Memorial of St. Clare, Virgin
St. Clare of Assisi, virgin (†1253). As a young woman from a noble family, she triumphed over intense opposition from her parents, in her choice to follow St. Francis of Assisi, and founded the first feminine branch of the Franciscan Order, which came to be known as the Poor Clares, or Clarists.
First Reading – Ezekiel 2:8-3:4
The Lord GOD said to me: As for you, son of man, obey me when I speak to you: be not rebellious like this house of rebellion, but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you. It was then I saw a hand stretched out to me, in which was a written scroll which he unrolled before me. It was covered with writing front and back, and written on it was: Lamentation and wailing and woe! He said to me: Son of man, eat what is before you; eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat. Son of man, he then said to me, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you. I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. He said: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel, and speak my words to them.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131 (R.103a)
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
In the way of your decrees I rejoice,
as much as in all riches.
Yes, your decrees are my delight;
they are my counselors. R.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces. R.
How sweet to my palate are your promises,
sweeter than honey to my mouth! R.
Your decrees are my inheritance forever;
the joy of my heart they are. R.
I gasp with open mouth,
in my yearning for your commands. R.
Gospel – Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father. What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”
Featured Saints
Blesseds John Sandys (†1586) and Stephen Rowsham (†1587), priests, and William Lampley (†1588), martyrs. Killed in England for their fidelity to the Catholic Church during the reign of Elizabeth I.
Blessed Miguel Domingo Cendra, martyr (†1936). Salesian killed in the religious persecution during the Spanish Civil War.
St. Gaugericus, Bishop (†c. 625). He governed the Diocese of Cambrai, France, for thirty-nine years, and built a chapel on the site of what would become the city centre of Brussels. Noted for performing numerous miracles.
St. Susanna, martyr (†fourth century). Young Christian beheaded in Rome by the order of Emperor Diocletian.
Blessed Louis Biraghi, priest (†1879). Priest of the Diocese of Milan, Italy, founder of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Marcellina.
St. Alexander, bishop and martyr (†third century). Consecrated Bishop of Comana, Turkey by St. Gregory, he was burned to death on a pyre by the enemies of the Faith.
St. Equitius, abbot (†c. 571). Due to his holiness of life he drew many vocations to the monasteries of the ancient province in Valeria, Italy.
Blessed Maurice Tornay, priest and martyr (†1949). Swiss born, he proclaimed the Gospel in China and Tibet, where he was murdered in an ambush, out of hatred for the Faith.
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