The Explorers' Club, № MCXIII

30 St. Mary Axe (A.K.A. "The Gherkin")—A skyscraper in the City of London, opened in April 2004, built on the site of the Baltic Exchange, an architectural landmark damaged beyond repair in a 1992 terrorist bombing; designed by Foster + Partners & constructed by Skanska; during construction, the skeleton of a teenage girl from Roman London was discovered, & eventually reburied on the site.

Semper exploro.

Saints + Scripture

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Paulinus of Nola, Bishop (circa 354-431, A.K.A. Pontius Meropius Anicius Paulinus).

Commentary: Wayback Machine '21 & Wayback Machine '19.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

St. Paulinus was born at Bordeaux in France in 355. He advanced in the service of the state,married, & had a son. Desirous of an austerelife, he received baptism &, having disposedof all worldly goods, began to live the monastic life in 393, at Nola in Campagna. He later was made bishop of that city & promoted the cult of St. Felix, assisted pilgrims, & diligently alleviated misfortunes of the day. He also composed poems remarkable for their fine language. St. Paulinus died in 431.

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saints John Fisher, Bishop, & Thomas More, Martyrs (died 1535), Bishop of Rochester, martyred in the reign of the English king Henry VIII.

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

St. John Fisher was born in 1469. After completing his theological studies at Cambridge in England, he was ordained to the priesthood. Appointed bishop of Rochester, he led a most austere life & fulfilled his pastoral role be frequently visiting the faithful. He also composed works against the errors of the time.

St. Thomas More was born in 1477 & was educated at Oxford. He married & had a son & three daughters. While Chancellor in the King's Court, he wrote workson the governance of the realm & the defense of the Faith. Both he & St.John Fisher were beheaded in 1535 by order of King Henry VIII, whom they had resisted in the matter of his divorce: John Fisher on 22 June & Thomas More on 6 July. While detained in prison, Bishop Fisher was named a Cardinal by Pope Paul III.

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

Saint Quote o' the Day

"I do not care very much what men say of me, provided that God approves of me."
—Saint Thomas More (1478-1535, feast: 22 July)

The Explorers' Club, № MV

Operation AXIOM: Between the Wars
22 January 1924: Ramsay MacDonald became the first British Prime Minister & Foreign Secretary from the socialist Labour Party, in a minority government with the support of the Liberal Party; the MacDonald ministry acted modestly domestically, formally recognized the Soviet Union, & endorsed the Dawes Plan to restructure German war reparations & end the French occupation of the Ruhr.

Lest we forget.

Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot
"Samson & Delilah & Temptation"

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Sharbel Makhlūf, Priest, O.L.M. (1828-1898, also spelt Charbel Makhlouf; A.K.A. Youssef Antoun Makhlūf, Joseph Zaroun Makhlūf): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '21 & Wayback Machine '20.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Declán of Ardmore, Bishop (fifth century, also spelt Déaglán), inaugural Bishop of Ardmore (Aird Mhór, Árd Mór): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Árd Mór.

'Tis also the festival of Saints Roman & David of Kiev, Martyrs (died circa 1015, A.K.A. Boris & Gleb), martyred in the reign of their brother, the Kievan Rus' prince Sviatopolk the Accursed,: Martyr-link Romeo, Martyr-link Delta, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Sons of St. Vladimir of Kiev [15 July], great-grandsons of St. Olga of Kiev [11 July].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Christina the Astonishing, Religious, T.O.S.D. (circa 1150-1224): Saint-link, Wikipedia-link, & The Popish Plot-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Kinga of Poland, Abbess, O.S.C. (circa 1224-1292; A.K.A. Kunigunde, also spelt Cunegunda, etc.), Grand Duchess of Poland: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Great-niece of St. Hedwig of Silesia [16 October], niece of Ss. Elizabeth of Hungary [17 November] & Agnes of Prague [2 March], sister of St. Margaret of Hungary [18 January] & Bl. Yolanda of Poland [11 June], & sister-in-law of Bl. Salomea of Poland [17 November].

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Louise of Savoy, Religious, O.S.C. (circa 1461-1503, also spelt Luisa): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Descendant of St. Elizabeth of Hungary [17 November] & so distant kin of St. Kinga of Poland [24 July], et al.; daughter of Bl. Amadeus of Savoy [30 March] & cousin of St. Joan of Valois [4 February].

