Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel Commentary, by Msgr. João Scognamligio Clá Dias, EP
Mass Readings
Featured Saints
St. Elizabeth of Portugal, queen (†1336). Daughter of the King of Aragon, she was given in marriage to the King of Portugal. She suffered much due to his infidelities and from false accusations. She acted as a peacemaker in grave family disputes and thereby prevented bloodshed. After the death of her husband, she became a Franciscan tertiary and spent the rest of her days in detachment and mortification.
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, layman (†1925). Born to a wealthy family of Turin, Italy, he habitually renounced personal privileges and comforts to help those in need, whether materially or spiritually, and showed zeal in defending virtue among youth, one of his causes being a “Eucharistic Crusade ”. He died of a fulminant case of poliomyelitis at the age of 24, and his funeral brought out thousands of mourners who regarded him as a saint.
St. Andrew of Crete, bishop (†740). Archbishop of Gortyna (Crete); eminent preacher and hymnodist.
St. Ulrich, bishop (†973). Bishop of Augsburg, in Bavaria (Germany). He died in his nineties after exercising his Episcopal ministry for 50 years.
St. Bertha of Blangy, abbess (†c. 725). In her widowhood she became a religious in the monastery which she founded, in the city of Blangy, France.
St. Caesidius Giacomantonio, priest and martyr (†1900). Franciscan who was stoned and burned in the city of Hengyang, China, while he protected the Blessed Sacrament from profanation.
Blessed Jozef Kowalski, priest and martyr (†1942). Salesian priest, arrested for practising his ministry and shipped to Auschwitz concentration camp where he continually ministered to souls despite being subjected to barbarous treatment. He was violently attacked and killed out of religious hatred by the prison guards.
Blessed Boniface of Savoy, bishop (†1270). Carthusian monk born of a noble French family and elected Archbishop of Canterbury, England.
Blessed Mary of the Crucifix Curcio, religious (†1957). Founded the Congregation of the Carmelite Missionary Sisters of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, in Santa Marinella, near Rome. She desired to unite a missionary aspect to Carmelite spirituality, with the goal of “bringing souls to God.”
Blessed Catherine Jarrige, virgin (†1836). Dominican tertiary; during the French Revolution, she helped priests who had not taken the revolutionary oath, supplying them with bread and wine for the Eucharistic celebration.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Ez 2:2-5
As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day. Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they to whom I am sending you. But you shall say to them: Thus says the LORD GOD! And whether they heed or resist—for they are a rebellious house— they shall know that a prophet has been among them.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 123:1-2, 2, 3-4 (R.2cd)
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
To you I lift up my eyes
who are enthroned in heaven —
As the eyes of servants
are on the hands of their masters. R.
As the eyes of a maid
are on the hands of her mistress,
So are our eyes on the LORD, our God,
till he have pity on us. R.
Have pity on us, O LORD, have pity on us,
for we are more than sated with contempt;
our souls are more than sated
with the mockery of the arrogant,
with the contempt of the proud. R.
Second Reading – 2 Cor 12:7-10
Brothers and sisters: That I, Paul, might not become too elated, because of the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Gospel – Mk 6:1-6
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.
When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, “Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?
And are not his sisters here with us?”
And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house.”
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.
