'Tis the Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent: Advent-link & Wikipedia-link.
Saints of the Day
'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint John of Kanty, Priest (1390-1473, also spelt John Cantius): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Dagobert, Martyr (circa 650-679, King Dagobert II of Austrasia), martyred by his godson John: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Father of Ss. Irmina of Oeren & Adela of Pfalzel [24 December].
'Tis also the festival of Saint Frithubeorht of Hexham, Bishop (died 766, also spelt Frithbert), eighth (VIII) Bishop of Hexham (734-766): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Hexham.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Hartmann of Brixen, Bishop (circa 1090-1164; A.K.A. Armand, Artmanno), Bishop of Brixen (1140-1164): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Brixen.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Thorlack of Iceland, Bishop, O.S.A. (1133-1193, A.K.A. Thorlak Thorhallsson), sixth (VI) Bishop of Skálholt (1178-1193): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Skálholt.
'Tis also the festival of Saint John Stone, Religious & Martyr, O.S.A. (died circa 1539), martyred in the reign of the English king Henry VIII, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Dissolution of the Monasteries, & Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Anthony of Saint Ann, Priest, O.F.M. (1739-1822, "Frei Galvão;" A.K.A. Antônio Galvão de Franca), co-founder of the monastery of Our Lady of the Conception of Divine Providence: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Final Advent Days (23 December)
The Book of Malachi, chapter three, verses one thru four, twenty-three, & twenty-four;
Psalm Twenty-five, verses four & five(a/b), eight & nine, & ten & fourteen
(R/. cf. the Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-one, verse twenty-eight);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses fifty-seven thru sixty-six.
Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel tells the story of the birth and naming of John the Baptist.Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D. (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
This story brings John’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, into focus. Both are strongly priestly personages. Elizabeth is a descendant of the family of Aaron, the first priest of Israel, and Zechariah was a practicing temple priest.
What’s important for our purposes is that John was of very priestly stock. He grew up in and around the temple, acquainted with its rituals. So why, when we first hear of him in his adult life, is he out in the desert and not in the temple?
The temple had been renovated, largely rebuilt, by Herod the Great. But Herod was a wicked man, as we know from the Gospels themselves and from lots of other ancient sources. He had effectively declared himself the Messiah of Israel.
John saw how corrupt all of this was, and he sensed that the true Messiah was on the horizon. So he went away from the old temple, and he continued to act as a priest, but as priest of a new Temple: Jesus himself, the new Holy of Holies.
Reflect: What does it mean to say that Jesus himself is the new Temple?
Video reflection by Doctor John Bergsma (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.
The Letter of James, chapter two, verses fourteen thru seventeen;
Psalm One Hundred Twelve (R/. one; or, "Alleluia"), verses one(b/c) & two, three & four, five & seven, six & eight, & nine;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter six, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-eight.
Scripture Study—Bishop's Year of the Bible: Day 25
The Gospel according Matthew, chapter fourteen (verses one thru thirty-six);
Commentary: The Death of John the Baptist (Matthew, 14:1-12), Feeding the Five Thousand (Matthew, 14:13-21), Jesus Walks on the Sea (Matthew, 14:22-33), & Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret (Matthew, 14:34-36).
Papal Quote o' the Day
"All of us must be believers in peace, for ourselves & for the world, the peace that begins in our own hearts when we renounce hatred & evil & seek to overcome evil with good. When it comes to peace we must be true believers; we must not lose hope in the message of Christmas."Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
"In God we live & move & have our being. It is God Who gives life to all, Who gives power & being to all that exists. But for His sustaining presence, all things would cease to be & fall back into nothingness. Consider that you are in God, surrounded & encompassed by God, swimming in God."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
"May the Child Jesus be the star that guides you through the desert of your present life."Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day
—St. Pius of Pietrelcina, O.F.M. Cap. ("Padre Pio," 1887-1968, feast: 23 September)
"When we say that God became man, we do not mean to say that heaven was empty. That would be to think of heaven as a kind of space, like a room that was twenty by thirty feet. When God came to this world, He did not leave heaven empty. When He came to this world, He was not shaved down, whittled down to human proportions. Rather, Christ was the life of God dwelling in human flesh. Saint Thomas Aquinas includes a very beautiful description of this in one of his hymns. He said, 'The heavenly word proceeding forth, yet leaving not the Father's side.'"
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)
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