Mass Readings

First Reading – Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29

My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not. The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise. Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins.

Responsorial Psalm – Ps 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11 (R.cf. 11b)

R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

The just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD. R.

The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity. R.

A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance;
you restored the land when it languished;
your flock settled in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy. R.

Second Reading – Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a

Brothers and sisters: You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them. No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.

Gospel – Lk 14:1, 7-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Featured Saints

This year, Sunday takes precedence over the Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. (†430 Hippo – Algeria). After a youth immersed in sin and doctrinal error, he converted to the true Faith, thanks to the prayers of his mother St. Monica and the influence of St. Ambrose. Following a period of penitence, he was ordained a priest and then a bishop, Among his many works, one of the best known is the book of his Confessions.

St. Joaquina Vedruna, widow (†1854). After raising her nine children in the Faith, she founded the Institute of Carmelite Sisters of Charity in Vic, Spain.

St. Junipero Serra, priest (†1784). Franciscan religious; he founded missions which became cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. (In US, Memorial celebrated July 1.)

St. Alexander, bishop (†c. 336). As Bishop of Constantinople, Commended in the writings of St. Gregory of Nazianzus for having fought courageously in defence of the Faith, under attack from the Arian heresy.

St. Florentina, virgin (†third century). Sister of three Saints: Leander, Fulgentius and Isidore of Seville, she was abbess of the Benedictine monastery of Écija, Spain.

Blessed Alfonso Maria Mazurek, priest and martyr (†1944). Prior of the Discalced Carmelites of Czerna, Poland, brutally tortured and eventually executed by firing squad.

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St. Augustine

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