Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot
"Catholic T-shirt Club Unboxing: St. Clare"

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot & Doctor of the Church, O.Cist. (1090-1153; of Clairvaux, the Doctor Mellifluus ["honey-sweet doctor"]), inaugural abbot of Clairvaux Abbey (1115-1153), a father of the Second Lateran Council (1139, the tenth [X] ecumenical council), & preacher of the Second Crusade (1147-1149); the subject of Pope Venerable Pius XII's encyclical Doctor Mellifluus (1953): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, Doctor-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Abbey-link & Wikipedia-link Clairvaux; Doctors-link & Wikipedia-link Doctors; Wikipedia-link Lateran II; Crusade-link & Wikipedia-link Second Crusade; & Wikipedia-link Doctor Mellifluus.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Brother of Bl. Humbeline of Jully [21 August].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Zacchaeus the Publican (first century): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: St. Zacchaeus's encounter with our Blessed Lord is recounted in the Gospel according to Luke, 19:1-10.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ronald of Orkney, Martyr (circa 1100-1158, A.K.A. Rögnvald Kali Kolsson), Earl of Orkney, martyred by the Viking outlaw Thorbjorn Klerk, builder of Saint Magnus Cathedral: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Saint Magnus Cathedral.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Georg Häfner, Priest & Martyr (1900-1942) martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Władysław Mączkowski, Priest & Martyr (1911-1942), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List, № 74); Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Teofilius Matulionis, Bishop & Martyr (1873-1962), second (II) Bishop of Kaišiadorys (1943-1962), martyred in the reign of the Soviet Communist dictator Nikita Khrushchev: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Kaišiadorys.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter thirty-six, verses twenty-three thru twenty-eight;
Psalm Fifty-one, verses twelve & thirteen, fourteen & fifteen & eighteen & nineteen
(R/. the Book of Ezekiel, chapter thirty-six, verse twenty-five);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-two, verses one thru fourteen.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable that compares the kingdom of heaven to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. The guests invited to the feast refuse to come. There are a number of sayings and parables of Christ that emphasize the difficulty in attaining the kingdom of heaven. Thus, Jesus declares: “Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

These sayings represent one of the great paradoxes of the Gospel: though the kingdom dwells in every one of us—though it is closer to us than our breath—we remain in danger of missing it.

It is no wonder that Jesus often compares the spiritual struggle to a battle to the death: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat.” “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” It is a terrible and heart-rending inner warfare that must be endured in the process of metanoia.

Video reflection by Father Roger Lopez, O.F.M. (U.S.C. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Becket Ghioto (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Bernard
The Book of Sirach, chapter fifteen, verses one thru six;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen (R/. twelve), verses nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, & fourteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter seventeen, verses twenty thru twenty-six.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Decapitation Rock, Day 18
The Second Book of Samuel, chapter sixteen, verses sixteen, seventeen, & eighteen.

Commentary: The Defeat & Death of Absalom (cont'd; 2 Samuel, 16:16-18).

Scripture Study—Pierced Hands Bible Reading Plan: Day 20
The Book of Genesis, chapter thirty-seven (verses one thru thirty-six);
The Book of Genesis, chapter thirty-eight (verses one thru thirty);
The Book of the Psalms, psalm twenty (verses one thru nine);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses sixteen thru thirty-three.

Commentary: Joseph Dreams of Greatness (Genesis, 37:1-11), Joseph Is Sold by His Brothers (Genesis, 37:12-36), & Judah & Tamar (Genesis, 38:1-30); Prayer for Victory (Psalm 20); & Coming Persecutions (Matthew, 10:16-25) & Whom to Fear (Matthew, 10:26-33).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"To discover the Lord's concrete will for us, we must listen to the Word of God, pray, & discuss our problems & discoveries with others. In this way, we will discern the gifts we have received & use them profitably."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"God will either give us what we ask, or what He knows to be better for us."
—St. Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist., Doctor of the Church (1090-1153, feast: 20 August)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"We too are called to withdraw at certain intervals into deeper silence & aloneness with God, together as a community as well as personally. To be alone with Him—not with our books, thoughts, & memories but completely stripped of everything—to dwell lovingly in His presence. Silent, empty, expectant, & motionless. We cannot find God in noise or agitation."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"What does grace do to our human nature? First of all, it makes the body a temple of God. That is one of the reasons for purity. What is a temple? A temple is a place where God dwells. Remember when Jesus went into the temple of Jerusalem & the Pharisees asked for a sign, & our Blessed Lord said, 'Destroy this temple & in three days I will rebuild it.' He was not speaking of that earthly temple, He was speaking of the temple of His Body, because in that human nature of Christ, God dwelt. By our participation in that divine life He dwells in us. That’s why the body is sacred. That’s why we have reverence for it. The body is not a worm, something vile. It is His temple, & one day it will be glorified too."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)