Saints + Scripture

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

'Tis the festival of Saint Cleopas (floruit 33; also spelt Cleophas, Clopas): Saint-link, Wikipedia-link C-L-E-O, & Wikipedia-link C-L-O.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Cadoc of Llancarfan, Abbot & Martyr (circa 497-580; A.K.A. the Wise, of Wales; also spelt Cadog), abbot of the clas at Llancarfan, martyred by Saxons: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Clas & Wikipedia-link Llancarfan.

Commentary: Son of Ss. Gwynllyw & Gwladys [29 March], nephew of St. Petroc [4 June], & brother of St. Glywys [2 May].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Aunarius, Bishop (circa 540-603; A.K.A. Aunacharius, etc.), Bishop of Auxerre (573-603), who convoked the Council of Auxerre (578) & attended the Third Synod of Mâcon (585): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Auxerre; & Wikipedia-link Council & Wikipedia-link Mâcon.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Finbarr of Cork, Bishop & Abbot (circa 550-623; A.K.A. Lóchán; also spelt Fionnbharra, abbreviated Barra), inaugural Bishop of Cork (606-623), founding of the monastery at Gougane Barra (606) & the city of Cork: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Cork & Wikipedia-link Bishops, Wikipedia-link Gougane Barra, & Wikipedia-link City.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ceolfrid, Priest & Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 642-716, also spelt Ceolfrith), second (II) abbot of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Abbey (690-716), who commissioned the Codex Amiatinus Bible (700): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Monkwearmouth-Jarrow & Wikipedia-link Codex Amiatinus.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Hermann of Reichenau, Religious, O.S.B. (1013-1054, A.K.A. Hermannus Contractus [Hermann "the Cripple"]), composer of the hymns Salve Regina & Alma Redemptoris Mater: Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Hymn-link & Wikipedia-link Salve Regina, & Wikipedia-link Alma Redemptoris Mater.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, Priest & Abbot (circa 1314-1392; A.K.A. of Moscow, Varfolomei [Bartholomew]), founding abbot of the Trinity Lavra of Saint Sergius (1337): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Trinity Lavra.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Vincenzo Maria of Saint Paul, Bishop, C.P. (1745-1824, A.K.A. Vincenzo Strambi), Bishop of Macerata-Tolentino (1801-1823): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Macerata-Tolentino.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter three, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-four (R/. one), verses one(b) & two(a/b/c), three & four;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses eighteen thru twenty-two.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus predicts his passion: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” He intimates his crucifixion.

So the question was—and remains—why would God’s salvation of the human race have to include something as horrifying as death on a cross?

We live in a time when the human predicament is regularly denied, explained away, or ignored. Despite the massive counter-evidence from the moral disasters of the last century, we are still beguiled by the myth of progress: with just enough technical advancement, psychological insight, and personal liberation, we will solve our problems.

But the scriptural authors present a different vision. They understand sin as a condition in which we are stuck. No amount of merely human effort could possibly solve the problem. Rather, some power has to come from outside of us in order to clean up the mess; something awful has to be done on our behalf in order to offset the awfulness of sin.

With this biblical realism in mind, we can begin to comprehend why the crucifixion of the Son of God was necessary.

Video reflection by Deacon Roger Macias (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

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

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 5
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter two, verses four thru nine.

Commentary: Vanity in Self-Indulgence (cont'd; Ecclesiastes, 2:4-9).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Let Jesus Himself be the one to define your existence & direct your choices. In this way the relationships among you may correspond always to the model of love given by the Heart of Christ, without either lapses or evasions."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"No matter how tired you are, no matter how physically exhausting your life may be, make it a priority to care for someone in need. What greater joy can there be?"
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Bonus! Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Today if we have no peace it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other—that man, that woman, that child is my brother or my sister."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Bonus! Song o' the Day
The Byrds, "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" from Turn! Turn! Turn! (St. Mike Papa Whiskey)