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Joseph Lambton, Priest & Martyr (circa 1568-1592), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

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

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Exodus, chapter fourteen, verses five thru eighteen;
The Book of Exodus, chapter fifteen (R/. one[b]), verses one(b/c) & two, thre & four, & five & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twelve, verses thirty-eight thru forty-two.

Commentary: Daily Readings.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, the Lord tells his opponents, who asked for a sign, that no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah—that is, the Resurrection. According to the early Church Fathers, Christ’s coming precipitated a warfare with the powers that hold the world in their sway.

In bringing God’s ordo to the world, Jesus had to move into the arena of disorder, but this invasion was not met with passivity or acquiescence. Rather, the principalities of the world—Herod, Pilate, the scribes and Pharisees, the demons—waged a ferocious struggle against him, and it was only through the drama of the cross and Resurrection that Jesus managed to defeat them.

He took all of their violence and, through courageous forgiveness, robbed it of its authority, for violence feeds on itself, surviving only through reproduction. When it is met with compassion and forgiveness, it dissipates, its power source gone. In the language of the Fathers, Jesus thereby tied up the devil, frustrating him into submission, leading our captivity to hatred captive. So, as the hymn text has it, “The strife is o’er, the battle done….”

Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

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

Audio reflection by Doctor Scott Hahn (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Letters from Home.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of Saint Sharbel Makhlūf
The Book of Sirach, chapter three, verses seventeen thru twenty-four;
Psalm Fifteen (R/. one), verses two & three (a/b), three(c/d) & four (a/b), & five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nineteen, verses twenty-seven, twenty-eight, & twenty-nine.

Commentary: Memorial Readings.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Strong in faith, put up a good fight; the future belongs to the believers & not to the skeptics & doubters. The future belongs to those who love, not to those who hate. The Church's mission in the world, far from being ended or outmoded, goes out to meet new trials & fresh enterprises."
—Pope Venerable Pius XII (1876-1958, r. 1939-1958)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"The principle trap that the devil sets of young people is idleness."
—Saint John Bosco, S.D.B. (1815-1888, feast: 31 January)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"All of us are called to work in a special way for the sake of peace. In order to bring about that peace, we need to learn from Jesus to be meek & humble of heart. Our humility will lead us to unity, & unity to peace."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"We must leave the world to help the world. That life is most effectively lived which every now & then withdraws from the scene of action to contemplation, where one learns the terrible defeat & futility which comes from excessive absorption in detail & action."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Saints + Scripture: Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

'Tis the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene (died circa 63, the "Apostle to the Apostles;" A.K.A. of Magdala, the Madeleine): Magdalene-link ūna, Magdalene-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '21 & Wayback Machine '20.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene
The Song of Songs, chapter three, verses one thru four(b);
or, the Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter five, verses fourteen thru seventeen;
Psalm Sixty-three (R/. two), verses two, three & four, five & six, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twenty, verses one, two, & eleven thru eighteen.

Commentary: Festal Readings.

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

Friends, today we celebrate the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, the first witness of Christ’s rising, who declared the Resurrection to the Apostles.

In point of fact, the Easter declaration, properly understood, has always been and still is an explosion, an earthquake, a revolution. For the Easter faith is that Jesus of Nazareth, who had been brutally put to death by the Roman authorities, is alive again through the power of the Holy Spirit—and not in some metaphorical sense.

That the Resurrection is a literary device or a symbol that Jesus’ cause goes on is a fantasy born in the faculty lounges of Western universities over the past couple of centuries. The still startling claim of the first witnesses is that Jesus rose bodily from death, presenting himself to his disciples to be seen, even handled.

The hope of ancient Israel was the unification of heaven and earth in a great marriage. Recall a central line from the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” The bodily Resurrection of Jesus is the powerful sign that the two orders are in fact coming together.

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

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

Audio reflection by Clement Harrold (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Letters from Home.

