Saturday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time
Optional Memorial: Sts. Jean de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues, priests, and companions, martyrs. Eight Jesuit missionaries from France who evangelized among the native peoples of North America, particularly of the Huron tribe, and were captured, tortured and killed by the Iroquois on various dates over a seven-year period. (Memorial in US)(Feast in Canada on Sept. 26).
St. Paul of the Cross, priest (†1775, Rome). Mystic and founder of the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ, or the Passionists. (USA: transferred to Oct. 20.)
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. Luke Alonso Gorda, priest, and Mathhew Kohioye, religious, martyrs (†1634). Intrepid Dominican preachers of the Gospel in the Philippines and in Japan, where they suffered martyrdom.
St. Varus, martyr (†307). Egyptian soldier who embraced the Faith while guarding six holy Christian monks awaiting execution, was imprisoned along with them and put to death amidst terrible tortures, in Alexandria.
St. Frideswide, virgin (†735). She left court life and founded a Convent dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Oxford, England, of which she became abbess. She is the patroness of the city of Oxford and of its university.
Blessed Thomas Helye, priest (†1257). He exercised his priestly ministry during the day and dedicated himself to prayer and penance at night, in the Diocese of Coutances, France.
Blessed George Popieluszko, priest and martyr (†1984). Priest of the Diocese of Warsaw who was killed at the age of 37 by communist agents who apprehended him on the road, beat, bound and threw him into a water reservoir to drown.
Blessed Agnes of Jesus Galand, virgin (†1634). Prioress of the Dominican Monastery of Langeac, France, she offered Christ her prayers and sufferings for the intention of the good formation of priests.
