'Tis the festival of Saints Priscilla & Aquila, Martyrs (died circa 64, A.K.A. Prisca), wife & husband, martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Nero: Martyr-link Papa, Martyr-link Alpha, Martyrs-link, & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Morwenna, Hermitess (sixth century): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Sister of St. Nectan of Hartland [17 June].
'Tis also the festival of Saint Adrian III, Pope (circa 830-885, also spelt Hadrian; A.K.A. Agapitus), one hundred ninth (CIX) Bishop of Rome (884-885): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontifex-link & Wikipedia-link Pontifex.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Raymond of Toulouse, Priest (died 1118, A.K.A. Raymond Gayrard): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Eugene III, Pope, O.Cist. (circa 1080-1153; A.K.A. Bernardo Pignatelli, Paganelli; of Pisa), one hundred sixty-seventh (CLXVII) Bishop of Rome (1145-1153), who proclaimed the Second Crusade (1147-1150); abbot of the abbey of Ss. Vincent & Anastasius at Tre Fontane (1140-1145): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontifex-link & Wikipedia-link Pontifex; & Second Crusade-link & Wikipedia-link Second Crusade.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Hosea, chapter ten, verses one, two, three, seven, eight, & twelve;
Psalm One Hundred Five (R/. four[b]), verses two & three, four & five, & six & seven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses one thru seven.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus summoned apostles whom he shaped and sent on mission. Priests, through the centuries—from Augustine and Aquinas, to Francis Xavier and John Henry Newman, to John Paul II—are the descendants of those first friends and apprentices of the Lord. They have been needed in every age, and they are needed today, for the kingdom of heaven must be proclaimed, the poor must be served, God must be worshiped, and the sacraments must be administered.Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D. (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
Spiritual fathers are required especially in our time, when a rising tide of secularism threatens to overwhelm the religious impulse. We are wired for God; we will never satisfy the deepest longing of our heart apart from God.
The secularist ideology teaches that sufficient amounts of wealth, pleasure, power, or honor will make us happy. Who will counter this? Who will speak to this culture of the beauty of God? Who will remind us that our lives are not about us? Who will break open the words of the Gospel and spread out the banquet table of Christ’s Body and Blood? This is why we need priests.
Video reflection by Doctor John Bergsma (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.
Scripture Study—Day 91: Contentness Plateau, Day 17
The Second Book of Samuel, chapter five, verses six thru ten.
Commentary: Jerusalem Is Made Capital of the Kingdom (2 Samuel, 5:6-10).
Papal Quote o' the Day
"Charity! Charity! Is this your hour? Let us all try to be worthy of her & prepare her ways. Let us pray, let us love, let us work so that our charity may be in our hearts & may be able to work the wonder of her triumph."Saint Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)
"Do not pray for easy lives… pray to be stronger people."Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
—Bl. Solanus Casey, O.F.M. Cap. (1870-1957, feast: 30 July)
"On my first trip along the streets of Calcutta, a priest came up to me. He asked me to give a contribution to a collection for the Catholic press. I had left with five rupees, & I had already given four of them to the poor. I hesitated, then gave the priest the one that remained. That afternoon, the same priest came to see me & brought an envelope. He told me that a man had given him the envelope because he had heard about my projects & wanted to help me. There were fifty rupees in that envelope. I had the feeling, at that moment, that God has begun to bless the work & would never abandon me."Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
"Just suppose that there were a great plague which affected a wide area of the world. Then some doctor in his laboratory found the remedy for this plague & made it available to everyone. There would be some who would seek the remedy. There would be others who would not. They might say, 'How do I know he has the remedy? Why should I bother? I will cure myself.' Are they not all potentially saved? It is certainly not the fault of the scientist that they are not cured. It is the fault of people themselves. So it is with the Person of Christ. He brought salvation to all men. It is up to us to find that salvation in Him."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)