Saints of the Day
'Tis also the festival of Saint Joseph of Palestine (circa 285-356, A.K.A. of Tiberias), builder of the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves & Fish (350) & a foe of the Arian heresy: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Church, & Heresy-link & Wikipedia-link Arianism.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Dabius, Priest (fifth century; also spelt Davius, A.K.A. Bavins): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Wandregisel, Priest & Abbot (circa 600-668, A.K.A. Wandrille), founding abbot of Fontenelle Abbey (649, later the Abbey of Saint Wandrille): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Abbey-link & Wikipedia-link Fontenelle.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gerolamo of Pavia, Bishop (died circa 787, Anglicized as Jerome), Bishop of Pavia (778-787): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Pavia.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Benno of Osnabrück, Bishop, O.S.B. (circa 1020-1088, A.K.A. Bernard, Benno II), nineteenth (XIX) Bishop of Osnabrück (1068-1088), founder of the Abbey at Schloss Iburg (1080): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Osnabrück & Wikipedia-link Iburg.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Augustine of Biella, Priest, O.P. (1430-1493, A.K.A. Agostino Fangi), prior of monasteries at Biella, Soncino (1464), Vercelli, & Vigevano: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saints Philip Evans, S.J., & John Lloyd, Priests & Martyrs (died 1679), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king Charles II, victims of the perjeror Titus Oates's "Popish Plot" hoax; two of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Papa Echo, Martyr-link Juliett Lima, & Wikipedia-link; Popish Plot-link & Wikipedia-link Popish Plot; & Martyr-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Someone would have a poor idea of human & marital love by thinking that affection & joy vanish when difficulties come. This is when we really see what motivates people. Here also is where gift & tenderness are consolidated, because true love does not think about itself, but about how to increase the good of the beloved."
—Pope Saint John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"If you have the courage to imitate Mary Magdalene in her sins, have the courage to imitate her penance."
—Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, O.F.M. Cap. ("Padre Pio," 1887-1968, feast: 23 September)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Be kind & merciful. Let no one ever come to you without coming away better & happier. Be a living expression of God's kindness."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"Pleasure is best enjoyed when it comes to us as a 'treat,' in contrast to experiences that are less pleasurable.What a greta mistake if we try to have all our nights party-nights. No one would enjoy Thanksgiving if every meal were a turkey dinner. New Year's Eve would not delight us if the whistles blew at midnight every night."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Saints + Scripture

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

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

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Saints of the Day
'Tis the festival of Saint Joan of Arc, Virgin & Martyr (circa 1412-1431, the "Maid of Orléans"), martyred in the reign of the English king Henry VI.

Saint Quote o' the Day

"I am not afraid. I was born to do this."
—Saint Joan of Arc (circa 1412-1431, feast: 30 May)

The Explorers' Club, № CMVIII

Operation AXIOM
15 October 2021: The Assassination of Sir David Amess, M.P.—Sir David Anthony Andrew Amess (26 March 1952-15 October 2021), a husband & father of five, & Member of Parliament for Basildon (1983-1997) & Southend West (1997-2021), knighted in 2015; he was assassinated at a surgery (public meeting) with constituents, stabbed by a jihadist terrorist who expressed no remorse at trial.

Requiem æternam.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the 5th of November

John Williams, "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)" from Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Guy Fawkes & his fellow Gunpowder Plotters were absolutely wrong in trying to murder King James VI & I along with hundreds of others by blowing up the old Palace of Westminster, though they were right to oppose the tyranny of the king & his parliament. Evil cannot be defeated by evil, but only by goodness. Darkness cannot be overcome by darkness, only by light.

That said, as the "Great Experiment" of American liberty & republicanism falters inexhorably into stratified tyranny, with very different laws applying to the elites & the commoners, we would be wise to remember, remember the rhyme presented below, but with a perhaps different meaning than the diabolical enemy-of-all-Mankind John Milton (1608-1674) intended.

"Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!…"

Saints + Scripture

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin & Martyr, O.C.D. (1891-1942, A.K.A. Edith Stein), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link ūna, Martyr-link duæ, Martyr-link tria, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '18.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Nathy of Achonry, Priest (floruit sixth century; also spelt Nath Í, A.K.A. Crumnathy), founder of Achonry: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Achonry.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Richard Bere, Priest & Martyr, O.Cart. (died 1537), martyred in the reign of the English king Henry VIII, one of the Carthusian Martyrs of London: Martyr-link; Martyrs-link Charterhouse; Wikipedia-link Charterhouse.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Thomas Palasor, Priest; John Norton; & John Talbot; Martyrs (died 1600), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, three of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Tango Papa & Wikipedia-link Tango Papa, Martyr-link Juliett November, & Martyr-link Juliett Tango & Wikipedia-link Juliett Tango; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Michał Tomaszek & Zbigniew Adam Strzałkowski, Priests & Martyrs, O.F.M. Conv. (died 1991), martyred by the Shining Path Communists, two of the Three Martyrs of Chimbote: Martyr-link Mike Tango & Martyr-link Zulu Alpha Sierra; Wikipedia-link Chimbote.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter ten, verses twelve thru twenty-two;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-seven (R/. twelve[a]), verses twelve & thirteen, fourteen & fifteen, & nineteen & twenty;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter seventeen, verses twenty-two thru twenty-seven.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus prophesies his Crucifixion and Resurrection: “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.”

