Wednesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time
Optional Memorial of St. Rose of Lima, virgin (†1617 Lima – Peru). Originally named Isabel, she became known as Rose for her beauty and charm. She entered the Dominican Third Order and lived a life of extraordinary austerity and mysticism. First canonized saint born in the Americas.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Jgs 9:6-15
All the citizens of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together and proceeded to make Abimelech king by the terebinth at the memorial pillar in Shechem. When this was reported to him, Jotham went to the top of Mount Gerizim and, standing there, cried out to them in a loud voice: “Hear me, citizens of Shechem, that God may then hear you! Once the trees went to anoint a king over themselves. So they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ But the olive tree answered them, ‘Must I give up my rich oil, whereby men and gods are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’ Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come; you reign over us!’ But the fig tree answered them, ‘Must I give up my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees?’ Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come you, and reign over us.’ But the vine answered them, ‘Must I give up my wine that cheers gods and men, and go to wave over the trees?’ Then all the trees said to the buckthorn, ‘Come; you reign over us!’ But the buckthorn replied to the trees, ‘If you wish to anoint me king over you in good faith, come and take refuge in my shadow. Otherwise, let fire come from the buckthorn and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'”
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 21:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 (R.2a)
R. Lord, in Your strength the king is glad.
O LORD, in Your strength the king is glad;
in Your victory how greatly he rejoices!
You have granted him his heart’s desire;
You refused not the wish of his lips. R.
For You welcomed him with goodly blessings,
You placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
He asked life of You: You gave him
length of days forever and ever. R.
Great is his glory in Your victory;
majesty and splendor you conferred upon him.
You made him a blessing forever,
You gladdened him with the joy of Your face. R.
Gospel – Mt 20:1-16
Jesus told His disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’ He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Featured Saints
St. Eugene, bishop (†sixth century). First Bishop of Ardstraw, Ireland.
Blessed Juan María de la Cruz, priest and martyr (†1936). Imprisoned during the Spanish Civil War, he was killed after a month of fruitful apostolate in prison.
Blesseds Rosary Quintana Argos and Seraphina Fernández Ibero, virgins and martyrs (†1936). Third Order Capuchins of the Holy Family Killed for refusing to renounce their Faith in Puzol, Valencia during the Spanish Civil War.
Blessed John Bourdon, priest and martyr (†1794). Capuchin priest detained in an over-crowded prison-galley Rochefort as part of the religious persecutions of the French Revolution, he died as a result of illness contracted there.
St. Zacchaeus, bishop (†second century). According to tradition, he was the fourth Bishop to head the Church of Jerusalem after the Apostle St. James.
Sts. Astericus, Claudius, and Neon, martyrs (†303). Brothers denounced by their stepmother for being Christian, they were beheaded in the time of the Emperor Diocletian.
Blessed Francis Dachtera, priest and martyr (†1944). Arrested in his parish of Inowroclaw, Poland, he was sent to Dachau concentration camp, where he was submitted to the barbarity of medical experimentation which caused his death.
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