'Tis the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin & Doctor of the Church, O.C.D. (1873-1897, "the Little Flower of Jesus;" A.K.A. of Lisieux, Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin): Doctor-link ūna, Doctor-link duæ, Doctor-link tria, Doctor-link Array of Hope, & Wikipedia-link; Doctors-link & Wikipedia-link Doctors.
Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today is the Memorial of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. The best introduction to Thérèse’s spirituality is a text that she wrote at the behest of Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart, a sort of memoir of the retreat that she made in September 1896, just a year before her death.'Tis also the festival of Saint Bavo of Ghent, Religious (circa 622-659; also spelt Bavon, Baaf; A.K.A. Allowin), founder of St. Bavo's Abbey (originally, St. Peter's): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
What she offers is a “science of love,” a way of knowing and acting that is utterly conditioned by the love that Jesus has placed in her heart: “Jesus deigned to show me the road that leads to this Divine Furnace, and this road is the surrender of the little child who sleeps without fear in its Father’s arms.”
God, Thérèse concluded, is pleased to work with those who have become utterly docile to His direction, who have acknowledged their total dependence upon Him, their readiness to receive gifts. Any sense that God’s love must be earned or that a relationship with Him is a product of economic calculation is repugnant to a healthy spirituality: “Jesus does not demand great actions from us but simply surrender and gratitude.”
When this attitude is in place, anything and everything is possible. Following Thérèse, we can be pleasing to God and valuable to the Church in the humblest places and through the simplest acts. All we need to do is surrender, like a little child asleep in its Father’s arms.
Commentary: Son of St. Itta of Metz [8 May], brother of Ss. Begga [17 December] & Gertrude of Nivelles [17 March].
'Tis also the festival of Blessed John Robinson, Priest & Martyr (circa 1530-1588), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the one hundred fifty-eight Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.
'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Ralph Crockett & Edward James, Priests & Martyrs (1522-1588 & circa 1557-1588), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, two of the one hundred fifty-eight Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link Romeo Charlie & Wikipedia-link Romeo Charlie, & Martyr-link Echo Juliett & Wikipedia-link Echo Juliett; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.
'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Christopher Buxton, Edward Campion, & Robert Wilcox, Priests; & Robert Widmerpool; Martyrs (died 1588), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, the four Oaten Hill Martyrs (A.K.A. the Canterbury Martyrs): Martyr-link Charlie Bravo, Martyr-link Echo Charlie, Martyr-link Romeo W-I-L, Martyr-link Romeo W-I-D, & Wikipedia-link Oaten Hill.
Commentary: Bls. Christopher Buxton & Robert Wilcox are two more of the 158 Martyrs of Douai.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Luigi Maria Monti, Religious (1825-1900, also spelt Aloysius), founder of the Congregation of the Sons of the Immaculate Conception (1857): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Job, chapter nineteen, verses twenty-one thru twenty-seven;
Psalm Twenty-seven (R/. thirteen), verses seven & eight(a), eight(b) & nine(a/b/c), & thirteen & fourteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses one thru twelve.
Commentary: Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
Video reflection by Becket Ghioto (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.
Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus
The Book of Isaiah, chapter sixty-six, verses ten thru fourteen(c);
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-one (R/. "In you, Lord, I have found my peace"), verses one(b/c/d/e), two, & three;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eighteen, verses one thru four.
Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 11
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter three, verses nine, ten, & eleven.
Commentary: Everything Has a Season (cont'd; Ecclesiastes, 3:9) & God-given Tasks (Ecclesiastes, 3:10-11).
Papal Quote o' the Day
"In order that your life may retain a taste of the feast, be dynamic & joyful in the service of others. Seek to carry out what Christ asks of you; answer what Mary's 'fiat': 'I am the servant of the Lord' (Luke, 1:38)."Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
"Living a Christian life provides for the growth of faith. There have been many saints who have gone before to guide us, but I like thge one who are simple, like St. Thérèse of Lisieux. I chose her as my namesake because she did ordinary things with extraordinary love."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
"I will seek out a means of getting to Heaven by a little way."Mass Matters
—St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast: 1 October)
Through 1 October 2020, I've heard the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass one hundred ninety-nine times (CXCIX) seventy-four fewer than by this point in 2019 (& eighty fewer than by this point in 2018), but comparisons are of limited validity given the interdict against the lay faithful from 18 March-18 May 2020.
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