Saints + Scripture

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

Religious Freedom Week '19
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Paulinus of Nola, Bishop (circa 354-431, A.K.A. Pontius Meropius Anicius Paulinus): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Paulinus is traditionally credited with the introduction of bells to Christian worship & helped resolve the disputed election of Pope [St.] Boniface I [25 October].

'Tis also 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: Martyr-link Juliett Foxtrot ūnus, Martyr-link Juliett Foxtrot duo, & Wikipedia-link Juliett Foxtrot; Martyr-link Tango Mike ūnus, Martyr-link Tango Mike duo, & Wikipedia-link Tango Mike; & Diocese-link Rochester & Wikipedia-link Rochester.

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Fisher was executed by order of Henry VIII during the English Reformation for refusing to accept the king as Supreme Head of the Church of England & for upholding the Roman Catholic Church's doctrine of papal supremacy.

Wikipedia-link Reformation

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Thomas was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman, & noted Renaissance humanist, [imprisoned for] refusing to acknowledge Henry VIII as Supreme Head of the Church of England & the annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. After refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy, he was convicted of treason & executed.

Wikipedia-link Oath

'Tis also the festival of Saint Alban, Martyr (died circa 303, of Verulamium), the protomartyr of Britain, martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian, a victim of the Great Persecution: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Protomartyr & Wikipedia-link Persecution.

'Tis also the festival of Saint John IV of Naples, Bishop (died 835, the Peacemaker; A.K.A. Giovanni d'Acquarola, Giovanni Scriba), Bishop of Naples: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Naples, Wikipedia-link Diocese, & Wikipedia-link Archdiocese.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Innocent V, Pope, O.P. (circa 1225-1276, A.K.A. Pierre of Tarentaise), one hundred eighty-fifth (CLXXXV) Bishop of Rome, who attended the Second Council of Lyon (1274): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontiff-link, Wikipedia-link Pontiff, & Wikipedia-link Council.

Commentary: Not to be confused with St. Pierre of Tarentaise, O.Cist. [1102-1174, 14 September].

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter twelve, verses one thru ten;
Psalm Thirty-four, verses eight & nine, ten & eleven, & twelve & thirteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter six, verses twenty-four thru thirty-four.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, our Gospel today calls us to entrust our lives completely to God. How often the Bible compels us to meditate on the meaning of faith! We might say that the Scriptures rest upon faith, and that they remain inspired at every turn by the spirit of faith.

Paul Tillich said that “faith” is the most misunderstood word in the religious vocabulary, and I’ve always felt that he’s right about that. What is faith? Faith is an attitude of trust in the presence of God. Faith is openness to what God will reveal, do, and invite. It should be obvious that in dealing with the infinite, all-powerful person who is God, we are never in control.

This is precisely what we see in the lives of the saints: in Mother Teresa moving into the worst slum in the world in an attitude of trust; in Francis of Assisi just abandoning everything and living for God; in Rose Hawthorne deciding to take cancer sufferers into her own home; in Antony leaving everything behind and going into the desert; in Maximilian Kolbe saying, “I’m a Catholic priest; take me in his place.”

Do not worry, and depend on God for everything. Have faith!

Video reflection by Marc DelMonico, Ph.D.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Paulinus of Nola
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter eight, verses nine thru fifteen;
Psalm Forty, verses two, four(a/b), seven & eight(a), eight(b) & nine, & ten;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twelve, verses thirty-two, thirty-three, & thirty-four.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of Ss. John Fisher & Thomas More
The First Letter of Peter, chapter four, verses twelve thru nineteen;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six, verses one(b/c) & two(a/b), two(c/d) & three, four & five, & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses thirty-four thru thirty-nine.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Covenant Crag, Day 6
The Book of Genesis, chapter six, verses thirteen thru sixteen.

Commentary: Noah Makes the Ark as God Commands (Genesis, 6:13-16).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"In the present-day confusion of the notion of good & evil, licit & illicit, just & unjust, in the demoralizing spread of crime & immorality, we will do well to preserve & deepen the sense of natural law. This means the sense of justice, of integrity, & of the good."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 29 May)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"Jesus bore with me patiently, for He does not unfold everything at once to the soul. He gives His light little by little."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"I die the king's good servant, but God's first."
—St. Thomas More (1478-1535, feast day: 22 June)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Melbourne Ska Orchestra, "Perfect Storm" from Read All about It! (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: There is a delightful 007-esque undertone to the music of "Perfect Storm." The lyrics speak to the current mood of dissatisfaction & foreboding.

"Time will play on you,
Best get illuminated to the view.

"Close doors and batten down,
Pressure's building, can you hear the sound?
Waking up to a different dawn,
Get ready for the perfect storm!
Ring bells and batten down,
Pressure's building, can you hear the sound?
Waking up to a different dawn,
Get ready for the perfect storm…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Melbourne Ska Orchestra, "He's a Tripper" from Melbourne Ska Orchestra (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:

"Number one producer,
He's a melody seducer,
There's a method in the madness plan…"

Saints + Scripture

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

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious, S.J. (1568-1591): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Cousin of the martyr Bl. Rodolfo Acquaviva, S.J. [25 July].

Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was an Italian aristocrat who became a member of the Society of Jesus. While still a student at the Roman College, he died as a result of caring for the victims of a serious epidemic.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Martin of Tongres, Bishop (died circa 350), seventh (VIII) Bishop of Tongeren: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Tongeren.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Alban of Mainz, Priest & Martyr (died circa 400), martyred by pagan Vandals; a cephalophore: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Cephalophore.

'Tis also the festival of Saint John Rigby, Martyr (circa 1570-1600), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter eleven, verses eighteen & twenty-one thru thirty;
Psalm Thirty-four, verses two & three, four & five, & six & seven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter six, verses nineteen thru twenty-three.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus tells his disciples not to store up treasures for themselves on earth, but to store up treasures in heaven, "where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal."

St. Augustine once said that since every creature is made ex nihilo, it carries with it the heritage of nonbeing. There is a kind of penumbra or shadow of nothingness that haunts every finite thing.

This is a rather high philosophical way of stating what all of us know in our bones: no matter how good, beautiful, true, or exciting a thing or state of affairs is here below, it is destined to pass into non-being. Think of a gorgeous firework that bursts open like a giant flower and then, in the twinkling of an eye, is gone forever. Everything is haunted by non-being; everything, finally, is that firework.

But this is not meant to depress us; it is meant to redirect our attention precisely to the treasures of heaven, to the eternity of God. Once we see everything in light of God, we can learn to love the things of this world without clinging to them and without expecting too much of them. Think of how much disappointment and heartache could be avoided if we only learned this truth!

Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga
The First Letter of John, chapter five, verses one thru five;
Psalm Sixteen, verses one, two(a), & five; seven & eight; & eleven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-two, verses thirty-four thru forty.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Covenant Crag, Day 5
The Book of Genesis, chapter six, verses one, two, & four thru nine.

Commentary: The Wickedness of Mankind (Genesis, 6:1-2, 4-9).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"To construct this world you have to undertake great tasks. If you want your legitimate ideals to be meaningful & not halfhearted, beginning now you must be daring, patient, & sincere with yourselves. You must also have an unshakeable faith."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"What mysteries we shall one day see unveiled!"
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Jesus Christ is very much like the light of the sun. The sun is so very bright that if we are to understand its inner beauty, we have to shoot that sunlight through a prism, & when we do, it splits up into the seven rays of the spectrum. And so Our Blessed Lord, having a life that is infinitely rich, shoots this divine light through the prism of the Church & it splits up, not into the seven rays of the spectrum, but into the seven sacraments of the Church."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Today: SKAfter Party

Less Than Jake, "Short Fuse Burning" from Anthem (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: Denounce me as unimaginative & derivative if you like, but the lyrics of "Short Fuse Burning" express my state of mind more perfectly than I could myself.

"These are all the reasons why
I'll be exploding tonight,
And why this chip on my shoulder
Feels like a mile wide:
It's from the overwork,
Overtime compromise.

"So I'm looking tonight
For some peace of mind,
Maybe then I'll find
Some strength inside,
'Cause I've lost any hope of ever changing.
I'm a short fuse burning!
I'm a short fuse burning!

"And remember who I,
Who I used to be,
Because this one-trick pony's
So strung out on routine,
Yeah, stuck on repeat,
Like you wouldn't even believe.

"So I'm looking tonight
For some peace of mind,
Maybe then I'll find
Some strength inside,
'Cause I've lost any hope of ever changing.
I'm a short fuse burning!

"Hey, everybody don't forget me, forget me,
Hey, everybody don't forget me,
I forgot who I used to be!
And I'm a short fuse burning,
I'm so close to exploding,
So everybody don't forget me,
I forgot who I used to be.

"So I'm looking tonight
For some peace of mind,
Maybe then I'll find
Some strength inside,
'Cause I've lost any hope of ever changing.
I'm a short fuse burning.

"Hey, everybody don't forget me, forget me,
Hey, everybody don't forget me,
I forgot who I used to be!
And I'm a short fuse burning,
I'm so close to exploding,
So everybody don't forget me,
I forgot who I used to be."

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Yesterday: SKAfter Party

Mittwich, 19. Juni
Melbourne Ska Ochestra, "Learn to Love Again" from Melbourne Ska Ochestra (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: Right now, the future—tonight, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow—looks relentlessly bleak, but I know that's only because I'm so very weary; I ache all over & a fog shrouds my mind.

"You're wondering how it got to this,
Dwelling on your hits and miss,
Don't be so tough on your healing heart,
Endings, they come and go like the start.

"The history books are full of tales,
Of floating ships that never sailed,
Think of the seas yet to explore,
Treasures wash up on the shore.

"Everything must have its day,
Sun will rise up again!

"Don't cry, here comes your summer,
In time, you'll find another,
You'll fly and smile like you really should,
You'll learn to love again…"

Saints + Scripture

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

The Popish Plot
Theology Thursday: "Corpus Christi"

'Tis the festival of Saint Adalbert of Magdeburg, Bishop & Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 910-981, the "Apostle to the Slavs"), inaugural (I) Archbishop of Magdeburg: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Magdeburg.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Giovanni of Matera, Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 1070-1139, A.K.A. of Pulsano, Anglicizes as John), founding abbot of an abbey at Pulsano: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Margareta Ebner, Religious, O.P. (circa 1291-1351): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Dermot O'Hurley, Bishop, & Margaret Ball, Martyrs (died 1584, also spelt Diarmaid Ó Hiarlatha & Maighréad Ball), Archbishop of Cashel, martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, two of the Irish Martyrs: Martyr-link Delta Oscar & Wikipedia-link Delta Oscar, Martyr-link Mike Bravo & Wikipedia-link Mike Bravo; Diocese-link Cashel & & Wikipedia-link Cashel; & Martyrs-link Éire, & Wikipedia-link Éire.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds John Fenwick, John Gavan, William Harcourt, Anthony Turner, & Thomas Whitbread; Priests & Martyrs, S.J. (died 1679), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king Charles II, victims of the perjurer Titus Oates's "Popish Plot" hoax: Martyr-link Juliett Foxtrot & Wikipedia-link Juliett Foxtrot, Martyr-link Juliett Golf & Wikipedia-link Juliett Golf, Martyr-link Whiskey Hotel & Wikipedia-link Whiskey Hotel, Martyr-link Alpha Tango & Wikipedia-link Alpha Tango, & Martyr-link Tango Whiskey & Wikipedia-link Tango Whiskey; Plot-link & Wikipedia-link Plot.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter eleven, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Eleven, verses one(b) & two, three & four, & seven & eight;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter six, verses seven thru fifteen.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, the Gospel for today is of great significance, for in it the Son of God teaches us to pray. We hear from not just a guru, a spiritual teacher, or a religious genius, but from the very Son of God. This is why the Our Father, the Lord’s Prayer, is the model of all prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer for the Christian journey which has been offered up consistently for the past two thousand years. Think for a moment how this prayer links us to all of the great figures in Christian history, from Peter and Paul to Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Francis of Assisi, John Henry Newman, G.K. Chesterton, John Paul II, and right up to the present day.

Keep in mind that prayer is not designed so much to change God’s mind or to tell God something he doesn’t know. God isn’t like a big city boss or a reluctant pasha whom we have to persuade. Rather, he is the one who wants nothing other than to give us good things—though they might not always be the things we want.

Video reflection by Father Roger Lopez, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Covenant Crag, Day 4
The Book of Genesis, chapter four, verses sixteen thru twenty-six.

Commentary: Beginnings of Civilization (Genesis, 4:16-26).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Our world is suffering in the icy grip of selfishness & fever. It needs to feel the certainty that renews & confirms forever the great work of the Covenant: 'The Lord chooses you, the Lord loves you.'"
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 29 May)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"I understand now that charity consists in bearing with the faults of others, in not being surprised at their weakness, in being edified by the smallest acts of virtue we see them practice."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"You & I came into the world to live; He came into the world to offer His life for us."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot
"33 Days to Morning Glory, Week 1: St. Louis de Montfort"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Romuald, Abbot, O.S.B. Cam. (circa 950-1027, of Ravenna), founder of the Camaldolese Order, a tradition that encompasses both eremitic (solitary) & cenobitic (communal) monasticism: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Order-link O.S.B. Cam. & Er.Cam. & Wikipedia-link O.S.B. Cam. & Er.Cam.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was the founder of the Camaldolese order & a major figure in the eleventh-century "Renaissance of eremitical (hermit) asceticism."

