Thursday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
Mass Readings
First Reading – 1 Cor 3:18-23
Brothers and sisters: Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: God catches the wise in their own ruses, and again: The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you, Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or the present or the future: all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 (R.1)
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For He founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers. R.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in His holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain. R.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for Him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob. R.
Gospel – Lk 5:1-11
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then He sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at Your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Him.
Featured Saints
St. Verena, virgin (†fourth century). Born in Egypt, she settled in the region of Zurzach, in present-day Switzerland, where she spent the rest of her life caring for the poor and lepers. Her tomb became a famous centre of pilgrimage, where a monastery was later built.
St. Joshua. Son of Nun. After the death of Moses, of whom he was a disciple, he brought the people of Israel into the Promised Land.
St. Lupus of Sens, bishop (†c. 623). He was exiled for having courageously affirmed before a local dignitary that people should be guided by the priest and obey God more than princes.
Blessed Jane Soderini, virgin (†1367). Third Order Servite who died in Florence, Italy. She was a disciple of St. Juliana Falconieri.
St. Giles (Gilles), abbot (†6th/7th century). The city of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, France, where he built a monastery (of which he was abbot), was named after him.
Blessed Juliana of Collalto, abbess (†1262). From a noble family, she took the Benedictine habit at the age of 12. She founded the Monastery of St. Blaise, in Venice, where she was abbess.