Free Republic

22 August 2024 Our Lady, Mother and Queen on Thursday of week 20 in Ordinary Time Altar "Our Lady Queen of Angels", Old Mission Church, Los Angeles, California Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst readingEzekiel 36:23-28I will remove the heart of stone from your bodies and give you a heart of fleshThe word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows: ‘I mean to display the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. And...

21 August 2024 Saint Pius X, Pope on Wednesday of week 20 in Ordinary Time Church of Saint Pius X Scarsdale, NY Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst readingEzekiel 34:1-11An oracle against bad and selfish shepherdsThe word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘“Shepherds, the Lord says this: Trouble for the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shepherds ought to feed their flock, yet you have fed on milk,...

20 August 2024 Saint Bernard, Abbot, Doctor on Tuesday of week 20 in Ordinary Time St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Scottsdale, AZ Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst readingEzekiel 28:1-10Against the arrogance of the king of TyreThe word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows, ‘Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre, “The Lord says this:Being swollen with pride,you have said: I am a god;I am sitting on the throne of God,surrounded by the seas.Though you are a man and not a god,you consider...

Visegrád 24 @visegrad24 · Follow Media silence after Islamist terrorist stabs Catholic priest in Ireland Last Thursday, a 16-y-old boy stabbed Fr Paul Murphy multiple times at Renmore Barracks in Galway, where he serves as an army chaplain Severly wounded, he was saved by soldiers who overpowered the attacker.

18 August 2024 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time San Alberto Hurtado parish, Las Condes, ChileReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green. Year: B(II).First readingProverbs 9:1-6Wisdom builds her house and invites all to eat her bread thereWisdom has built herself a house, she has erected her seven pillars,she has slaughtered her beasts, prepared her wine, she has laid her table.She has despatched her maidservants and proclaimed from the city’s heights:‘Who is ignorant? Let him step this way.’ To the fool she says,‘Come and eat my bread, drink the wine I have prepared!Leave your folly and you will live, walk in the ways...

A couple of months ago I finally had the chance to watch "Babette's Feast," a beautiful movie about a French cook in Denmark who wins the lottery and spends her entire earnings to throw a lavish feast for the two old spinsters she works for and all their friends. Babette's Feast was an obvious and intentional Eucharistic allegory, and I couldn't help thinking of it while reflecting on the readings for this Sunday (20th of Ordinary Time), which are all closely united by the themes of eating, wisdom, and thankfulness. 1. Our first reading is taken from Proverbs 9:1-6: Wisdom...

16 August 2024 Friday of week 19 in Ordinary Time St. Stephen's Basilica, BudapestReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green. Year: B(II).First readingEzekiel 16:1-15,60,63I clothed you with my own splendour but you made yourself a prostituteThe word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows, ‘Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her filthy crimes. Say, “The Lord says this: By origin and birth you belong to the land of Canaan. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. At birth, the very day you were born, there was no one to cut your navel-string, or wash you in...

Thursday, 15 August 2024 The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Solemnity Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish Church, Brookline, Massachusetts MA Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II).These readings are for the Vigil Mass on the evening before the feast.These readings are for the day of the feast itself.These readings are for the Vigil Mass on the evening before the feast.First reading1 Chronicles 15:3-4,15-16,16:1-2They brought in the ark of God and put it inside the tent that David had pitched for itDavid gathered all Israel together to bring the ark of God up to the place he had...

Daily Readings from the USCCB“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name.” Luke 1:46–49Today we celebrate one of seventeen different memorials, feasts and solemnities in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary that are found on the Roman Liturgical Calendar. Today’s celebration is one of the four great Solemnities by which our Blessed Mother is honored. Obviously, no other person other than...

