Wednesday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time
Optional memorial of St. Peter Julian Eymard, priest and founder (†1868 La Mure – France). Optional Memorial. After several years exercising his priestly ministry as a parish pastor, he entered the Marist Fathers, of which he served as provincial in Lyons. He worked especially to promote devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to the Eucharist and founded the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, with a branch for religious sisters dedicated to perpetual adoration.
Also, optional memorial of St. Eusebius of Vercelli, bishop (†371). Initiator of community life for diocesan clergy in the West. As first bishop of Vercelli, he consolidated the Church in the entire Piedmont region. Under persecution by the Arians, he was exiled to Palestine, Cappadocia, and finally to Sarinia, where he died.
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Mass Readings
First Reading – Ex 34:29-35
As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Commandments in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while he conversed with the LORD. When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Moses and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become, they were afraid to come near him. Only after Moses called to them did Aaron and all the rulers of the community come back to him. Moses then spoke to them. Later on, all the children of Israel came up to him, and he enjoined on them all that the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai. When he finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him, he removed the veil until he came out again. On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel all that had been commanded. Then the children of Israel would see that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant; so he would again put the veil over his face until he went in to converse with the LORD.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 99:5, 6, 7, 9 (R.see 9c)
R. Holy is the Lord our God.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his footstool;
holy is he! R.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;
they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.R.
From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;
they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.R.
Extol the LORD, our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for holy is the LORD, our God. R.
Gospel – Mt 13:44-46
Jesus said to His disciples: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
Featured Saints
St. Stephen I, Pope (†257). Clarifying and affirming the indelible mark of Baptism, he prohibited practice of re-baptizing those who had fallen into heresy and who later repented and sought full communion with the Church. He also introduced the use of exclusively liturgical vestments, ordering that ordinary clothing never be used for the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries.
Blessed Joan of Aza (†thirteenth century). Castilian noblewoman, mother of St. Dominic Guzman, who led him along the path of virtue from childhood.
St. Peter of Osma, bishop (†1109). Monk of Cluny; sent to Spain with some companions at the request of King Alfonso VI. He was archdeacon of Toledo and later Bishop of Osma.
St. Serenus, bishop (†d. 601). In his Diocese of Marseille, France, he extended hospitality to St. Augustine of Canterbury and his companions who had been sent by St. Gregory the Great to evangelize England.
Blessed Francisco Calvo Burillo, priest and martyr (†1936). Dominican shot out or religious hatred in the village of Híjar, Spain.
Blessed Justin Maria Russolillo, priest (†1955). Priest of the Diocese of Naples and founder of the Society of Divine Vocations.
Blessed Augustine Kazotic, bishop (†1323). Dominican religious, elected Bishop of Zagreb, Croatia.
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