Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
St Teresa of Jesus, virgin and Doctor of the Church(†1582). She entered Carmel of Avila at twenty-four, encountering much laxness there. At the age of forty, she began the reform of the Order of Carmel with the help of St. John of the Cross. She wrote several books setting out her sublime doctrine and describing her mystical experiences.
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Mass Readings
First Reading – Eph 1:15-23
Brothers and sisters: Hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all the holy ones, I do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of Him. May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to His call, what are the riches of glory in His inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of His great might, which He worked in Christ, raising Him from the dead and seating Him at his right hand in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things beneath His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 8:2-3AB, 4-5, 6-7 (R. 7)
R. You have given Your Son rule over the works of Your hands.
O LORD, our LORD,
how glorious is Your name over all the earth!
You have exalted Your majesty above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings
You have fashioned praise because of Your foes. R.
When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars which You set in place—
What is man that You should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that You should care for him? R.
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of Your hands,
putting all things under his feet. R.
Gospel – Lk 12:8-12
Jesus said to His disciples: “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges Me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies Me before others will be denied before the angels of God. “Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”
Featured Saints
St. Barsen, bishop (†379). For his Catholic faith he was ccondemned to exile by the Arian Emperor Valente, after changing cities three times, he died in Edessa, Turkey.
St. Severus de of Trier, bishop (†fifth centutry). He accompanied St. Germanus of Auxerre in the fight against the Pelagian heresy in England and preached the Gospel in Germany. He died in Trier, Germany.
St. Thecla of Kitzingen, abbess (†c. 790). Benedictine nun of Wimborne, England, sent to Germany to aid St. Boniface. She ruled the Ochsenfurt and Kitzingen monasteries.
St. Magdalene of Nagasaki, virgin and martyr (†1634). Augustinian Recollect Tertiary, daughter of martyrs. She helped persecuted Christians until she was martyred in Nagasaki, Japan. She withstood the torture of being suspended upside-down in a pit for 13 days, constantly invoking the names of Jesus and Mary, before surrendering her soul to God.
Blessed Gonzalo of Lagos, priest (†1422). Portuguese priest, from the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine. Although a great theologian, he chose to dedicate himself to teaching children and persons of little learning.
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