'Tis also the festival of Saint Giuliana Falconieri, Virgin, O.S.M. (1270-1341, Anglicized as Juliana), foundress of the Mantellates, tertiaries of the Servite Order (O.S.M.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Order-link O.S.M. & Wikipedia-link O.S.M.

Commentary: Niece of St. Alexis Falconieri, one of the Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order [17 February].

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds William Exmew, Humphrey Middlemore, & Sebastian Newdigate, Priests & Martyrs, O.Cart. (died 1535), martyred in the reign of the English king Henry VIII, three of the Carthusian Martyrs of London: Martyr-link Whiskey Echo & Wikipedia-link Whiskey Echo, Martyr-link Hotel Mike & Wikipedia-link Hotel Mike, Martyr-link Sierra November & Wikipedia-link Sierra November; Martyrs-link Charterhouse & Wikipedia-link Charterhouse.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Thomas Woodhouse, Priest & Martyr, S.J. (1535-1573), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

We also commemorate Venerable Matt Talbot, T.O.S.F. (1856-1925): Venerable-link ūnus, Venerable-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter nine, verses six thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Eleven, verses one(b,c) & two, three & four, & nine;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter six, verses one thru six, sixteen, seventeen, & eighteen.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today’s Gospel asks us to do three things: pray, fast, and give alms. Let’s focus today on prayer. Studies show that prayer is a very common, very popular activity. Even those who profess no belief in God pray!

What is prayer, and how should we pray? Prayer is intimate communion and conversation with God. Judging from Jesus’ own life, prayer is something that we ought to do often, especially at key moments of our lives.

Well, how should we pray? What does it look like? You have to pray with faith, and according to Jesus’ model, you have to pray with forgiveness. The efficacy of prayer seems to depend on the reconciliation of differences.

You also have to pray with persistence. One reason that we don’t receive what we want through prayer is that we give up too easily. Augustine said that God sometimes delays in giving us what we want because he wants our hearts to expand.

Finally, we have to pray in Jesus’ name. In doing so we are relying on his influence with the Father, trusting that the Father will listen to him.

Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Romuald
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter three, verses eight thru fourteen;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-one, verses one(b/c/d/e), two, & three;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-five thru thirty-three.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Covenant Crag, Day 3
The Book of Genesis, chapter four, verses eight thru sixteen.

Commentary: Cain & Abel (concluded; Genesis, 4:8-16).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Prayer is able to transform the world. Everything is new with prayer, both for individuals & for communities. New goals & new ideals emerge. Christian dignity & action are reaffirmed."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"I understand clearly that through love alone can we become pleasing to God, & my sole ambition is to acquire it."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"When our Lord came to this earth, the gospel says of Him, 'He came unto His own & His own received him not.' He had to be born under the floor of the earth, in a cave. One has to stoop to enter a cave. And the stoop is the stoop of humility. At the end of His life He was rejected by the earth again. The trees turned against Him, the trees that He made, for they gave Him a cross. The bowels of the earth turned against Him, for they produced a hammer & nails. The roses blushed a deeper red, for from their branches came a crown of thorns. And the earth itself would not have His feet, so they raised Him above it. As earth rejected Him, so did the heavens. There was darkness over the earth for three hours. And the sun which He had made as a symbol of Himself & as death & resurrection in daily life now hid its light, almost as if ashamed to shed itself upon the crime of deicide."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 326.8 lbs
This weigh-in: 325.8 lbs.
Difference: -1.0 lbs.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

The Interrupters, "On a Turntable" from Say It Out Loud (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:

"My fridge ain't broken,
My beer ain't cold,
My body's achin'
And I'm not even old…

"Never had much,
Grew up with nothin'
But the music
Always meant somethin',
Been down and out,
I've been on top of the world!
A world that keeps on spinnin'
On a turntable…"

Saints + Scripture

'Tis the festival of Saints Marcus & Marcellianus, Martyrs (died circa 286), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian: Martyr-link Mike-Sierra, Martyr-link Mike-Lima, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Twin brothers, sons of St. Tranquillinus [6 July].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Eadgyth of Aylesbury, Religious (died circa 650, also spelt Edith): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Sister of St. Eadburh of Bicester [18 July].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Elisabeth of Schönau, Abbess, O.S.B. (circa 1126-1164), abbess of Schönau Abbey: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Abbey.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gregorio Barbarigo, Bishop (1625-1697): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Bergamo & Wikipedia-link Bergamo; & Wikipedia-link Padua.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter eight, verses one thru nine;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-six, verses two, five & six(a/b), six(c) & seven, & eight & nine(a);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses forty-three thru forty-eight.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, once again our Gospel today is taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. It is one of the most puzzling texts in the New Testament. It speaks of loving our enemies. Not tolerating them, or vaguely accepting them, but loving them. When you hate your enemy, you confirm him as your enemy. But when you love him in response to his hatred, you confuse and confound him, taking away the very energy that feeds his hatred.

There is a form of oriental martial arts called aikido. The idea of aikido is to absorb the aggressive energy of your opponent, moving with it, continually frustrating him until he comes to the point of realizing that fighting is useless.

Some have pointed out that there is a great deal of this in Jesus’ strategy of nonviolence and love of the enemy. You creatively absorb the aggression of your opponent, channeling it back against him, to show him the futility of violence. So when someone insults you, send back a compliment instead of an insult.

Video reflection by Father Joseph Rogliano: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Covenant Crag, Day 2
The Book of Genesis, chapter four, verses three thru seven.