What enabled the first Christians to hold up the cross, to sing its praises, to wear it as a decoration is the fact that God raised up and ratified precisely this crucified Jesus. “The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead.” Therefore, God was involved in this terrible thing; God was there, working out his salvific purposes.

But what does this mean? There have been numerous attempts throughout the Christian centuries to name the salvific nature of the cross. Let me offer just one take on it. It became clear to the first Christians that somehow, on that terrible cross, sin had been dealt with. The curse of sin had been removed, taken care of. On that terrible cross, Jesus functioned as the “Lamb of God,” sacrificed for sin.

Does this mean God the Father is a cruel taskmaster demanding a bloody sacrifice so that his anger might be appeased? No; Jesus’ crucifixion was the opening up of the divine heart so that we could see that no sin of ours could finally separate us from the love of God.

Video reflection by Monsignor Jams Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Curtis Mitch (Saint Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

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

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
The Book of Hosea, chapter two, verses sixteen(b/c), seventeen(c/d), twenty-one, & twenty-two;
Psalm Forty-five (R/. eleven; or, "The bridegroom is here; let us go out to meet Christ the Lord."), verses eleven & twelve, fourteen & fifteen, & sixteen & seventeen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-five, verses one thru thirteen.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Leo's Ledge, Day 1
The Book of Daniel, chapter one, verses one thru eight.

Commentary: Four Young Israelites at the Babylonian Court (Daniel, 1:1-8).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Every apostolate is an action of Christ Himself; it cannot be exercised except under the impulse of the Spirit. The Spirit searches out the deep things of God. The Spirit also arouses in us an ineffable prayer & continues the salvific action of Christ through the Church's members."
—Pope Saint Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now left for me or why I am still here. All my hopes in this world being now fulfilled."
—Saint Monica (332-387, feast: 27 August)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"If peace & love are not allowed to take their rightful place at the table of negotiation, then hatred & anger will produce conflict that will continue for many years to come. It will solve nothing, & thousands of innocent lives will be lost. I ask you all to pray for peace. It is such an urgent priority."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"We hate others, & call it 'zeal;' we flatter others because of what they can do for us, & call it 'love;' we lie to them, & call it 'tact.'"
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

The Popish Plot
"Searching Catholicism: Why Do Catholics… ?"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Paulinus of Nola, Bishop.

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saints John Fisher, Bishop, & Thomas More, Martyrs.

Saint Quote o' the Day

"I do not care very much what men say of me, provided that God approves of me."
—St. Thomas More (1478-1535, feast: 22 June)

Saints + Scripture: Octave of Christmas

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Fifth Day in the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord, within the Christmastide: Wikipedia-link Octave, Wikipedia-link Christmastide, & Wikipedia-link Twelve Days of Christmas.

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop & Martyr (circa 1118-1170, A.K.A. of Canterbury), Archbishop of Canterbury (1162-1170), martyred in the reign of the English king Henry II: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, Martyr-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Canterbury.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '18.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Trophimus of Arles, Bishop (died circa 280), inaugural Bishop of Arles (250-280): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Arles.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ebrulf of Ouche, Abbot (circa 517-596; also spelt Evroul, etc.), founding abbot of the Abbey of Saint-Evroul: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Saint-Evroul.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ailerán of Clonard, Religious (died circa 664, A.K.A. Ailerán sapientis ["Ailerán the Wise"]): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Peter the Venerable, Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 1092-1156; A.K.A. of Cluny, of Montboissier), ninth (IX) Abbot (1122-1156) of the Abbey of Cluny: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Abbey-link, Wikipedia-link Cluny, & Wikipedia-link Abbots.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Gerardo Cagnoli, Religious, O.F.M. (circa 1267-1342): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed William Howard, Martyr (1614-1680), first Viscount Stafford, martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king Charles II, a victim of the perjurer Titus Oates's "Popish Plot" hoax: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Popish Plot-link & Wikipedia-link Popish Plot.

