Memorial of St. Irenaeus
St. Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr (†202). A Greek from Asia Minor and disciple of St. Polycarp who had witnessed the preaching of St. John the Evangelist. He became the Bishop of Lyon, France, where he combatted Gnostic rationalism. He received the crown of martyrdom under Septimius Severus.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Am 3:1-8; 4:11-12
Hear this word, O children of Israel, that the LORD pronounces over you, over the whole family that I brought up from the land of Egypt: You alone have I favored, more than all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your crimes. Do two walk together unless they have agreed? Does a lion roar in the forest when it has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from its den unless it has seized something? Is a bird brought to earth by a snare when there is no lure for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground without catching anything? If the trumpet sounds in a city, will the people not be frightened? If evil befalls a city, has not the LORD caused it? Indeed, the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants, the prophets. The lion roars— who will not be afraid! The Lord GOD speaks— who will not prophesy! I brought upon you such upheaval as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah: you were like a brand plucked from the fire; Yet you returned not to me, says the LORD. So now I will deal with you in my own way, O Israel! and since I will deal thus with you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel.
Responsorial Psalm – 5:4b-6a, 6b-7, 8 (R.9a)
R.Lead me in your justice, Lord.
At dawn I bring my plea expectantly before you.
For you, O God, delight not in wickedness;
no evil man remains with you;
the arrogant may not stand in your sight. R.
You hate all evildoers;
you destroy all who speak falsehood;
The bloodthirsty and the deceitful
the LORD abhors. R.
But I, because of your abundant mercy,
will enter your house;
I will worship at your holy temple
in fear of you, O LORD. R.
Gospel – Mt 8:23-27
As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,
so that the boat was being swamped by waves;
but he was asleep.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”
Featured Saints
St. Paul I, Pope (†767). He wrote to Emperors Constantine V and Leo IV to have them re-establish the veneration of sacred images. He transferred the bodies of martyrs from dilapidated cemeteries to churches and monasteries.
St. Heimrad, priest and hermit (†1019). Expelled from his monastery and exposed to scorn, he lived as a pilgrim for love of Christ, dying in Hasungen, Germany.
St. John Southworth, priest and martyr (†1654). Condemned to death for secretly exercising his priestly ministry in England, during the government of Cromwell.
St. Argymirus, martyr (†856). Monk in Cordoba (Spain), tortured and killed under the Moorish rule, for his refusal to abjure the Christian Faith.
St. Vincentia Gerosa, virgin (†1847). Together with St. Bartolomea Capitanio, founded the Institute of the Sisters of Charity of Lovere, Italy, for the education the poor.
St. Maria Du Zhaozhi, martyr (†1900). Fervent Christian and mother of a priest, she was beheaded during religious persecution in China, for holding fast to the Faith.
Blesseds Severian Baranyk and Yakym Senkivskyj, priests and martyrs (†1941). Priests of the Basilian Order of St. Josaphat, imprisoned and executed by Soviet authorities in Drohobych, Ukraine.
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