Commentary: Cain & Abel (cont'd; Genesis, 4:3-7).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Love alone makes Jesus the Savior. Only through the ways of love can we approach Him, imitate Him, & bring Him into our souls. Only through the ways of love can we bring Him into the ever dramatic vicissitudes of human history."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 29 May)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"I remember His Love for the prodigal son, I have heard His words to Mary Magdalene, to the woman taken in adultery, to the woman of Samaria. No—there is no one who could frighten me, for I know too well what to believe concerning His mercy & His love."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Judas went to the Sanhedrin, to the chief council of the city, & said to them, 'What will you give me?' Everything wrong begins with 'Give me.' The prodigal son when he left home said, 'Give me.' 'What will you give me if deliver Him to you?' They talked among themselves, & they fixed the fee at the price of a slave. What was our Lord worth? About thirty pieces of silver. A slave, He was. The Greek word for 'slave' is doulos. It is used over forty times in the New Testament. A slave does two things: he does hard things, & he does dirty things, even bearing the burden of human sin. So the price was fixed; they gathered together thirty pieces of silver, & they dropped them one by one into that hand that was blessed by the Lord when Judas was called to be an apostle. Judas went out with his thirty pieces of silver. Remember, you can sell the Lord, but you can never buy Him. We get sick of selling the Lord as Judas was, when he brought back his money & flung it into their faces, saying 'I've betrayed innocent blood.' Think about your lives. How many times have you sold Christ?"
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Explorers' Club, № DCXCIV

Operation AXIOM: After the World War—The Red Scare, Part VII
21 June 1919: "Bloody Saturday" in the Winnipeg General Strike—Tens of thousands had been on strike since 15 May; a veterans' "silent parade" on 21 June turned into a violent mob that derailed & set ablaze a streetcar; the Royal North-West Mounted Police opened fire, resulting in two deaths; on 25 June, the Strike Committee voted to end the work stoppage, but many strikers were blacklisted.

Lest we forget.

24 HEURES DU MANS | +33:36:00

I apologize for not opining sooner, but I charitably volunteered time on Sunday that I really, really wanted to devote to the glorious, once-a-year adventure of Le Mans, in order to serve others. I was not the most cheerful or mentally agile giver, but I placed the good of others above my own all the same. I pray that next year I will be more prudent, acknowledging that experiencing the 24 Hours of Le Mans in its fullness is a necessary & vivifying self-care ritual. It is right & necessary to serve others, but if I don't take adequate care of myself, I will not be in any shape to help anyone.

Saints + Scripture: XI Week in Ordinary Time

'Tis the festival of Saint Moling of Wexford, Bishop & Abbot (614-697; also spelt Molling, Mullins; A.K.A. Moling Luachra, of Ferns), second (II) Bishop of Ferns, founder of the monastery around which arose the town of St. Mullin's, the layout of which is detailed in the Book of Mulling: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Ferns & Wikipedia-link Ferns; & Wikipedia-link St. Mullin's & Wikipedia-link Book.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Adulf of Maastricht, Bishop (died circa 680; also spelt Adolph, A.K.A. of Utrecht): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Brother of St. Botwulf of Thorney [17 June].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Rainerius of Pisa, Religious, Obl.S.B. (circa 115-1161; also spelt Rainier, Raniero, Regnier, etc.; A.K.A. Ranieri Scacceri): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Theresa of Portugal, Religious, O.Cist. (1178-1250), Queen of León: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Albert Chmielowski, Religious, T.O.S.F. (1845-1916, A.K.A. Adam Chmielowski), founder of the Albertine Brothers, formally known as the Brothers of the Third Order of Saint Francis, Servants of the Poor (C.F.A.P.U.); & the Albertine Sisters, formally known as the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis Serving the Poor (C.S.A.P.U.): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Order-link C.F.A.P.U., Wikipedia-link C.F.A.P.U., & Wikipedia-link C.S.A.P.U.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter six, verses one thru ten;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one & two(a/b), three(a/b), & three(c/d) & four;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses thirty-eight thru forty-two.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today’s Gospel gives Jesus’ teaching about nonresistance to evil people. We are continually wanting God to behave as we would—that is to say, withdrawing his love from those who don’t deserve it and giving his love to those who do deserve it. But this is just not the way God operates.

Why should you pray for someone who is persecuting you? Why shouldn’t you be allowed at least to answer him in kind—an eye for an eye? Because God doesn’t operate that way, and you are being drawn into the divine life. Why should you turn the other cheek to someone who has struck you? Because it’s practical? No, because that’s the way God operates, and you’re being called into the divine life. Why should you go beyond simply loving those who love you? Because that’s the way God operates: he loves the saints and he loves the worst of sinners.

Is any of this easy to do? Of course not. Are we able to get to this state through willing it, through earnest practice? Of course not! That’s why love is referred to as a theological virtue. It is the sheerest participation in the divine life, and it can only come from God.

Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Covenant Crag, Day 1 (of 35)
The Book of Genesis, chapter four, verses one & two.

Commentary: Cain & Abel (Genesis, 4:1-2).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Hear the voice of Christ, called you to join His workers: invest life with a direction, by making your own the concern of the Church for the elevation & progress of people. The Church fully understands the yearnings of your generous heart."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 29 May)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"I would like to fly as the eagle does, but I can only flutter my wings—it is beyond my feeble strength to soar."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Commentary: It must be the way St. Thérèse's words have been chopped up into wee chunks, surely meant to increase their digestibility, that renders them so twee, so useless. I've encountered other quotations of the Little Flower's writings wherein she speaks of her inability to climb the ladder to holiness due to her littleness, thus prompting her to depend on being picked up by God, Who then lifts her to the heights, soaring above all those who strive to attain holiness by their own efforts. That is how we soar, by dependence on God, & the Little Flower knew that better than we do. My issue is not with St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus & the Holy Face, Virgin & Doctor of the Church; my issue is with the way she is being quoted, potentially misquoted. This is strike two—three strikes & you're out!

I remain, as ever, ornery, one might even say, quarrelsome.

Saint Quote o' the Day

"On the cross our Lord spoke to the atheists, to the communists, to the agnostics, to the unbelievers, to the fallen-away, all of whom live an inner kind of hell—particularly those who have had the faith & lost it. Hell does not begin in the next world. It begins here. How will an atheist, an agnostic, or an infidel ever be saved, if the Lord on the cross does not take means to redeem them? So our Blessed Lord now undertakes to suffer that loneliness, isolation, & separation from God that all atheists feel. He permitted Himself, therefore, to be without any divine consolation, to walk on the very brink of hell, to feel what it is to be damned. At that moment, when the sun hid its light, almost ashamed to shed its light on the crime of deicide, our Lord, now in that darkness of the very day, put on this darkness of soul & in reparation for all the atheists cried out, 'My God, my God, why have You abandoned Me?' That makes it possible for Brezhnev to save his soul: if Brezhnev hears that cry. The Lord felt the hell of Voltaire, of Camus, of Sartre, of Julian the Apostate, of all who deny their Lord. And from that day on, they need only cry to Him to be saved. But they must cry."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Unified" from While We're at It (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:

"We're not here to misinform you,
We are only trying to warn you:

"We are with you, not against you,
We only hope you have the common sense to
Realize we're unified,
And realize we're here to back you,
And not let anybody else attack you,
So you know, we're on your side,
And we're unified,
We're unified…"

Saints + Scripture: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

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

'Tis the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity: Trinity-link & Wikipedia-link Trinity, Feast-link Trinity & Wikipedia-link Trinity Sunday.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

On the first Sunday after Pentecost, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Saint Josemaría [Escrivá, 26 June] speaks about how each soul in grace is a temple of the Trinity. The central mystery of Christian faith & life is the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
The Book of Proverbs, chapter eight, verses twenty-two thru thirty-one;
Psalm Eight, verses two(a), four & five, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Letter to the Romans, chapter five, verses one thru five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses twelve thru fifteen.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today’s Gospel declares that when the Spirit comes, he will guide us into all truth.

