Saturday, December 9, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA: Advent

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474-1548), to whom was revealed the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Guadalupe.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
On 9 December 1531, when Juan Diego was on his way to morning Mass, the Blessed Mother appeared to him on Tepeyac Hill, the outskirts of what is now Mexico City. When he opened his mantle for the bishop, the flowers fell on the ground & there remained impressed, in place of the flowers, an image of the Blessed Mother.
Video reflection from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: St. Juan Diego-link.


'Tis also the festival of Saint Valeria of Limoges, Martyr (floruit third century, also spelt Valerie), martyred by beheading, a cephalophore: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Cephalophore.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gorgonia (died circa 375): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Daughter of Ss. Gregory of Nazianzus the Elder [1 January] & Nonna [5 August] & sister of Ss. Gregory of Nazianzus the Younger, Doctor of the Church [2 January], & Caesarius of Nazianzus [25 February].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Peter Fourier, Priest, C.R.S.A. (1565-1640), the "Good Father of Mattaincourt," founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame & the Congregation of Our Savior: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Advent Weekday
The Book of Isaiah, chapter thirty, verses nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, & twenty-three thru twenty-six;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-seven, verses one & two, three & four, & five & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verse thirty-five thru chapter ten, verses one, five(a), six, seven, & eight.

Commentary: Video reflection by Father Thomas Sparacino: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter one, verses twenty-six thru thirty-one;
Psalm Response: "In you, Lord, I have found my peace;"
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eleven, verses twenty-five thru thirty.

Catholicism WOW! | Bier!
Have I mentioned lately how great it is being Catholic? Beer-nedict XVI Pint-ifex Maximus-link.


Commentary: The fellow immediately to the left of the giant papal nutcracker is Scott Hahn, Ph.D., one of the American church's finest lay theologians. We here at Project BLACK MAMBA try to bring you Professor Hahn's audio reflections on the Sunday Mass readings each week. Among the many other virtues of this photograph (i.e., giant papal nutcracker), I thought it might be nice for you to be able to put a face to his voice.

Saint Quote o' the Day
"Among man's rights is that of being able to worship God in accordance with the right dictates of his own conscience, & to profess his religion both in private & in public."
—Pope St. John XXIII (11 October)

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