Friday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time
Featured Saints
St. Bridget (Birgitta) of Sweden, religious (+1373). Optional Memorial. Of royal lineage, she was endowed with mystical revelations from a young age, sometimes of a prophetic nature, others regarding the Passion of Christ. Becoming a widow after twenty years devoted to married life, she was sent by Our Lord on various missions in which she counseled kings and Popes, and founded the Order of the Most Holy Saviour, known as the Brigittines. Patroness of Sweden, and one of the patron Saints of Europe.
Blessed Basile Hopko, bishop and martyr (†1976). Auxiliary Bishop of Presov, imprisoned and tortured by the Slovakian government; he contracted a serious illness which led to his death.
Blessed Jane of Orvieto, virgin (†1306). Religious of the Sisters of Penance of St. Dominic; ardent devotee of the Lord’s Passion.
St. Valerian of Cimiez, bishop (†circa 460). Monk appointed Bishop of Lérins, France. He wrote a work on the lives of the saints for the edification of religious and people in general.
St. Ezekiel, prophet. He admonished the Chosen People for their infidelities. He prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation to Babylon.
Blessed Krystyn Gondek, priest and martyr (†1942). Polish Franciscan sent to Dachau concentration camp, Germany, where he died from torture.
Blessed Peter Ruiz, priest and martyr (†1936). Director-General of the Fraternity of Diocesan Worker Priests and founder of the Disciples of Jesus Institute. He was martyred in Toledo, Spain during the Civil War.
St. John Cassian, priest (†c. 435). After living as a monk in Palestine and a hermit in Egypt, he founded the Abbey of St. Victor in Marseille, France, composed of two separate communities for men and women.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Ex 20:1-17
In those days, God delivered all these commandments:
“I, the LORD, am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.
You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not carve idols for yourselves
in the shape of anything in the sky above
or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;
you shall not bow down before them or worship them.
For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God,
inflicting punishment for their fathers’ wickedness
on the children of those who hate me,
down to the third and fourth generation;
but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation
on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.
For the LORD will not leave unpunished
him who takes his name in vain.
“Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.
Six days you may labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God.
No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter,
or your male or female slave, or your beast,
or by the alien who lives with you.
In six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,
the sea and all that is in them;
but on the seventh day he rested.
That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
“Honor your father and your mother,
that you may have a long life in the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you.
“You shall not kill.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,
nor anything else that belongs to him.”
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11 (R.Jn 6:68c)
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life..
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb. R.
Gospel – Mt 13:18-23
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Hear the parable of the sower.
The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom
without understanding it,
and the Evil One comes and steals away
what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground
is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy.
But he has no root and lasts only for a time.
When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
he immediately falls away.
The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,
but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word
and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil
is the one who hears the word and understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
