Saints + Scripture

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

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest, O.F.M. Cap. (1887-1968, "Padre Pio;" A.K.A. Francesco Forgione), stigmatic (1918-1968): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, Saint-link Ascension Presents, Saint-link Array of Hope, & Wikipedia-link; Stigmata-link & Wikipedia-link Stigmata.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Linus, Pope & Martyr (died 76), second (II) Bishop of Rome (67-76), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Vespasian: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontifex-link & Wikipedia-link Pontifex.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Adomnán of Iona, Abbot (circa 624-704, also spelt Adamnán), ninth (IX) abbot of Iona Abbey (679-704), who convoked the Synod of Birr (697) & promulgated the Cáin Adomnáin (the "Law of Adomnán"): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Abbey-link, Wikipedia-link Iona, & Wikipedia-link Abbots; & Wikipedia-link Birr & Wikipedia-link Cáin Adomnáin.

Commentary: The Cáin Adomnáin is also known as the Lex Innocentium (the "Law of Innocents").

'Tis also the festival of Blessed William Way, Priest & Martyr (died 1588, A.K.A. William May, William Flower), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the one hundred fifty-eight Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Bernardyna Maria Jabłońska, Religious (1878-1940), superior general of the Albertine Sisters (1902-1940, C.S.A.P.I.), formally the Congregation of Albertine Sisters Serving the Poor: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link C.S.A.P.I.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Jozef Stanek, Priest & Martyr, S.A.C. (1916-1944), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hiter, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List, № 41); Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Proverbs, chapter thirty, verses five thru nine;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen (R/. one hundred five), verses twenty-nine, seventy-two, eighty-nine, one hundred one, one hundred four, & one hundred sixty-three;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses one thru six.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus sends his disciples on mission: He summoned the Twelve… and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” As members of the Mystical Body, we share the mission of evangelization.

In accord with the subjectivism of our culture, many Christians think of their spiritual lives in an individualist way, as the cultivation of their personal friendship with God. But this overlooks something that the New Testament authors took for granted—namely, that Christians exist not for themselves but for the world.

Jesus compared his followers to salt, which is designed to preserve and enhance something other than itself, and to light, whose purpose is to be set on a stand in order to illumine what is around it. Pope St. Paul VI articulated the same truth as follows: the Church doesn’t have a mission; the Church is a mission.

We go forth, therefore, with God’s authority and empowered for his work. When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ he will ask whether we have taught the world how to praise, how to reverence the truth, how to go out vigorously on campaign to extend the kingdom of God.

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—Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina
The Letter to the Galatians, chapter two, verses nineteen & twenty;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-eight (R/. one), verses one & two, three, & four & five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-four thru twenty-seven.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 3
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter one, verses twelve thru eighteen.

Commentary: Vanity in Seeking Wisdom (Ecclesiastes, 1:12-18).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Every burden is light when we are united to Christ, when it is He Who gives us the strength & breath to go on walking. On the other hand, how heavy the burden is when it is carried without Christ!"
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Money? I never give it a thought. It always comes. We work for Jesus. It is His work & He will provide. He has always taken care of us. If He wants something to be done, He will give us the means. If He does not provide us with the means, then it shows that He doesn't want that particular work. So, I forget about it."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"The Earth could exist more easily without the Sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass."
—St. Pius of Pietrelcina, O.F.M. Cap. (1887-1968, feast: 23 September)