Mass Readings

First Reading – Is 25:6-10a

On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines. On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, The web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. On that day it will be said: “Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!” For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

Responsorial Psalm – Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 (R.6cd)

R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul. R.

He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage. R.

You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows. R.

Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come. R.

Gospel – Mt 15:29-37

At that time: Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel. Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way.” The disciples said to him, “Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd?” Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.” He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full.

Featured Saints

St. Barbara, virgin and martyr († 3rd century). From Nicomedia, currently Izmit (Turkey), her father was enraged when she became a Christian and handed her over to the judges to be killed.

St. Bernard, bishop († 1133). Appointed cardinal by Pope Urban II, he carried out important missions for the Holy See. Named Bishop of Parma, Italy, he governed his diocese with extraordinary discernment.

St. Osmund, bishop († 1099). Bishop of Salisbury, England, he celebrated the cathedral’s dedication and standardized the customs of his diocese.

St. Anno (Annan), bishop († 1075). He founded many churches and monasteries in his Diocese of Cologne, Germany. A man of courage and talent, he won the esteem of many in ecclesiastical and civilian circles, at the time of Emperor Henry IV.

St. John the Wonderworker, Bishop († 9th century). In Phrygia (Turkey) He actively defended the cult of sacred images, opposing the iconoclastic Emperor Leo, the Armenian.

St. John Calabria, priest († 1954). In Verona, Italy, he founded the Congregation of the Poor Servants of Divine Providence.

Blessed Simon Yempo, martyr († 1623). As a Japanese youth he entered a Buddhist monastery, but later embraced the Catholic Faith and became a Jesuit religious. During the anti-Christian persecutions in his country, he was arrested and sentenced to be burned to death.

Image gallery

Saints of December 4

1 of 10