Saints of the Day
'Tis the Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop & Doctor of the Church (circa 337-397, of Milan; A.K.A. Aurelius Ambrosius), Bishop of Milan (374-397), a foe of the Arian heresy: Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, Doctor-link trēs, Doctor-link Portraits of the Early Church, Doctor-link Array of Hope, & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Milan; Doctors-link & Wikipedia-link Doctors; & Heresy-link & Wikipedia-link Arianism.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Anianas of Chartres, Bishop (floruit fifth century, A.K.A. Aignan, Agnan), fifth (V) Bishop of Chartes: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link (List); Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Chartres.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Buithe of Monasterboice, Abbot (died circa 521; A.K.A. Buithe mac Bronach, Boecius; also spelt Boice), founding abbot of the monastery at Monasterboice: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Monasterboice.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Diuma, Bishop (died circa 658, A.K.A. Dwyna), inaugural Bishop of Mercia (655-658): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Mercia.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Humbert of Clairvaux, Abbot, O.Cist. (died 1148), inaugural abbot of Igny Abbey (1128-1138): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Igny.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Charles Garnier, Priest & Martyr, S.J. (1606-1649), martyred by Iroquois, specifically by Mohawks; one of the eight North American Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link North America & Wikipedia-link North America.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Maria Giuseppa Rossello, Virgin, F.d.M. (1811-1880, A.K.A. Benedetta Rossello), foundress of the Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy (1837, F.d.M.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link F.d.M.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Second Week of Advent
The Book of Isaiah, chapter thirty-five, verses one thru ten;
Psalm Eighty-five, verses nine(a/b) & ten, eleven & twelve, & thirteen & fourteen;
(R/. the Book of Isaiah, chapter thirty-five, verse four[f])
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter five, verses seventeen thru twenty-six.
Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, our Gospel for today tells that wonderful story of the healing of the paralytic. People gather by the dozens to hear Jesus, crowding around the doorway of the house. They bring him a paralyzed man, and because there is no way to get him through the door, they climb up on the roof and open a space to lower him down.Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
Can I suggest a connection between this wonderful narrative and our present evangelical situation? There are an awful lot of Catholics who are paralyzed, unable to move, frozen in regard to Christ and the Church. This might be from doubt, from fear, from anger, from old resentment, from ignorance, or from self-reproach. Some of these reasons might be good; some might be bad.
Your job, as a believer, is to bring others to Christ. How? A word of encouragement, a challenge, an explanation, a word of forgiveness, a note, a phone call. We notice the wonderful urgency of these people as they bring the sick man to Jesus. Do we feel the same urgency within his Mystical Body today?
Reflect: Who in your own circle of Catholic family and friends needs you to reach out to them with the hope and love of Christ? Will you reach out? How and when?
Video reflection by Curtis Mitch (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter three, verses eight thru twelve;
Psalm Eighty-nine (R/. "For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord."), verses two & three, four & five, twenty-one & twenty-two, & twenty-five & twenty-seven;
The Gospel according to John, chapter ten, verses eleven thru sixteen.
Scripture Study—Bishop's Year of the Bible: Day 9
The Book of Isaiah, chapter sixty-four (verses one thru twelve);
Commentary: Prayer for Mercy (Isaiah, 64:1-12).
Papal Quote o' the Day
"The happiness you are seeking, the happiness you have a right to enjoy, has a name & a face: it is Jesus of Nazareth."Bonus! Papal Quote o' the Day
—Pope Benedict XVI (b. 1927, r. 2005-2013)
"The Beatitudes demand a spiritual renewal based on the radical following of Christ the Priest, Teacher, & Good Shepherd. This means making a gift of one's life, an offering to God Who calls us to build the spiritual edifice that is the Church."Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
"I can do things you cannot & you can do things I cannot. Together we can do great things."Saint Quote o' the Day
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
"To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement."Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day
—St. Augustine of Hippo, Doctor of the Church (354-430, feast: 28 August)
"I remember once attending a man in a hospital. When I asked him to make his peace with God he said, 'I suppose you're going to tell me I'm going to hell.'
"'No,' I said, 'I'm not.'
"'Well,' he said, 'I want to go to hell.'
"I replied, 'I have never in my life met a man who wanted to go to hell, so I think I will just sit here & watch you go.' Of course, I did not intend to let time pass without doing something, but I was absolutely sure that if he had a few minutes to himself, he might change his point of view. So I sat alone with him for twenty minutes. I could see him going through a kind of soul struggle.
"Then he said to me, 'You really believe there is a hell?'
"I asked him, 'Do you feel unhappy on the inside? Are you fearful? Is there dread, anxiety? Are all the evil things of your life coming up before you as a specter, a ghost?' Well, it was not long until he made his peace with God."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)
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