Commentary: Grandson of St. Philip Howard [19 October], one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales [25 October].

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
The First Letter of John, chapter two, verses thre thru eleven;
Psalm Ninety-six (R/. eleven[a]), verses one & two(a), two(b) & three, & five(b) & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter two, verses twenty-two thru thirty-five.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel tells the story of the Presentation of Jesus in the temple.

The Presentation of Jesus, perfected on the cross, is re-presented every time the Mass is celebrated. The Mass is certainly a festive meal, the moment when God feeds his people with his very Body and Blood; but the Mass is also a sacrifice, for it involves the offering of Jesus’ Body and Blood to the Father.

The Son, bearing the sins of the world, is presented to the Father: "Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever." Does God need this sacrifice? Of course not; God needs nothing. But our salvation is effected through this Presentation, for we are brought back to the Father through the Son.

Video reflection by Deacon Arthur L. Miller (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Thomas Becket
The Second Letter to Timothy, chapter two, verses eight thru thirteen & chapter three, verses ten, eleven, & twelve;
Psalm Thirty-four (R/. five), verses two & three, four & five, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-four thru twenty-seven.

Commentary: Video reflection by Bishop Earl Boyea: "Bishop Boyea & the Seven Feast Days after Christmas: 29 December: Saint Thomas Becket"

Scripture Study—Bishop's Year of the Bible: Day 31
The Gospel according Matthew, chapter twenty (verses one thru thirty-four);

Commentary: The Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew, 20:1-16), a Third Time Jesus Foretells His Death & Resurrection (Matthew, 20:17-19), the Request of the Mother of James & John (Matthew, 20:20-28), & Jesus Heals Two Blind Men (Matthew, 20:29-34).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Would it not be beautiful if Christmas were to generate the inner Christ within us: a habit of meditation, a living memory of the great Mystery that we have solemnly commemoriated; a persuasion of faith, now acquired & confirmed? We must live our lives in union with Christ's life."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"There is more hunger in the world for love & appreciation in this world than for food."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Catholic Quote o' the Day

"Our life is a gift & a giving to others; therefore it is joy at a profound level. Anyone who seriously makes this idea his own & begins to practice it will find it to be true; he will discover that the will to live it out, that is, to accept everything as a gift from God, can transform our life right down to its roots."
—Servant of God Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905-1988)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"The Magi came from the East. How did they know about Christ? Probably from the prophecy of Daniel concerning the seventy weeks of years; they counted the revolution of the stars. In any case, they knew, & they brought gold because He was king, incense because He was a priest, but also myrrh. That's the way He was buried, with a hundred pounds of spices & myrrh. What would our mothers have thought if the neighbors brought in embalming fluid when we were born? Everywhere there was the shadow of suffering."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Saints + Scripture: Adventus

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent: Advent-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Video reflection by Bishop Earl Boyea: "Bishop Boyea on the Seven 'O Antiphons' of Advent, Part 7: O Emmanuel (O God with Us)"

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.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'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.

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 Jem Sullivan, Ph.D. (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Doctor John Bergsma (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. John of Kanty
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."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"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."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"May the Child Jesus be the star that guides you through the desert of your present life."
—St. Pius of Pietrelcina, O.F.M. Cap. ("Padre Pio," 1887-1968, feast: 23 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"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)

Saints + Scripture: Adventus

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Loreto (translations 1291-1294): Madonna-link, Holy House-link ūnus, Holy House-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

Lord Jesus, let me mediate upon how Mary & Joseph spoke to You of God's love, how You learned to work, & how You learned to surrender Your life in love.

NEW! — № | ūnus | duo | trēs
'Tis also the festival of Saint Miltiades, Pope (died 314, A.K.A. Melchiades the African), thirty-second (XXXII) Bishop of Rome (311-314), a foe of the Donatist heresy: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontifex-link & Wikipedia-link Pontifex; & Heresy-link & Wikipedia-link Donatism.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gregory III, Pope (died 741), ninetieth (XC) Bishop of Rome (731-741), a foe of the Byzantine iconoclastic heresy: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontifex-link & Wikipedia-link Pontifex; & Heresy-link & Wikipedia-link Iconoclasm.

