Thursday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time
Optional Memorial of St. Peter Chrysologus, bishop and doctor of the Church(†c. 450). Born in Imola, Italy, he became Bishop of Ravenna, and was known as Chrysologus – “Word of Gold” – for his great eloquence, especially noted in his homilies.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Jer 18:1-6
This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD: Rise up, be off to the potter’s house; there I will give you my message. I went down to the potter’s house and there he was, working at the wheel. Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased. Then the word of the LORD came to me: Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done? says the LORD. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 146:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6ab (R.5a)
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob. or: R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, O my soul;
I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God while I live. R.
Put not your trust in princes,
in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.
When his spirit departs he returns to his earth;
on that day his plans perish.R.
Blessed he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD, his God.
Who made heaven and earth,
the sea and all that is in them. R.
Gospel – Mt 13:47-53
Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.
Featured Saints
St. Leopold Mandić, priest (†1942). Capuchin religious who dedicated most of his life to administering the Sacrament of Confession in Padua, Italy.
Blessed Mannes de Guzman, priest (†c. 1235). Brother of St. Dominic and his collaborator in the expansion of the Order of Preachers, particularly in the cities of Paris and Madrid. He attended his brother’s canonization in Rome, in July of 1234.
Blessed Zózimo Izquierdo Gil, priest and martyr (†1936). Arrested during the Spanish Civil War; while incarcerated he heard the confessions of prisoners and prayed the Rosary with them.
Sts. Maxima, Donatilla and Secunda, virgins and martyrs (†304). Put to death in present day Tunisia during the persecutions of Valerian and Gallienus, for refusing to burn incense before idols.
St. Mary of the Sacramental Jesus Venegas da Torre, virgin (†1959). Mexican nun and foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She spent 54 years caring for the poor sick in a small infirmary.
Blessed Maria Vicenta of St. Dorothy Chávez Orozco, virgin (†1949). Founded the Institute of the Servants of the Blessed Trinity and the Poor in Guadalajara, Mexico.
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