Saints + Scripture

'Tis the Thursday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Saints of the Day
'Tis the festival of Saint Theophilus of Antioch, Bishop (died circa 184), seventh (VII) Patriarch of Antioch (169-184): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Benedict of Cupra, Martyr (died circa 304, A.K.A. of Tronto) martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian, a victim of the Diocletianic Persecution (303-313): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Persecution-link, Wikipedia-link Diocletian ūnus, Wikipedia-link Diocletian duo, & Wikipedia-link Diocletian trēs.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Simpert of Augsberg, Bishop & Abbot, O.S.B. (died circa 807), Bishop of Augsberg (778-807), sixth (VI) abbot of Murbach Abbey (789-792): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link, Wikipedia-link Augsburg, & Wikipedia-link Bishops; & Wikipedia-link Murbach.

Commentary: Nephew of Blessed Charlemagne [28 January].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gerald of Aurillac (circa 855-909), Count of Aurillac: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Son of Saint Adeltrude of Aurillac [14 November].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Edward the Confessor (circa 1003-1066), King of England: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Daniel, Priest, & Companions, Religious & Martyrs, O.F.M. (died 1227; A.K.A. the Martyrs of Cueta, of Morocco), martyred in the reign of the Almohad caliph Yahya al-Mu'tasim: Martyr-link D-A-N, Martyr-link Alpha, Martyr-link D-O-N, Martyr-link Hotel, Martyr-link Lima, Martyr-link November, & Martyr-link Sierra; Martyr-link Cueta & Wikipedia-link.

NEW! | 'Tis also the festival of Saint Maddalena Panattieri, Virgin, O.P. (1443-1503, of Trino), stigmatic: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Stigmata-link & Wikipedia-link Stigmata.

'Tis also the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun, A.K.A. the Miracle of Fátima, the final & most spectacular apparition of Our Lady of Fátima (apparitions 13 May-13 October 1917): Wikipedia-link Miracle of the Sun; Madonna-link & Wikipedia-link Our Lady of Fátima.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter one, verses one thru ten;
Psalm Ninety-eight (R/. two[a]), verses one, two & three(a/b), three(c/d) & four, & five & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eleven, verses forty-seven thru fifty-four.

Commentary: Daily Readings.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus launches a blistering attack on the scholars of the Law.

The Son teaches, heals, preaches to, and forgives those who feel far from the mercy of God. He is the hand that the Father stretches out to sinners and to those who are lost. And by the same token, he is the judge of a sinful world. When the light of God’s forgiving love appears, the shadows of sin become all the deeper and more obvious. In light of him, there is nowhere to hide. And Jesus, the Word of the Father, gives voice to this judgment: “Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter."

The Son names all those powers that are opposed to the creative and loving intentions of his Father. He speaks a word of judgment on a world grown cozy with sin. He “channels” all of the feelings of the Father toward the world: intense, forgiving love to those who are lost, and equally intense hatred for the structures of darkness.

Video reflection by Deacon Clarence McDavid (U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Daily Reflection.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Hold truth in holy respect; fear to offend it, to betray it. Impose upon yourself the discipline of silence, of moderation, of pateience. Truth seeks only to be proclaimed in its entirety."
—Pope Saint John XXIII (1881-1963, r. 1958-1963; feast: 11 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Faith in action is service. We try to be holy because we believe. In most modern rooms you see an electrical light that can be turned on by a switch. But if there is no connection with the main powerhouse, then there can be no light. Faith & prayer are our connection with God, & power of that connection is service."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"One can well believe that a crown of thorns, & that steel nails were less terrible to the flesh of our Savior than our modern indifference which neither scorns nor prays to the Heart of Christ."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Our aim has to be the infinite & not the finite. The infinite is our homeland. We have always been expected in Heaven."
—Blessed Carlo Acutis (1991-2006, feast: 12 October)