There is a story I’ve heard about Jean-Luc Marion that, if it isn’t true, should be. In the midst of a lively lecture on Descartes, a student asked a pointed question about God. Marion looked at her and said, “Go to Sunday Mass for a year and then return and ask me that question again.”

Marion’s response was not just a clever one-liner. If true knowledge of God depends upon immersion in the Holy Spirit, then that knowledge is a function of an entire form of life, involving prayer, self-denial, the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and the forgiveness of one’s enemies. We don’t think our way to an understanding of God so much as we live our way to it.

Thomas Aquinas always said that he owed his theology far more to the persistence of his prayer than to the acuity of his mind. His penetration of the divine mystery flowed from his life in the Holy Spirit. And so today we pray, “Come, Holy Spirit, come!”

Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Video reflection by Father Claude Burns (uCatholic): Weekend Reflection with Father Pontifex.

Video reflection by Father Michael Nixon (uCatholic): Made for Glory.

Audio reflection by Scott Hahn, Ph.D. (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Breaking the Bread.

Mass Journal: Week 29
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:

We are called to live holy lives & this is something we should strive for as Christians, but let me be very clear that this holiness is not something that we can attain for ourselves. In truth, holiness is something God does in us & not something we achieve. And yet at the same time, God is the perfect gentleman: He invites us to participate in his life, but never forces Himself upon us. He wants our consent, He wants to be invited into our hearts & lives, but much more than consent & invitation He desires our loving cooperation. God yearns for us to be coworkers with Him in this work of holiness. It is this dynamic collaboration between God & man that brings delight to God. The North Star is the only star in the sky that never moves; it remains constant & unwavering, & therefore is a true guide. In the same way, God's call to live a holy life never changes. In a world of rapid & constant change, it is what is unchanging that allows us to make sense of change. The ideas you encounter may change, your emotions may change, but God's call to live a holy life never changes.

†

Otherwise, 16 June would be the festival of Saint Isfael of Menevia, Bishop (floruit sixth century, incorrectly Anglicized as Ishmael): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Aurelianus of Arles, Bishop (died 551, A.K.A. "the Sinner"), Archbishop of Arles, who attended the Fifth Council of Orléans (549): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Arles & Wikipedia-link Arles, & Wikipedia-link Council.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Lutgardis of the Sacred Heart, Abbess, O.Cist. (1182-1246; A.K.A. of Aywières, of Tongeren; also spelt Lutgarde): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Thomas Redyng, Religious & Martyr, O.Cart. (died 1537), martyred in the reign of the English king Henry VIII, one of the Carthusian Martyrs of London: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List); Martyrs-link Charterhouse & Wikipedia-link Charterhouse.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Day after day I was able to observe the austere way in which [my father] lived. By profession he was a soldier &, after my mother's death, his life became one of constant prayer. Sometimes I would wake up during the night & find my father on his knees, just as I would always see him kneeling in the parish church. We never spoke about a vocation to the priesthood, but his example was in a way my first seminary, a kind of domestic seminary."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"The nearer one gets to God, the simpler one becomes."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

—St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church (1090-1153, feast day: 20 August)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Lord's Day: Trinity

Audrey Assad, "Holy, Holy, Holy" from Inheritance (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:

"…Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name in earth and sky and sea!
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!
God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity!"

Bonus! Song o' the Last 24 Hours

Barenaked Ladies, "Who Needs Sleep?" from Stunt (The Last Angry Homme)

Commentary: Last week, I was asked if I could substitute as an usher at the 9:00 A.M. Mass: "We could really us the help." Prior to that, I was already scheduled to serve as "master of ceremonies" for Kingdom Kids, the children's Liturgy of the Word, during the 11:00 A.M. Mass. I'll definitely need a nap after all that; so, I probably won't have the opportunity to watch the last hour of Le Mans & the podium ceremonies 'til this evening. Stupid real life, trying to ruin all my fun! *grumble grumble*"

"(Who needs sleep?)
Well, you're never gonna get it!
(Who needs sleep?)
Tell me, what's that for?
(Who needs sleep?)
Be happy with what you're getting,
There's guys been awake since the Second World War…"

24 HEURES DU MANS | 02:43:00

I revel in this race! So much time has passed that the temptation to think "It's almost over" doesn't even seem like a temptation to be resisted, merely a statement of the obvious. But the time that remains in the race exceeds the length of any Formula One grand prix, exceeds the length of most I.M.S.A. races, endures the length of any IndyCar race save the Indianapolis 500 (or any similar five-hundred-mile oval race). The teams have been through so much already, this journey through a day, the night, & another day has already been so long, but a whole race is left yet to run.

Le Mans! Le Mans! Le Mans!

24 HEURES DU MANS | 03:24:00

Day of the Safety Cars!
The odds of the race finishing without any additional safety car interventions were slight, but this particular intervention is still disappointing. The № 63 Corvette was vying with the № 51 Ferrari for the G.T.E. Pro. class lead, but has now been shuffled back to sixth or seventh, trapped behind a different safety car than the leader (the length of the Circuit de la Sarthe necessitates three safety cars, located at intervals around the track), to be the better part of an entire lap behind whenever the field eventually goes "green" again. Alas!

24 HEURES DU MANS | 05:17:00

There are more than five hours left to race. Most W.E.C. races are six hours long in total; most I.M.S.A races are less than three hours long. The best way to throw it all away would be to start thinking the race is all but won.

G.T.E. Pro.
The № 63 Corvette repeatedly trades the class lead with the № 51 Ferrari according to the vicissitudes of the pit-stop cycle. The Porsches (№ 91 [W.E.C.] & № 93 [I.M.S.A.]) lurk just behind, ravenous in appetite & malicious in intent.

L.M.P.1
The № 7 Toyota continues to outpace & pull away from the sister № 8. The № 11 S.M.P. privateer continues to lead from the № 1 Rebellion in the race for the final spot on the podium & the honor of being the "best of the rest."

L.M.P.2
The № 26 G-Drive spent twenty minutes in the pits with starter trouble, allowing the № 36 Signatech to seize the initiative.

