Thursday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
Optional memorials: St. Jerome Emiliani, priest (†1537). As a soldier of dissolute life, he was taken prisoner during combat. After being freed by the intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he underwent a complete conversion, and dedicated the rest of his life to serving care of orphans, poor and the sick, for this end founding the Congregation of Regular Clerics of Somasca known as the Somaschi Fathers.
St. Josephine Bakhita, virgin (†1947). Born in Sudan, she was kidnapped as a child by Arab slave traders, and sold repeated repeatedly until finally reaching Italy, where she was declared free. During a stay with the Canossian Sisters, she learned of God, was baptized, and entered the community as a religious, where she remained for the next 50 years until her death, with a reputation for sanctity. Canonized in 2000.
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Mass Readings
First Reading – 1 Kgs 11:4-13
When Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods, and his heart was not entirely with the LORD, his God, as the heart of his father David had been. By adoring Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the idol of the Ammonites, Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not follow him unreservedly as his father David had done. Solomon then built a high place to Chemosh, the idol of Moab, and to Molech, the idol of the Ammonites, on the hill opposite Jerusalem. He did the same for all his foreign wives who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. The LORD, therefore, became angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice (for though the LORD had forbidden him this very act of following strange gods, Solomon had not obeyed him). So the LORD said to Solomon: “Since this is what you want, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes which I enjoined on you, I will deprive you of the kingdom and give it to your servant. I will not do this during your lifetime, however, for the sake of your father David; it is your son whom I will deprive. Nor will I take away the whole kingdom. I will leave your son one tribe for the sake of my servant David and of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 106:3-4, 35-36, 37 and 40 (R.4a)
R. Remember us, O Lord, as You favor Your people.
Blessed are they who observe what is right,
who do always what is just.
Remember us, O LORD, as You favor Your people;
visit us with Your saving help. R.
But they mingled with the nations
and learned their works.
They served their idols,
which became a snare for them. R.
They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
And the LORD grew angry with His people,
and abhorred His inheritance. R.
Gospel – Mk 7:24-30
Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but He could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him. She came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” Then He said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
Featured Saints
St. Juventius, Bishop (†397). He was appointed Bishop of Pavia by St. Ambrose. He participated in the Councils of Aquileia and Milan.
St. Honoratus, bishop (†c. 570). In the imminence of a Lombard invasion, he endeavoured to save the populace, procuring refuge for them in Genoa.
St. Paul of Verdun, Bishop (†c. 647). Having embraced monastic life, he was elected Bishop of Verdun, France, where he promoted the dignity of divine worship and the regular observance of the canons.
St. Stephen, abbot (†1124). Founder of the Order of Grandmont, near Limoges, France. He attracted many disciples with his austere life.
St. Cointha, martyr (†249). During the persecution of Emperor Decius, in Alexandria, Egypt, he refused to offer incense to the gods and was tied to a horse, dragged through the streets and finally stoned to death.
Blessed Peter Igneus, bishop (†1089). Benedictine monk from Vallombrosa, Italy, disciple of St. John Gualbert; he was created Cardinal by St. Gregory VII and appointed Bishop of Albano, Italy.
Blessed Josephina Gabriella Bonino, virgin (†1906). Foundress of the Congregation of the Holy Family in Savigliano, Italy, dedicated to the care of orphans and the sick.
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