Mass Readings

First Reading – Is 2:1-5

This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come, the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: “Come, let us climb the LORD’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may instruct us in His ways, and we may walk in His paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

Responsorial Psalm – Ps 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem. R.

Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD. R.

According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David. R.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings. R.

Because of my brothers and friends
I will say, “Peace be within you!”
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good. R.

Second Reading – Rom 13:11-14

Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Gospel – Mt 24:37-44

Jesus said to His disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Featured Saints

Our Lady of Graces of the Miraculous Medal. In the year 1830, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared St. Catherine Labouré, a member of the Daughters of Charity of St. Paul, asking her to have a medal struck after the model that was shown to her, and promising special graces to those who would wear it with confidence.

St. Maximus, bishop (†455). Founder of the monastery of Lerins, France. Despite his resistance, he was appointed Bishop of Riez, in Provence.

St. Acharius of Noyon, bishop (†circa 640). As a monk of Luxeuil, he was elected Bishop of Noyon (France) and Tournai (Belgium) then a single diocese.

St. Vergilius, bishop (†784). Irish abbot of great learning, he was appointed to direct the Church of Salzburg, Austria, and furthered the evangelization of Carinthia, to the south.

St. Gulstan, monk (†1040). Of Breton origin, he was captured in his youth by pirates who abandoned him, after years of slavery, on the island of Ouessant, France. After St. Felix came to his aid, he entered the monastery of St. Gildas where, despite his illiteracy, learned the psalter by by heart, and sang with great fervour.

Blessed Bernardine of Fossa, priest (†1503). Franciscan religious who propagated the Catholic Faith in many regions of Italy. He was Provincial Superior in Abruzzi, Dalmatia and Bosnia.

Blesseds Thomas Koteda Kiuni and companions, martyrs (†1619). Beheaded in Nagasaki (Japan), by order of the Governor Gonzuku.

Blessed Bronislaw Kostowski, martyr (†1940). Polish seminarian imprisoned during the Second World War; he was tortured and eventually died in Dachau concentration camp in Germany.

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Our Lady of Graces

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