Tuesday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time
Mass Readings
First Reading – Rv 14:14-19
I, John, looked and there was a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud one who looked like a son of man, with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud, “Use your sickle and reap the harvest, for the time to reap has come, because the earth’s harvest is fully ripe.” So the one who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven who also had a sharp sickle. Then another angel came from the altar, who was in charge of the fire, and cried out in a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and cut the clusters from the earth’s vines, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and cut the earth’s vintage. He threw it into the great wine press of God’s fury.
Responsorial Psalm – 96:10, 11-12, 13 (R.13b)
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity. R.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult. R.
Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy. R.
Gospel – Lk 21:5-11
While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here– the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”
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.
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.
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