Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Heart of Mary, first mentioned in Scripture, was ever immaculate, for in it the Blood of Jesus, price of our Redemption was to be formed. Aflame with divine love, She hastened by her desires the salvation of the world. In Fatima, Our Lady promised: “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.”
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Mass Readings
First Reading – 2 Cor 5:14-21
Brothers and sisters: The love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised. Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him so no longer. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 (R. 8a)
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits. R.
He pardons all your iniquities,
He heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
He crowns you with kindness and compassion. R.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep His wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does He deal with us,
nor does He requite us according to our crimes. R.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is His kindness toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He put our transgressions from us. R.
Gospel – Lk 2:41-51
Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when He was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but His parents did not know it. Thinking that He was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for Him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding Him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for Him. After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers. When His parents saw Him, they were astonished, and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for You with great anxiety.” And He said to them, “Why were you looking for Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand what He said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and His mother kept all these things in her heart.
Featured Saints
St. Teresa of Portugal, queen (†1250). Daughter of King Sancho I of Portugal, she married Alfonso IX, King of Leon. After the death of her husband, she entered the Cistercian monastery she had founded in Ourém.
St. Hipatius, abbot (†446). A hermit of an austere life and rigorous fasting, he made his abode in an abandoned monastery in Chalcedon, Asia Minor, reconstructed it and formed a prosperous community in it.
Sts. Nicander and Marcian, martyrs (†c. 297). Soldiers beheaded in Silistra, Bulgaria, at the time of Diocletian, for refusing to sacrifice to the pagan gods.
St. Peter Da, martyr (†1862). Carpenter and sacristan of the parish of Ngoc Cuc, in Vietnam; beheaded after suffering cruel tortures during the anti-Christian persecuion under the Emperor Tu Duc.
St. Raniero of Pisa, penitent (†1160). He gave himself over to worldly amusements during his youth. After his conversion he left everything and went to the Holy Land where he lived for thirteen years doing penance.
Blessed Philippe Papon, priest and martyr (†1794). Condemned to imprisonment in a galley anchored at Rochefort, France, he surrendered his soul to God after giving absolution to a dying prison mate.
Blessed Joseph-Marie Cassant, priest (†1903). At age 16, he entered the Trappist Monastery of St. Mary of the Desert, in the Diocese of Toulouse, France. He died after contracting tuberculosis at 25, offering his sufferings for Christ and the Church .
Blessed Peter Gambacorta (†1435). Founder of the Poor Hermits of St. Jerome in Montebello, Italy, whose first members were exthieves whom he had converted.
Blessed Paul Burali, bishop (†1578). Theatine religious, created cardinal by Pius V and named Archbishop of Naples by Gregory XIII. Restored discipline and liturgical splendour in the archdiocese.
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