Data for Saturday, January 31, 2009

Saint of the Day --- John Bosco (1815 - 1888) -- priest, educator

Scripture of the Day --- Isaiah 51: 4-6 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] --"Listen to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go forth from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples. My deliverance draws near speedily, my salvation has gone forth, and my arms will rule the peoples; the coastlands wait for me, and for my arm they hope. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die like gnats; but my salvation will be for ever, and my deliverance will never be ended." (Comment: In this passage, the prophet --- perhaps the second to write under the name Isaiah --- writes a message to the children of Israel worded as one coning directly from God. This comes in the same part of Isaiah as the "servant songs", which Christians understand as prophecies fortelling the coming of Christ, Jesus. So when Christians read "My deliverance draws near speedily ... my salvation will be for ever", we understand that Christ is our deliverance and through him (if we accept the covenat of Christ) our salvation will be for ever.")

Word of the Day --- ministered -- 1) attended to the wants and needs of others; 2) functioned as a cleric (pastor, priest, deacon, , etc.) or lay minister.

Place of the Day --- Kozel’sk (Козельск), Kaluzhskaya, Russia -- 54°01'52"N, 35°47'21"E - a town on the Zhizdra River and highway P-94 located 31 miles SW on the district capital, Kaluga and 132 miles SW of the Russian capital, Moscow (Москва)