Friday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time
Featured Saints
St. Leonard of Port Maurice, priest (†1751). Franciscan priest who spent his life preaching and publishing devotional books. He participated in more than three hundred missions in Italy. See also: I Beseech You: Change Your Life.
St. Conrad, Bishop (†975). Bishop of Constance, Germany. An exemplary pastor of his flock, he generously distributed his goods in benefit of the Church and of the poor.
Blessed Delphine (†1358-1360). Wife of St. Elzear of Sabran, Count of Ariano (in the Kingdom of Naples), with whom she made a vow to preserve chastity. After her husband’s death, she lived in poverty, dedicated to prayer.
St. Siricius, Pope (†399). St. Ambrose praised him as a true master, for he took upon himself responsibility for all bishops, instructed them with the teachings of the Holy Fathers and confirmed them with his apostolic authority.
St. Sylvester Gozzolini, abbot (†1267). After his ordination, he first exercised his ministry in the Cathedral of Osimo (Italy), his native city. Witnessing the opening of a relative’s tomb, he comprehended the vanity of the world and began to lead a hermitic life in a grotto, where other young men joined him. He founded several monasteries under the rule of St. Benedict, which were later recognized as the Congregation of the Sylvestrians.
St. Nikon, monk (†998). He evangelized the Island of Crete, recently liberated from Saracen domination. He preached in Greece, where he died in a monastery he founded in Sparta.
Blesseds Hugh Taylor, priest, and Marmaduke Bowes, layman, martyrs (†1585). Executed at York during the anti-Catholic persecutions of Elizabeth I of England.
Blessed James Alberione, priest (†1971). Founder of the Pious Society of St. Paul (Pauline Brothers, the first of the ten branches of the Pauline Family), he used social communications as an instrument of evangelization.
Blessed Humils Pirozzo, religious (†1637). Franciscan friar from the monastery of Calabria. Popes Gregory XV and Urban VIII consulted him on matters of grave importance for the Church.
Blessed Gaetana Stérni (†1889). She became a widow at a young age and founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Will, for the assistance of the poor and sick.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Dn 7:2-14
In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night,
the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,
from which emerged four immense beasts,
each different from the others.
The first was like a lion, but with eagle’s wings.
While I watched, the wings were plucked;
it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet
like a man, and given a human mind.
The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side,
and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks.
It was given the order, “Up, devour much flesh.”
After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard;
on its back were four wings like those of a bird,
and it had four heads.
To this beast dominion was given.
After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast,
different from all the others,
terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength;
it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed,
and what was left it trampled with its feet.
I was considering the ten horns it had,
when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst,
and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it.
This horn had eyes like a man,
and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
As I watched,
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was snow bright,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened, and the books were opened.
I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words
which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain
and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.
The other beasts, which also lost their dominion,
were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Responsorial Psalm – Daniel 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81
R. Give glory and eternal praise to Him!
“Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever. R.
“You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.” R.
“Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.” R.
“You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.” R.
“All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.” R.
“All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.” R.
Gospel – Lk 21:29-33
Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.”
