Saturday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time
Mass Readings
First Reading – Eph 4:7-16
Brothers and sisters: Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore, it says: He ascended on high and took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men. What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended into the lower regions of the earth? The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood to the extent of the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole Body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the Body’s growth and builds itself up in love.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 122:1-2, 3-4AB, 4CD-5 (R. 1)
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.
Gospel – Lk 13:1-9
Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’
Featured Saints
St. Cedd, bishop (†664). A monk missionary to diverse regions of England. Ordained bishop of the East Saxons by St. Finan, he founded several churches and monasteries, including that of Lastingham, in Yorkshire. Brother of St. Chad. (Optional Memorial in England.)
St. Albinus, bishop. (†786). Benedictine monk of Anglo-Saxon origin, one of the companions of St. Boniface in the Evangelization of Germany, appointed Bishop of Buraburg, Hesse.
St. Fulk, bishop (†1229). Born in Piacenza, Italy, of Scottish parents. Appointed Bishop of Pavia, where he founded schools and dedicated himself the the spiritual welfare of his flock, abstaining from political affairs.
St. Eata, bishop (†circa 686). Disciple of St. Aidan. After serving as abbot in several monasteries, he became Bishop of Hexham, England, without abandoning monastic asceticism.
St. Rusticus, bishop (†circa 461). He evangelized the people of the region of Narbonne, France, as head of that diocese, and took part in the Council of Ephesus which condemned Nestorianism.
St. Rogatianus, priest († third century). During the Decian persecution, St. Cyprian entrusted the administration of the Church of Carthage to him. Together with St. Felicissimus, he suffered many tribulations for the love of Christ’s name.
Sts. Lucian and Marcian, martyrs (†c. 250). According to tradition, for their Christian Faith they were burned alive in Izmit, Turkey, by order of the proconsul Sabinus, during the reign of Emperor Decius.
Blessed Damian of Fulcheri, priest (†1484). Dominican priest, untiring preacher in the regions of Ligouri, Lombardy and Emilia, Italy.
Blessed Bonaventure of Potenza, priest (†1711). Religious from the Order of Friars Minor Conventual; he was an outstanding preacher and favoured with mystical gifts .
Blessed Celine Chludzinska Borzecka, religious (†1913). She founded the Congregation of Sisters of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Rome.
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