The Hour of the Wolf
I struggled between 2:00-3:00 A.M., facing nearly constant temptation to lose focus & close my eyes. I tried to remind myself that I'd slept through the night before during Le Mans & has always regretted it. Eventually, it dawned on me to get up & walk around. I soon perked right up.

24 HEURES DU MANS | 08:08:00

How is it that eight hours have gone by since I observed, with some astonishment, that eight hours had already gone by & that sixteen hours still remained? Sixteen hours have now passed since the race started, seventeen hours since I started watching the pre-race festivities. This is such a long, strange day, that paradoxically passes so very quickly.

G.T.E. Pro.
During the night, the Porsches seemed invincible, resisted only by the № 51 Ferrari 488 Evo of A.F. Corsa, Ferrari's quasi works program. By this, time, though, the № 63 Corvette has worked its way back into second, though a Porsche still leads & the Ferrari lurks in fourth. One difficulty facing Corvette Racing is that they run only two cars. The № 64 crashed out dramatically in the early hours, leaving the № 63 to carry on alone. By contrast, both Porsche & Ford came to Le Mans with four cars running in G.T.E. Pro., with both marques running two-car squads in the full World Endurance Championship (W.E.C.) & the North American I.M.S.A. SportsCar Series. Against those eight, plus the two Ferraris, the two B.M.W.s, & the two Aston Martins stood two, now only one, Corvettes.

L.M.P.1
The Toyota hybrids continue to rule in P.1, but the Rebellion privateer is keeping them honest.

G.T.E. Am.
In G.T.E. Am., the privateer Ford is a lap ahead of the second-place running Ferrari, & is even running ahead of the most woebegone G.T.E. Pro. runners.

L.M.P.2
The race, through the whole of these sixteen hours, has been between the № 36 Oreca of G-Drive (branded as an Aurus) & the № 26 of Signatech (branded as an Alpine). Behind them are three more Oreca 07s before we come to the first JSP217; all the P.2 cars have the same V8 engines, so the biggest difference comes down to chassis, & the Oreca 07 is consistently the class of the class.

Hypercar
Not for the next W.E.C. season, 2019-2020 (running from Silverstone in September 'til Le Mans next June), but for 2020-2021, the current L.M.P.1 spec. is to be replaced by a new specification referred to as "Hypercar." Hypercars may be purpose-build prototypes or derived from road cars. The spec. was announced on Friday, with Toyota & Aston Martin committing to the inaugural 2020-2021 season. It is not yet known how many other manufacturers & privateers will jump in, nor what exactly will happen with the super popular P.2 class (there are twenty P.2s running at this year's Le Mans). But let's shelve further speculation 'til after (a) this race & (b) some sleep.

Le Mans! Le Mans! Le Mans!

24 HEURES DU MANS | 09:39:00

In sacred Michigan, midnight approaches; in Le Mans, dawn approaches: sunrise is supposed to occur at 6:00 A.M. local time. There is a sort of euphoria that settles on the teams with the sunrise, "Happy Hour," when many fast laps are set as they rejoice that the long night has ended. Of course, shortly after Happy Hour, a certain grimness settles on the teams as they realize that sunrise just means they still have a nine-hour race ahead of them, a race they must contest having already accumulated a day's worth of fatigue, exhaustion both mental & physical.

Meanwhile, the Radio Le Mans guys are getting a little bit punchy, conducting an extended diatribe against the usual model of commercial radio & television.

24 HEURES DU MANS | 11:04:00

Well nigh an hour ago—& I can scarcely believe that was well nigh an hour ago—we passed the halfway mark in the "Grand Prix of Endurance & Efficiency." I asked myself, Where has the time gone? How have twelve hours already elapsed? And yet now another hour has also slipped away. Time flies when you're having fun! Tempus fugit!

The № 7 Toyota leads the № 8, Kamui Kobayashi pulling away from 2018 Le Mans champion Fernando Alonso. Bwa ha ha ha ha! In G.T.E. Pro., the № 63 Corvette has fallen to fourth, but as long as the 'Vette is still running, it still has a chance.

The competition remains fierce in both L.M.P.2 & G.T.E. Am.

24 HEURES DU MANS | 13:14:00

Night of the Safety Cars!
Through nearly eleven hours of racing, the twin Toyota TS050 Hybrids are consistently, if not comfortably, ahead of the non-hybrid privateer P.1 cars, holding both the class lead & the overall lead. The № 7 Toyota has been consistently faster than the sister № 8 Toyota. (The № 7 also started on pole ahead of the № 8.) Despite this seeming advantage, the № 7 Toyota is currently running in second place behind the № 8 Toyota. The № 8 was around a minute behind the № 7 until a safety car period closed up the field. Then another safety car promoted the № 8 to the lead over the № 7. Yet another safety car intervention switched those positions, putting the № 7 back ahead of the № 8, before yet another safety car put the № 8 back ahead of the № 7. The field is shortly to go "green" again; so, the gap the № 8 will hold over the № 7 is not yet known. I understand the necessity & propriety of safety cars, nor do I dispute the appropriateness of all this evening's safety car interventions. But none of that means I need to be happy with the way those safety cars have thrown a monkey wrench into this race.

24 HEURES DU MANS | 16:07:00

Darkness has fallen at Le Mans. The Circuit de la Sarthe is illuminated principally by the headlights of the competing motorcars, beams of blinding light stabbing into the pitch of the Pays de la Loire. Most of the unionized French cameramen who feed the "world feed's" ravenous appetite for images knock off work & that same world television feed leans more heavily on in-car cameras.

This is one of my favorite times of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for two reasons: One, this is the first time of day that the time differential between Le Mans, Sarthe, France & Grand Blanc, Michigan, United States becomes viscerally perceivable. Yes, the great race starts mid-afternoon in France & mid-morning here in the States, but there's not really that much visual difference, at midsummer,between 3:00 P.M. & 9:00 A.M. But between 4:00-5:00 my time, when the sun first sets & then the darkness descends over the circuit, the oddity of the time displacement really sets in. This bemusing juxtaposition will grow more stark & disorienting around midnight here, sunrise at Le Mans. Oh, this is such glorious madness!

Two, again, the glorious madness: I've been watching motor racing all day, more motor racing than I've watched in any other day in 2019, eight hours of motor racing, & yet there are still sixteen hours of motor racing ahead. They've been racing for eight hours (most rounds of the World Endurance Championship are six hours in duration) & yet they have twice again that time left to go. Sweet fancy Moses! Ah, this is great!

