Wednesday of the 1st Week of Lent
Optional Memorial of St. Frances of Rome, religious (†1440). Optional Memorial. For forty years, this Roman noblewoman lead a life of admirable piety, humility and patience, in the role of wife and mother. Following her husband’s death, she entered the Congregation of the Oblates of Mary which she herself had founded. She was favoured with extraordinary mystical graces and gifts.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Jon 3:1-10
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’s bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles: “Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish.” When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.
Responsorial Psalm – 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19 (R.19b)
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me. R.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me. R.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. R.
Gospel – Lk 11:29-32
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
Other featured Saints
St. Catherine of Bologna, virgin (†1463). Religious of the Order of St. Clare. Outstanding in the liberal arts, but even more so for her mystical gifts and her virtues of penance and humility; as abbess, she formed other consecrated virgins.
St. Pacian, bishop (†c. 390). Bishop of Barcelona, Spain. In preaching the Faith, he affirmed: “Christian is my name and Catholic my surname.”
St. Bruno, bishop and martyr (†1009). Chaplain in the court of Emperor Otto III, he became a Camaldolese monk. He was appointed Bishop of Querfurt and died during a mission in Moravia, slain by pagans along with eighteen companions.
St. Dominic Savio, layman (†1857) Disciple of St. John Bosco, he followed his counsel for attaining holiness: joy, devotion to Our Lady, prayer, studies and doing good to his colleagues of the Oratory. He died at age 15 in Mondonio, Italy.
Sts. Peter Ch’oe Hyŏng and John Baptist Chŏn Chang-un, martyrs (†1866). Korean laymen, fathers of families, who collaborated in teaching catechism and publishing Christian books. For this they were tortured and beheaded.
Image gallery