14 August 2024 Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest, Martyr on Wednesday of week 19 in Ordinary Time St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, Scarborough, ME Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Red. Year: B(II).Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst readingEzekiel 9:1-7,10:18-22The cross marks the foreheads of all who are pureAs I, Ezekiel, listened, God shouted, ‘Come here, you scourges of the city, and bring your weapons of destruction.’ Immediately six men advanced from the upper north gate, each holding a deadly weapon. In the middle of them was a man in white, with a scribe’s ink horn...

Daily Readings from the USCCB“Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:19–20This is a bold and awe-inspiring promise from our Lord. This passage reveals Jesus’ desire that we pray with others, uniting our prayer as one and offering it to the Father. Jesus says that when we do this in union with His prayer, our prayer...

13 August 2024 Tuesday of week 19 in Ordinary Time Church of San Ponziano, in RomeReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green. Year: B(II).First readingEzekiel 2:8-3:4He gave me the scroll to eat and it was as sweet as honeyI, Ezekiel, heard a voice speaking. It said, ‘You, son of man, listen to the words I say; do not be a rebel like that rebellious set. Open your mouth and eat what I am about to give you.’ I looked. A hand was there, stretching out to me and holding a scroll. He unrolled it in front of me; it was written...

Daily Readings from the USCCB“What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost." Matthew 18:12–14It is so easy to go astray. There are many wandering souls who are lost, confused, and...

Daily Readings from the USCCBFrom whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?” When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.” Matthew 17:25–27Prior to this minor miracle, Jesus had just told His disciples for the second time about...

11 August 2024 19th Sunday in Ordinary TimeSaint Clare of Assisi, Surprise, AZReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green. Year: B(II).First reading1 Kings 19:4-8The angel gives Elijah food to reach the mountain of GodElijah went into the wilderness, a day’s journey, and sitting under a furze bush wished he were dead. ‘O Lord,’ he said ‘I have had enough. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down and went to sleep. But an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked round, and there at his head was a scone baked on...

Daily Readings from the USCCB“I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:48–51We continue this Sunday with the beautiful “Bread of Life Discourse” from John’s Gospel. At the beginning of today’s passage, we read that the people listening to...

I've been involved in some form of church ministry--either training for it, practicing it, or training others for it--for over twenty years now, and I know one of the major challenges we face in ministry is burnout. At Franciscan University we train a large number of prospective youth ministers. The attrition rate in this field is very high. I don't have exact statistics but would not be surprised if half of new youth ministers leave the field for some other line of work within three to five years. Burnout is a problem for spiritual leaders, but it’s also a problem...

Daily Readings from the USCCBWhoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. John 12:25This is one of the many powerful and even shocking statements of Jesus. A similar statement by Jesus is found in all four of the Gospels. In this, John’s version, the words “love” and “hate” are used. By loving our lives we lose them, but by hating our lives we preserve them. At first read, one may think that those words “love” and “hate” were accidentally reversed. One might conclude that what Jesus meant to...

Daily Readings from the USCCB“What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?” Matthew 16:26Would you like to “gain the whole world?” Many people daydream about becoming exceptionally rich and being able to purchase everything they ever wanted. Others dream of doing heroic acts that thrust them into the public spotlight and lead to public admiration. Still, others dream of having great power in this world and being a person of great importance. Though none of these are bad in and of themselves,...

9 August 2024 Friday of week 18 in Ordinary Time St. Edith Stein Monastery, Brooklyn, NYReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green. Year: B(II).First readingNahum 2:1,3,3:1-3,6-7Israel restored; Nineveh ruinedSee, over the mountains the messenger hurries!‘Peace!’ he proclaims.Judah, celebrate your feasts,carry out your vows,for Belial will never pass through you again;he is utterly annihilated.Yes, the Lord is restoring the vineyard of Jacoband the vineyard of Israel.For the plunderers had plundered them,they had broken off their branches.Woe to the city soaked in blood,full of lies,stuffed with booty,whose plunderings know no end!The crack of the whip!The rumble of wheels!Galloping horse,jolting chariot,charging cavalry,flash of swords,gleam...