Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin and Doctor of the Church
St. Therese of the Child Jesus, virgin and Doctor of the Church (†1897). At a very young age she entered the Carmel of Lisieux (France), where she became a mistress of novices. Her innocence and simplicity led her to the practice of a new way of perfection: that of spiritual childhood, the “Little Way”, which she expounds upon in her writings. After her death at age 24, she quickly became a much-beloved and powerful intercessor throughout the world.
See also:
Mass Readings
First Reading – Job 19:21-27
Job said: Pity me, pity me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me! Why do you hound me as though you were divine, and insatiably prey upon me? Oh, would that my words were written down! Would that they were inscribed in a record: That with an iron chisel and with lead they were cut in the rock forever! But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust; Whom I myself shall see: my own eyes, not another’s, shall behold him, And from my flesh I shall see God; my inmost being is consumed with longing.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14 (R.6ab)
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks. R.
TYour presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off. R.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. R.
Gospel – Lk 10:1-12
Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
Featured Saints
St. Nicetius of Tréveris, bishop (†561). He was, according to St. Gregory of Tours, strong in preaching, formidable in debate and constant in teaching. He suffered exile during the reign of Clothar I.
Blessed Gerard Edwards, priest and martyr (†1588). Executed in Canterbury during the anti-Catholic persecution of Elizabeth I, together with Blesseds Robert Wilcox and Christopher Buxton, priests, and Robert Widmerpool, a layman charged with giving aid to a Catholic priest.
St. Romanos, deacon (†c. 555/565). After converting from Judaism, he was ordained a deacon and departed for Constantinople. Due to his prolific composition of hymns in praise of God and the Saints he received the appellation “the Melodist”.
St. Bavo of Ghent, monk (†c. 659). Of a noble family, he lived a dissolute youth. After hearing a sermon of St. Amand, he distributed his goods among the poor and withdrew to the Benedictine abbey in Ghent, Belgium.
Blessed Antoni Rewera, priest and martyr (†1942). For confessing the true Faith, he was deported from Poland to the concentration camp in Dachau, Germany. He endured terrible tortures and obtained the crown of martyrdom.
Blessed Luigi Maria Mónti, religious (†1900). Founder of the Congregation of the Sons of the Immaculate Conception. He died in the orphanage he had founded in Saronno, Italy.
Blessed Kaspar Hikojiro and Andrew Yoshida, martyrs (†1617). Catechists beheaded in Nagasaki, Japão, for having recieved priests in their homes.
Image gallery
