogma, but rather a communion with a Person Who can neither deceive nor be deceived. The authoritarians start with a party line. We start with our Lord, the Son of the living God, who said, 'I am the truth.' In other words, truth was identified with His personality. Remember when you were a child. What did you consider your home? Just a sum of commands given by either your mother or your father? It was more than that, was it not? It was the love of their personalities. Our faith, then, is first & foremost in Christ, who lives in His mystical body the Church. It is only secondarily in the explicit beliefs. If our Lord did not reveal them, we would not believe them. If we lost Him, we would lose our beliefs. He comes first."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)