'Tis also the festival of Saints Edmund Gennings, Polydore Plasden, & Eustace White, Priests; & Swithun Wells, Martyrs (died 1591), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, four of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Echo Golf & Wikipedia-link Echo Golf, Martyr-link Papa Papa & Wikipedia-link Papa Papa, Martyr-link Echo Whiskey & Wikipedia-link Echo Whiskey, & Martyr-link Sierra Whiskey & Wikipedia-link Sierra Whiskey; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Sidney Hodgson, Brian Lacey, & John Mason, Martyrs (died 1591), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I: Martyr-link Sierra Hotel & Wikipedia-link Sierra Hotel, Martyr-link Bravo Lima, Martyr-link Juliett Mike, & Wikipedia-link Trio.

'Tis also the festival of Saint John Roberts, Priest & Martyr, O.S.B. (1577-1610), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king James VI & I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales; & founder of the Benedictines that eventually founded the Basilica of Saint Gregory the Great, A.K.A. Downside Abbey: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales, & Wikipedia-link Downside.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Thomas Somers, Priest & Martyr (died 1610, A.K.A. Thomas Wilson), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king James VI & I, one of the one hundred fifty-eight Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty-one, verses thirteen thru twenty;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five (R/. eight), verses one & nine, ten & eleven, & twelve & thirteen(a/b);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eleven, verses eleven thru fifteen.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus says to the crowds, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.” The title for Flannery O’Connor’s irresistibly powerful second and final novel, The Violent Bear It Away, is taken from the Douay-Rheims translation of this last phrase.

This famously ambiguous passage has given rise to a variety of interpretations over the centuries. Many have taken it to mean that the kingdom of God is attacked by violent people (such as those who killed John the Baptist) and that they threaten to take it away. But others have interpreted it in the opposite direction, as a word of praise to the spiritually violent who manage to get into the kingdom. Flannery O’Connor herself sides with this latter group.

The “violent,” on this reading, are those spiritually heroic types who resist the promptings and tendencies of our fallen nature and seek to discipline it in various ways in order to enter into the kingdom of God.

Reflect: In what way can you be “spiritually violent,” disciplining your own ego and tendency to sin in a heroic way?

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

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Loreto
The Book of Isaiah, chapter seven, verses ten thru fourteen & chapter eight, verse ten;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses forty-six & forty-seven, forty-eight & forty-nine, fifty & fifty-one, fity-two & fifty-three, & fifty-four & fifty-five;
(R/. verse forty-nine; or, "O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.")
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses twenty-six thru thrity-eight.

Video reflection by Becket Ghioto (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Scripture Study—Bishop's Year of the Bible: Day 12
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter one (verses one thru twenty-five);

Commentary: The Genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew, 1:1-17) & the Birth of Jesus Christ (Matthew, 1:18-25).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Saint Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable rôle in the history of salvation."
—Pope Francis, S.J. (b. 1936, r. 2013-present)

Bonus! Papal Quote o' the Day

"Narazeth is the school in which one can begin to understand the life of Jesus: the school of the Gospel. Here one learns to watch, to listen, to meditate, & to penetrate the most profound & mysterious meaning of this manifestation of the Sonf of God."
—Pope St. John XXIII (1881-1963, r. 1958-1963; feast: 11 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"I can understand the greatness of God, but I cannot understand His humility. It becomes so clear in Him being in love with each of us separately & completely. It is as if there is no one but me in the world. He loves me so much. Each one of us can say this with great conviction."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Thou alone & Thy Mother are in all things fair; there is no flaw in Thee & no satain in Thy Mother."
—St. Ephraim the Syrian, Doctor of the Church (306-373, feast: 9 June)

Saints + Scripture

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Margaret of Scotland (circa 1045-1093, "the Pearl of Scotland;" A.K.A. of Wessex), Queen of Scots: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, Saint-link tria, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '18. Great-niece of St. Stephen of Hungary [16 August], niece of St. Edward the Confessor [13 October], & mother of St. David of Scotland [24 May] & Bl. Edmund of Scotland [3 October].

