Memorial of St. Irenaeus, Bishop and martyr
St. Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr (†202). A Greek from Asia Minor and disciple of St. Polycarp who had witnessed the preaching of St. John the Evangelist. He became the Bishop of Lyon, France, where he combatted Gnostic rationalism. He received the crown of martyrdom under Septimius Severus.
Mass Readings
First Reading – 2 Kgs 25:1-12
In the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and his whole army advanced against Jerusalem, encamped around it, and built siege walls on every side. The siege of the city continued until the eleventh year of Zedekiah. On the ninth day of the fourth month, when famine had gripped the city, and the people had no more bread, the city walls were breached. Then the king and all the soldiers left the city by night through the gate between the two walls that was near the king’s garden. Since the Chaldeans had the city surrounded, they went in the direction of the Arabah. But the Chaldean army pursued the king and overtook him in the desert near Jericho, abandoned by his whole army. The king was therefore arrested and brought to Riblah to the king of Babylon, who pronounced sentence on him. He had Zedekiah’s sons slain before his eyes. Then he blinded Zedekiah, bound him with fetters, and had him brought to Babylon.On the seventh day of the fifth month (this was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard, came to Jerusalem as the representative of the king of Babylon. He burned the house of the Lord, the palace of the king, and all the houses of Jerusalem; every large building was destroyed by fire. Then the Chaldean troops who were with the captain of the guard tore down the walls that surrounded Jerusalem. Then Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, led into exile the last of the people remaining in the city, and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the last of the artisans. But some of the country’s poor, Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, left behind as vinedressers and farmers.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 (R.6ab)
R. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!
By the streams of Babylon
we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
On the aspens of that land
we hung up our harps. R.
Though there our captors asked of us
the lyrics of our songs,
And our despoilers urged us to be joyous:
“Sing for us the songs of Zion!” R.
How could we sing a song of the Lord
in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand be forgotten! R.
May my tongue cleave to my palate
if I remember you not,
If I place not Jerusalem
ahead of my joy. R.
Gospel – Mt 8:1-4
When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
Featured Saints
St. Paul I, Pope (†767). He wrote to Emperors Constantine V and Leo IV to have them re-establish the veneration of sacred images. He transferred the bodies of martyrs from dilapidated cemeteries to churches and monasteries.
St. Vincentia Gerosa, virgin (†1847). Together with St. Bartolomea Capitanio, founded the Institute of the Sisters of Charity of Lovere, Italy, for the education the poor.
St. Heimrad, priest and hermit (†1019). Expelled from his monastery and exposed to scorn, he lived as a pilgrim for love of Christ, dying in Hasungen, Germany.
St. John Southworth, priest and martyr (†1654). Condemned to death for secretly exercising his priestly ministry in England, during the government of Cromwell.
St. Argymirus, martyr (†856). Monk in Cordoba (Spain), tortured and killed under the Moorish rule, for his refusal to abjure the Christian Faith.
St. Maria Du Zhaozhi, martyr (†1900). Fervent Christian and mother of a priest, she was beheaded during religious persecution in China, for holding fast to the Faith.
Blesseds Severian Baranyk and Yakym Senkivskyj, priests and martyrs (†1941). Priests of the Basilian Order of St. Josaphat, imprisoned and executed by Soviet authorities in Drohobych, Ukraine.
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