Saints + Scripture

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

'Tis the festival of Saint Vitus, Martyr (died circa 303), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian, a victim of the Great Persecution; one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Helpers-link & Wikipedia-link Helpers, Persecutions-link & Wikipedia-link Persecution.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Alice of Schaerbeek, Virgin, O.Cist. (circa 1220-1250, A.K.A. the Leper, also spelt Adelaide, Aleydis): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

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

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Albertina Berkenbrock, Virgin & Martyr (1919-1931), martyred by her attempted rapist, Maneco Palhoça: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter five, verses fourteen thru twenty-one;
Psalm One Hundred Three, verses one & two, three & four, nine & ten, & eleven & twelve;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses thirty-three thru thirty-seven.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today’s Gospel speaks of vows. It calls to mind the story of Ann Russell Miller, a fabulously wealthy San Francisco socialite. Ann had ten children and nineteen grandchildren, was a denizen of the finest clubs, and liked to vacation on her yacht in the Mediterranean.

But Ann was also a very devout Catholic, and she and her husband made a vow that whoever died first, the surviving partner would dedicate his or her life to God. So when Ann’s husband died relatively young of cancer, Ann resolved to give her life to God in the most dramatic way.

She threw one more huge party for her friends—and then gave everything away and joined the cloistered Carmelite sisters in Des Plaines, Illinois. She now wears the simple brown habit of a Carmelite religious and lives a life of utter devotion, in poverty, chastity, and obedience. She sleeps on wooden planks covered by a thin mattress; she eats the simplest meatless dishes served in the convent refectory. She is no longer Ann Russell Miller; she is Sr. Mary Joseph of the Trinity.

Sr. Mary fulfilled the vow she made to her husband by taking new vows as a religious. The new vows she now appreciates not as burdens but as a means to freedom. For now, in the most radical sense, she is free to give her life utterly to God.

Now, I realize that her path is a radical one, and that not everyone is called to this sort of total surrender. But everyone is indeed called to the spirit of the evangelical counsels, for we must all become detached from wealth, pleasure, power, and honor. They don’t matter at the end of the day. Only God matters.

Video reflection by Marc DelMonico, Ph.D.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Faithfulness is the reason for living. It is not a chain restraining the boldness of talent & love. When it consists of adherence to our creed, which never ages & never is exhausted, it opens a path to order, always positive, strong, & happy."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 29 May)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"There is a world of difference between personality & individuality. A piece of chalk is individual, not personal. When you go to the grocery store to buy oranges, you may say to the grocer, ‘This is a bad one. Give me another.’ When a tube burns out in your television set, you buy another. In other words, individuals are replaceable. Persons are not. No one can take the place of another."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

24 HEURES DU MANS | 18:08:00

It Always Rains at Le Mans
The brilliant Audi propaganda documentary Truth in 24 begins with the line, "It always rains at Le Mans." It has rained this year, but only lightly, & the track temperature is so high that the circuit hasn't grown slick from the rain.

Amateur Hour
Despite this, the № 64 Corvette has crashed out of the race; rather, has been crashed out of the race. The G.T.E. Pro. Corvette of Marcel Fässler was motoring through the Porsche Curves when the G.T.E. Am. Porsche of Satoshi Hoshino, a driver who's having a disastrous Le Mans, having spun several times, suddenly cut across the track & collided with Fässler's Corvette. The Corvette spun & slammed into the wall repeatedly, being immediately knocked out of the race. Fässler was able to exit the car under his own power, but he has not yet been cleared by the circuit medical center. Hoshino's car owner is Hollywood actor Patrick Dempsey; Dempsey is a true race, not a dilletante, & he ought to bench Hoshino immediately, before Hoshino's amateurish driving kills someone.

24 HEURES DU MANS | 19:33:00

Operation ÖSTERREICH
In years part, I've experimented with a variety of health regimens during these twenty-four hours. One year, I emulated the vast quantities of beer drunk by the fans at the Circuit de la Sarthe; that was, predictably, a bad idea. Another year, I made the same mistake with too much Red Bull. I've eaten junk food, reasoning that I needed to keep the human machine fueled to last through the night. This year, I'm trying to take a different tack: I had my morning Red Bull, but the rest of the day I'm on water & rabbit food. I'm snacking on carrots, on the theory that so few persons actually eat their daily recommended dose of "veg" that the odds of my eating too many carrots are quite long.

I stick to the old swim team axiom: If your pee isn't clear, you aren't drinking enough water.

24 HEURES DU MANS | 22:57:00

Le Mans! Le Mans! Le Mans!

In the first stint, Mike Conway, driving the № 7 Toyota TS050 Hybrid, set the all-time track record for a racing lap, 3:17.297. (Faster times have been set in qualifying.) Faster that any previous TS050, faster than any of the all-conquering Audi & Porsche P.1s, faster even than the legendary Porsche 217s of the early 1970s. Wait? The '70s? Yes. Back then, the Mulsanne Straight was a three-mile-long straight, allowing the cars to reach speeds in excess of 240 M.P.H., speeds comparable to the absolute record at the Indianapolis 500, the different being that at Le Mans the Mulsanne Straight is followed by a 90˚ corner. Since then, the Mulsanne has been broken up by two chicanes, which limit the cars' absolute top speed. Such is the speed through & out of the corners of the Toyota Hybrid that even with the chicanes on the Mulsanne it is still, at least in the hands of hot shoe Conway, faster than any other care ever. Wow!

In G.T.E. Pro, the Corvette C.7Rs are strong, so strong that all the other G.T.E. Pro. competitors received a five kilogram (11.02 lbs.) weight reduction in the interval between qualifying & the race. Despite this the № 63 Corvette has still climbed from third place to the class lead. The Pro. field looks very close, between Corvette, Aston Martin, B.M.W., Porsche, Ferrari, & Ford.

So far, my fiendish plan of watching the great race on the Motortrend television channel (formerly, Velocity) while listening to the audio from Radio Le Mans on YouTube on my iPhone is working out as well as expected. There are recurrent problems with the YouTube buffering, but c'est le vie. We live in an age of marvels, but to expect flawless perfection is foolish, a wicked snare of the devil designed to lead to inevitable disappointment.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Next 24 Hours

Michel Legrand, "Le Mans: The Race, First Laps" from Le Mans/The Hunter (Bendes originales de films) (The Last Angry Homme)

Commentary: So begins the greatest day of motor racing of the whole year, the "Grand Prix of Endurance & Efficiency," the 87^e 24 Heures du Mans. O how I revel in this day!

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Flag Day

John Philip Sousa, "The Stars and Stripes Forever" from Sousa Marches (The Last Angry American)

Commentary: Enjoy it while it lasts, for "The Stars and Stripes Forever" is an untenable boast. Empires rise & empires fall. These United States, which Jefferson called the "Empire of Liberty," shall be no different, our nation's ignominious demise coming sooner rather than later, if one buys into the present pessimism.

Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot by Proxy
Gracefully Catholic: "Welcome to Ordinary Time"

'Tis the festival of Saint Nennus, Abbot (died 654, A.K.A. Nem Moccu Birn, Nehemias): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Methodius of Constantinople, Bishop (circa 788-847, A.K.A. Methodios I), eighty-fourth (LXXXIV) Patriarch of Constantinople, exiled as an opponent of the Byzantine iconoclastic heresy: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Constantinople; & Heresy-link & Wikipedia-link Heresy.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Joseph the Hymnographer, Religious (circa 810-886, the "sweet-voiced nightingale of the Church;" A.K.A. of the Studium), exiled as an opponent of the Byzantine iconoclastic heresy: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Heresy-link & Wikipedia-link Heresy.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Walter Eustace, Martyr (died 1583), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Irish Martyrs: Martyr-link; Martyrs-link Erin & Wikipedia-link Erin.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter four, verses seven thru fifteen;
Psalm One Hundred Sixteen, verses ten & eleven, fifteen & sixteen, & seventeen & eighteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-two.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus exposes the root problems behind sexual sin. Jesus says, “You have heard it said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The act is certainly bad, of course. But it’s grounded in a dysfunctional attitude, a basic misperception, a compromise of the soul. In order to be aligned to the God who is nothing but love, these underlying problems need to be addressed.

Time and again, we hear that the Church’s moral demands—especially in the sexual arena—are too stringent, that the Church ought to conform itself with societal expectations, or that huge pluralities of Catholics themselves want to lighten the load. What do these data prove? Well, nothing really, except that Catholic moral teaching is difficult. But so what? To dial down our moral ideals is to compromise the Church’s whole purpose. Jesus didn’t dial down the demands of love, and neither does his Church.

Video reflection by Father Brian Christopher, S.J.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"An apostle who wants to be yeast for society must follow the most necessary precondition for yeast to be effective. Such as apostle must take care to remain part of the mass."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 29 May)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"There is no need for me to grow up. In fact, just the opposite: I must become less & less."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Scripture never speaks of reconciliation except through the death of Christ. We are saved, in other words, by the cross & Resurrection. It follows that the anti-cross is the sign of the demonic. It is interesting to discover how much the crucifix has been displaced or removed in schools in the last few years. I was in a retreat house giving a retreat. There were about 1,20 people there this particular night. I looked around for a crucifix. There was none. Upon enquiring, I found that there had not been a crucifix in that retreat house in the last seven years."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Explorers' Club, № DCXCIII

Operation AXIOM: After the World War
14-15 June 1919: John Alcock (1892-1919) & Arthur Whitten Brown (1886-1948) completed the first non-stop trans-Atlantic flight, flying from St. John's, Newfoundland to Clifden, Ireland in just under sixteen hours in a modified Vickers Vimy bomber, beating competitors from Handley Page & Sopwith; the duo won a £10,000 prize from the Daily Mail newspaper & were shortly thereafter knighted.

Lest we forget.

Saints + Scripture

The Popish Plot
Theology Thursday: "Narwhals"

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest & Doctor of the Church, O.F.M. (1195-1231, the Doctor Evangelicus [Evangelical Doctor], the "Hammer of Heretics," the "Professor of Miracles;" A.K.A. Fernando Martins de Bulhões, of Lisbon): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Doctors-link & Wikipedia-link Doctors.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

A Portuguese Catholic priest & friar of the Franciscan Order. Noted by his contemporaries for his powerful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, & undying love & devotion to the poor & the sick, he was one of the most quickly canonized saints in Church history.

Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

O Lord, St. Anthony of Padua had a deep devotion to the Eucharist. May my Communion lead me to be bread that is broken to feed the hunger of a world starving for love.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Damhnade, Virgin (floruit sixth century, also spelt Damnet, Davnet): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gerard of Clairvaux, Religious, O.Cist. (died 1138): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Brother of the Doctor of the Church St. Bernard of Clairvaux [20 August], founding abbot of Clairvaux Abbey & with it St. Gerard's Order of Cistercians (O.Cist.). Not to be confused with Bl. Gerard of Clairvaux [1120-1177, feast day: ?], sixth abbot of Clairvaux: Wikipedia-link Abbey & Wikipedia-link O.Cist.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Marianna Biernacka, Martyr (1888-1943), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter three, verse fifteen thru chapter four, verses one & three thru six;
Psalm Eighty-five, verses nine(a/b) & ten, eleven & twelve, & thirteen & fourteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses twenty thru twenty-six.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today’s Gospel passage is an excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount. If we are to begin to understand Jesus’ staggering teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, we have to keep ever in our minds the little tagline: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Jesus is the Son of God, and his purpose is not primarily to construct a smooth-functioning human society; it is to establish the kingdom of God—that is to say, a body formed by those who participate in him, who share his relationship with the Father.

What is the Father of Jesus Christ like? The Father of Jesus Christ is love, right through. That’s all God is; that’s all he knows how to do. He is not like us: unstable, changing, moving from one attitude to another. No, God simply is love.

Why should you go beyond simply loving those who love you? Because that’s the way God operates: he loves the saints and he also loves the worst sinner in hell. Now, is that easy to do? Of course not. But that’s what Jesus calls us to: be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Video reflection by Fr. Roger Lopez, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua
The Book of Isaiah, chapter sixty-one, verses one, two, & three(d);
Psalm Eighty-nine, verses two & three, four & five, twenty-one & twenty-two, & twenty-five & twenty-seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses one thru nine.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The love that comes from the Eucharist is a love that radiates in the fusion of hearts, in affection, in union, in forgiveness. It makes us see that we have to spend ourselves for the sake of others, for the little ones, the poor, the sick, prisoners, exiles, the suffering."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 29 May)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"My slightest sighs, my greatest sufferings, my sorrows & my joys, my little sacrifices: my flowers, Jesus, for you."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Who were the tempters from the cross? Satan was the tempter at the beginning, telling Jesus how He could win the world without a cross, by allowing people to feed their own instincts, or by doing something spectacular like flying to the moon or jumping from a steeple. He also tempted Jesus to develop a theology which was increasingly important in His century, & destructive. This theology is politics. The world belongs to me, says Satan. So Satan was the first to tempt Him from the cross. Then Peter tempted Jesus; that was why he was called Satan. And finally on the cross, the enemies came & said: Come down & we will believe. They would believe. But would they believe that he was the Son of God? Certainly. Believe that he founded a Church? Yes. Believe in the Eucharist? Yes. Only come down from that cross. That's all we ask. Come down & we would believe."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Skameleon, "Hot Ska" from Ska Makes Everything Better (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: A ska cover of Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff."