Thursday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
Featured Saints
St. Antoninus of Apamea, martyr (†fourth century). Put to death by stoning in Syria.
St. Justus, bishop (†d. 381). He Renounced the Episcopal See of Lyon after the Council of Aquileia to take up the humble life of a monk in a hermitage in Egypt.
St. Syagrius, bishop (†600). ). In the Diocese of Autun, France, he fought simony, demanded strict adherence to ecclesiastical discipline and promoted theological studies.
St. Agricola, bishop (†700). After sixteen years of monastic life, he was made Bishop of Avignon. He showed great zeal in preaching and dedication in the support of the poor and sick.
Blessed Alexander Charles Lenfant, priest and martyr (†1792). Jesuit preacher and great devotee of the Sacred Heart, appointed preacher of King Louis XVI; killed during the French Revolution for refusing to take the oath of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy.
Blessed Jean-Marie du Lau d’Allemans,François-Joseph de la Rochefoucauld and Pierre-Louis de la Rochefoucauld, bishops, and 93 other clerics and religious, martyrs (†1792). For refusing to take the impious oath imposed on the Clergy by the French Revolution, they were brutally killed while held captive in the Carmelite Convent in Paris.
Blessed Ingrid of Sweden (†1282). From a noble Swedish family. After becoming a widow, she gave up all her goods for the service of God. After making a journey to the Holy Land, she took the Dominican Habit. She founded the first convent of her Order in Skänninge (Sweden).
Mass Readings
First reading: Col 1:9-14
Brothers and sisters: From the day we heard about you, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 98:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6 (R.2)
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel. R.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise. R.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD. 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.
