Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
Mass Readings
First Reading – 2 Kings 25:1-12
In the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and his whole army advanced against Jerusalem, encamped around it, and built siege walls on every side. The siege of the city continued until the eleventh year of Zedekiah. On the ninth day of the fourth month, when famine had gripped the city, and the people had no more bread, the city walls were breached. Then the king and all the soldiers left the city by night through the gate between the two walls that was near the king’s garden. Since the Chaldeans had the city surrounded, they went in the direction of the Arabah. But the Chaldean army pursued the king and overtook him in the desert near Jericho, abandoned by his whole army. The king was therefore arrested and brought to Riblah to the king of Babylon, who pronounced sentence on him. He had Zedekiah’s sons slain before his eyes. Then he blinded Zedekiah, bound him with fetters, and had him brought to Babylon. On the seventh day of the fifth month (this was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard, came to Jerusalem as the representative of the king of Babylon. He burned the house of the Lord, the palace of the king, and all the houses of Jerusalem; every large building was destroyed by fire. Then the Chaldean troops who were with the captain of the guard tore down the walls that surrounded Jerusalem. Then Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, led into exile the last of the people remaining in the city, and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the last of the artisans. But some of the country’s poor, Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, left behind as vinedressers and farmers.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 (R. 6ab)
R. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!
By the streams of Babylon
we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
On the aspens of that land
we hung up our harps. R.
Though there our captors asked of us
the lyrics of our songs,
And our despoilers urged us to be joyous:
“Sing for us the songs of Zion!” R.
How could we sing a song of the Lord
in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand be forgotten! R.
May my tongue cleave to my palate
if I remember you not,
If I place not Jerusalem
ahead of my joy. R.
Gospel – Mt 8:1-4
When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
Featured Saints
Blessed Andrew Jacinto Longhin, bishop (†1936). Capuchin religious appointed Bishop of Treviso (Italy) by St. Pius X; he helped deserters and prisoners during World War I and defended the rights of the weakest members society.
St. José María Robles Hurtado, priest and martyr (†1927). Fervent propagator of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Out of religious hatred, he was hanged from a tree in Guadalajara during the Mexican revolution.
Sts. John and Paul, martyrs († fourth century Rome). Brothers who were beheaded for their Faith on Mount Coleius, under Julian the Apostate.
St. Pelagius of Córdoba, martyr (†925). In face of the lascivious suggestions of Caliph Abderrahman III, this youth of 13 years was torn to pieces with iron pliers in Cordoba, Spain, for proclaiming his faith in Christ and defending his chastity.
St. Joseph Ma Taishun, martyr (†1900). Doctor and catechist who was put to death at sixty years of age, during the anti-Christian persecution in China.
Blesseds Nicholas Konrad, priest, and Vladimir Pryjma, martyrs (†1941). Nicholas was the pastor of Stradch, Ukraine, and Vladimir, conductor of the parish choir. Both were shot by Soviet police agents in the forest near Stradch, Ukraine, as they returned from bringing the Last Sacraments to a sick man.
Blessed Jacob Ghazir Haddad, priest (†1954). Capuchin priest, founder of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Cross in Beirut, Lebanon.
Blessed Andrew Iscak, priest and martyr (†1941). Diocesan priest and professor of Theology in Lviv, Ukraine, gunned to death by Soviet Soldiersin his parish in Sykhiv .
Blessed Raymond Petiniaud de Jourgnac (†1794). For being a priest, he was imprisoned in inhumane conditions on a ship anchored in Rochefort, France, and died there consumed by wounds and vermin.
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