'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Gertrude, Virgin, O.S.B. (1256-1302, of Helfta; A.K.A. the Great): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, Saint-link tria, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Africus of Comminges, Bishop (floruit seventh century), Bishop of Comminges: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Comminges.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Othmar of Saint Gall, Priest & Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 689-759, also spelt Audemar), founding abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall (719-759): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Saint Gall.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Edmund of Abingdon, Bishop (circa 1174-1240; A.K.A. of Canterbury, Edmund Rich), Archbishop of Canterbury (1234-1240), a preacher of the Sixth Crusade (1228-1229): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link, Wikipedia-link Canterbury, & Wikipedia-link Bishops; & Wikipedia-link Crusade.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Edward Osbaldeston, Priest & Martyr (circa 1560-1594), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Giuseppe Moscati (1880-1927, the "Doctor of the Poor"): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Revelation, chapter one, verses one thru four & chapter two, verses one thru five;
Psalm One, verses one & two, three, & four & six
(R/. the Book of Revelation, chapter two, verse seventeen);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eighteen, verses thirty-five thru forty-three.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus heals a blind man. The Lord asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”

Taking this story as their inspiration, many of the Fathers of the Church said that it is through Christ’s power and presence that we are able to see the world aright. The problem is that we pretend we are not sinners, we become blind to our blindness. Often the most important step in one’s spiritual development is an awakening to just how lost one is.

Dante’s Divine Comedy opens with the line: “Midway on the journey of our life I awoke to find myself alone and lost in a dark wood, having wandered from the straight path.” Dante’s adventure of the spirit, which will take him from hell to purgatory to heaven, can begin only when he wakes from a slumber of complacency and self-righteousness, only when he comes to the painful realization that he stands in need of grace.

The breakthrough of God’s grace is sometimes a harsh and dreadful thing, especially when it cracks open the defensive shell of our self-righteousness.

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—Optional Memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-eight, verses six thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Twelve (R/. one; or, "Alleluia"), verses one & two, three & four, five & six, seven & eight, & nine;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses nine thru seventeen.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Gertrude
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter three, verses fourteen thru nineteen;
Psalm Twenty-three (R/. one), verses one(b), two, & three(a); four; five; & six;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses one thru eight.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Moor Uncomfortable, Day 9
The Song of Songs, chapter two, verses eight thru eleven.

Commentary: A Springtime Canticle (cont'd; Song, 2:8-11).

Scripture Study—Pierced Hands Bible Reading Plan: Day 65
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter one (of sixteen; verses one thru thirty-one);
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter two (verses one thru sixteen);
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter three (verses one thru twenty-three);
The Book of the Psalms, psalm sixty-five (verses one thru thirteen);
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter three, verses one thru nineteen.

Commentary: Salutation (1 Corinthians, 1:1-9), Dissension in the Church (1 Corinthians, 1:10-17), Christ the Power & Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians, 1:18-31), Proclaiming Christ Crucified (1 Corinthians, 2:1-5), the True Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians, 2:6-16), & On Dissension in the Corinthian Church (1 Corinthians, 3:1-23); Thanksgiving for Earth's Bounty (Psalm 65); & the Man with a Withered Hand (Mark, 3:1-6), a Multitude by the Sea (Mark, 3:7-12), & Jesus Appoints the Twelve (Mark, 3:13-19).

Scripture Study—Pierced Hands Bible Reading Plan: Day 66
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter four (verses one thru twenty-one);
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter five (verses one thru thirteen);
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter six (verses one thru twenty);
The Book of the Psalms, psalm sixty-six (verses one thru twenty);
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter three, verses twenty thru thirty-five.

