Saturday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Featured Saints
Sts. Claudius, Lupercus and Victorius, martyrs of the Diocletian persecution of the fourth century. Sons of St. Marcellus of Leon.
St. Marcellus of Leon, martyr (†298). Roman centurion decapitated in Tangier, Morocco, for declaring to his companions that he was a Christian.
St. Eutropia, martyr (†c. third century). For her refusal to deny her faith in Christ, she was cruelly tortured until death in Alexandria, Egypt.
Blessed Terence Albert O’Brien, Bishop and martyr (+1651). Dominican prior who became Bishop of Limerick, Ireland. When Limerick was besieged during the regime of Oliver Cromwell, he was captured and hanged at Gallows Green.
Blessed Angelo of Acri, priest (†1739). Franciscan Capuchin who travelled throughout the Kingdom of Naples for almost 40 years, preaching the Word of God in a simple language.
Blessed Oleksa Zaryckyj, priest and martyr (†1963). Under a regime hostile to God, he was deported to a concentration camp in Dolinka, Kazakhstan, and from there entered eternal life.
Blessed John Michael Langevin, priest and martyr (†1793). Killed out of ant-religious hatred during the French Revolution.
Blessed Benvenuta Boiani, virgin (†1292). Daughter of the lord of Cividale del Friuli, Italy, she made a vow of virginity at the age of eleven. Still at a young age, she became a Dominican tertiary and consecrated her life to prayer and penance.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Rom 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29
Brothers and sisters:
I ask, then, has God rejected his people?
Of course not!
For I too am a child of Israel, a descendant of Abraham,
of the tribe of Benjamin.
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah,
how he pleads with God against Israel?
Hence I ask, did they stumble so as to fall?
Of course not!
But through their transgression
salvation has come to the Gentiles,
so as to make them jealous.
Now if their transgression is enrichment for the world,
and if their diminished number is enrichment for the Gentiles,
how much more their full number.
I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers and sisters,
so that you will not become wise in your own estimation:
a hardening has come upon Israel in part,
until the full number of the Gentiles comes in,
and thus all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
The deliverer will come out of Zion,
he will turn away godlessness from Jacob;
and this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.
In respect to the Gospel, they are enemies on your account;
but in respect to election,
they are beloved because of the patriarch.
For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 94:12-13a, 14-15, 17-18 (R.14a)
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.
Blessed the man whom you instruct, O LORD,
whom by your law you teach,
Giving him rest from evil days. R.
For the LORD will not cast off his people,
nor abandon his inheritance;
But judgment shall again be with justice,
and all the upright of heart shall follow it. R.
Were not the LORD my help,
my soul would soon dwell in the silent grave.
When I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your mercy, O LORD, sustains me. R.
Gospel – Lk 14:1, 7-11
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.
He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
‘Give your place to this man,’
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
