Memorial of St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
St. Bonaventure (†1274 Lyon – France). He entered the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) at the age of twenty-two. While studying for his doctorate in Paris, he formed friendships with St. Thomas Aquinas and with King St. Louis IX. Chosen as Superior General of his Order during a time of internal upheaval, he restored the spirit of the founder, St. Francis of Assisi. He is known as “the Seraphic Doctor”.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Gn 49:29-32; 50:15-26a
Jacob gave his sons this charge: “Since I am about to be takSH1507-San-Buenaventuraen to my people, bury me with my fathers in the cave that lies in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, facing on Mamre, in the land of Canaan, the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial ground. There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, and so are Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there, too, I buried Leah– the field and the cave in it that had been purchased from the Hittites.” Now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful and thought, “Suppose Joseph has been nursing a grudge against us and now plans to pay us back in full for all the wrong we did him!” So they approached Joseph and said: “Before your father died, he gave us these instructions: ‘You shall say to Joseph, Jacob begs you to forgive the criminal wrongdoing of your brothers, who treated you so cruelly.’ Please, therefore, forgive the crime that we, the servants of your father’s God, committed.” When they spoke these words to him, Joseph broke into tears. Then his brothers proceeded to fling themselves down before him and said, “Let us be your slaves!” But Joseph replied to them: “Have no fear. Can I take the place of God? Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his present end, the survival of many people. Therefore have no fear. I will provide for you and for your children.” By thus speaking kindly to them, he reassured them. Joseph remained in Egypt, together with his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years. He saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation, and the children of Manasseh’s son Machir were also born on Joseph’s knees. Joseph said to his brothers: “I am about to die. God will surely take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land that he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Then, putting the sons of Israel under oath, he continued, “When God thus takes care of you, you must bring my bones up with you from this place.” Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7 (R.see Psalm 69:33)
R. Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke His name;
make known among the nations His deeds.
Sing to Him, sing His praise,
proclaim all His wondrous deeds. R.
Glory in His holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in His strength;
seek to serve Him constantly. R.
You descendants of Abraham, His servants,
sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth His judgments prevail. R.
Gospel – Mt 10:24-33
Jesus said to His Apostles: “No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household! “Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges Me before others I will acknowledge before My heavenly Father. But whoever denies Me before others, I will deny before My heavenly Father.”
Featured Saints
St. Joseph of Thessalonica, bishop (†832). He was a monk elected bishop of this Greek city; he endured suffering for his defence of ecclesiastical discipline and the cult to sacred images.
St. David, bishop (+1082). English Cluniac religious, sent as a missionary to evangelize the Swedes. He died in old age in Västerås, Sweden.
St. Pompilius Mary Pirrotti, priest (†1766). Priest of the Order of Regular Clerics of the Pious Schools, he carried out apostolate in various regions of Italy.
St. Peter Nguyen Ba Tuan, priest and martyr (†1838). Imprisoned during the time of Emperor Minh Mang, he died of starvation in the prison of Nam Dinh, Vietnam.
St. Vladimir, king (†1015). Grand Prince of Kiev, grandson of St. Olga; he converted to Christianity and summoned missionaries to evangelize his people.
Blessed Ceslaus of Poland, priest (†1242). Received the Dominican habit from St. Dominic. Stood out for his ardent preaching. Founded the convents of Prague and Breslau.
Blessed Michel-Bernard Marchand, priest and martyr (†1794). Imprisoned during the French Revolution for being a priest; he died from illness contracted in the prison-ship anchored in Rochefort, France.
Blessed Anne-Marie Javouhey, virgin (†1851). During the French Revolution, she dedicated herself to protecting religious, and assisting the sick with her own means. She later founded the Sisters of St. Joseph for the education of needy children.
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