Commentary: The Ministry of the Apostles (1 Corinthians, 4:1-13), Fatherly Admonition (1 Corinthians, 4:14-21), Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church (1 Corinthians, 5:1-8), Immorality & Judgment (1 Corinthians, 5:9-13), Lawsuits among Believers (1 Corinthians, 6:1-11), & Glorifying God in the Body (1 Corinthians, 6:12-20); Praise for God's Goodness to Israel (Psalm 66); & Jesus & Beelzebul (Mark, 3:20-30) & the True Kindred of Jesus (Mark, 3:31-35).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Genuine happiness of the home is based on love that gives itself & sacrifices itself simply & perseveringly. This love can be sustained only with the food of faith, & faith is a gift of God that is nourished in prayer & the Sacraments."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Poverty makes us free. We need to experience the joy of poverty. We choose poverty, we choose not to have things, unlike the poorest of the poor who are forced to be poor. If we do not have something, it is because we choose not to have it. In this, we are free because nothing belongs to us. Our poverty means that we do not have the kind of shoes we may want or the house we may want. We cannot keep things or give anything away or lend anything of value. We have nothing. We own nothing. This is the experience of poverty."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"If I had to advise parents, I should tell them to take great care about the people with whom their children associate… Much harm may result from bad company, & we are inclined by nature to follow what is worse than what is better."
—St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, S.C. (1774-1821, feast: 4 January)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"The peaceful soul does not seek, now, to live morally, but to live for God; morality is only a by-product of the union with Him."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Saints + Scripture: Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (324; formally, the Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior & of Saints John the Baptist & the Evangelist in the Lateran, A.K.A. the Papal Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran): Lateran-link ūnus, Lateran-link duo, Lateran-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '18.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter forty-seven, verses one, two, eight, nine, & twelve;
Psalm Forty-six (R/. five), verses two & three, five & six, & eight & nine;
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter three, verses nine(c), ten, eleven, sixteen, & seventeen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter two, verses thirteen thru twenty-two.

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

Friends, in our Gospel, Jesus performs the dramatic gesture of cleansing the temple. His prophetic vocation will manifest itself in all of his speech, gestures, and actions. Jesus’ confrontation with fallen powers and dysfunctional traditions will be highly focused, intense, and disruptive.

Standing at the heart of the holy city of Jerusalem, the temple was the political, economic, cultural, and religious center of the nation. Turning over the tables of the money-changers, driving out the merchants, shouting in high dudgeon, and upsetting the order of that place was striking at the most sacred institution of the culture, the unassailable embodiment of the tradition.

It was to show oneself as a critic in the most radical and surprising sense possible. That this act of Jesus the warrior flowed from the depth of his prophetic identity is witnessed to by the author of John’s Gospel: “His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’” Many of the historical critics of the New Testament hold that this event—shocking, unprecedented, perverse—is what finally persuaded the leaders that Jesus merited execution.

Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Curtis Mitch (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Moor Uncomfortable, Day 2
The Song of Songs, chapter one, verses two, three, & four.

Commentary: Song of the Bride & Her Companions (cont'd; Song, 1:2-4).

Saints of the Day
'Tis also the festival of Saint Ursinus of Bourges, Bishop (floruit third century), inaugural Bishop of Bourges: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Bourges.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Benignus of Armagh, Bishop & Abbot (died 467, "Saint Patrick's psalm-singer;" also spelt Benen), second (II) Bishop of Armagh (457-467), founding abbot of Kilbennen: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Armagh & Wikipedia-link Kilbennen.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Pabo, Religious (died 510, A.K.A. "Pabo Post Prydain" [Pabo the Pillar of Britain]), founder of Saint Pabo's Church (460) & the village of Llanbabo ("Church of Pabo"): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link St. Pabo's & Wikipedia-link Llanbabo.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Gabriel Ferretti, Priest, O.F.M. (circa 1385-1456): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Distant kinsman of Pope Bl. Pius IX [7 February].

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Ludovico of Bologna (1433-1485, A.K.A. Ludovico Morbioli): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed George Napper, Priest & Martyr (1550-1610, also spelt Napier), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king James VI & I, one of the one hundred fifty-eight Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Sainthood is not a privilege for the few, but a vocation for everyone."
—Pope Francis (b. 1936, r. 2013-present)

Bonus! Papal Quote o' the Day

"A Christian who is really Catholic must be an apostle: with prayer, with example, with oblation, with suffering, with activity, with disciline, with organization. A widespread effort of faith is the duty of this hour for every member of the Mystical Body of Christ."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Each one of us is here today because we have been loved by God Who created us, & by our paretns who cared enough to give us life. Life is the most beautiful gift of God. That is why it is so painful to see wht is happening today in so many places around the world; life being deliberately destroyed by war & every type of violence."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"If we get in front of the sun, we get sun tans. But when we get in front of Jesus in the Eucharist, we become saints."
—Bl. Carlo Acutis (1991-2006, feast: 12 October)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"America, it is said, if suffering from intolerance. It is not. It is suffering from tolerance: tolerance of right & wrong, truth & error, virtue & evil, Christ & chaos."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)