Wednesday of the First week in Ordinary Time

1st book of Samuel

During the time young Samuel was minister to the LORD under Eli, a revelation of the LORD was uncommon and vision infrequent.
One day Eli was asleep in his usual place. His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see.
The lamp of God was not yet extinguished, and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was.
The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, "Here I am."
He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me." "I did not call you," Eli said. "Go back to sleep." So he went back to sleep.
Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "You called me." But he answered, "I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep."
At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD, because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.
The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, "Here I am. You called me." Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.
So he said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" When Samuel went to sleep in his place,
the LORD came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
Thus all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba came to know that Samuel was an accredited prophet of the LORD.

Psalms

I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
Blessed the man who makes the LORD his trust;
who turns not to idolatry
or to those who stray after falsehood.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark

On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."
He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come."
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

St. Léonie Aviat(Religious (1844-1914))

Saint Françoise De Sales (Léonie Aviat)Religious(1844-1914) Léonie Aviat was born on September 16, 1844, in Sézanne, Champagne, France. She attended school at the Monastery of the Visitation in the city of Troyes. There, Mother Marie de Sales Chappuis, the superior, and Father Louis Brisson, the chaplain, acted as her spiritual directors. Having thus been formed at the school of St. Francis de Sales, Léonie prepared herself for a future mission: founding a congregation based on Salesian spirituality and the evangelization of young workers. Léonie's vocation took shape in the milieu of the Industrial Revolution. In the city of Troyes, textile mills employed large numbers of young, rural women. Fr. Brisson, a zealous apostle, and one of the forerunners of the great social movement that developed at the end of the 19th century, had opened a center in 1858 to welcome young textile workers: affording them a complete human and Christian education. Unable to find a suitable directress and stable supervisory staff for the center, known as the Oeuvre Saint-François de Sales, he decided, with God's inspiration, to establish a religious congregation. He found in Léonie Aviat an incomparable co-worker, in whom he discerned a vocation to the consecrated life as well. Upon completing her studies, Léonie left the Visitation Monastery with the firm intention of returning to it as a lay sister. However, Fr. Brisson and Mother Chappuis advised her to wait. Obedient to what she regarded as God's will, she received a special sign from Him a little later, one that couldn't be mistaken for an illusion. An inspiration enlightened Léonie's mind and guided her decision to go to the factory where glasses were manufactured and repaired in Sézanne, her native city. The sight of the workroom filled with young factory workers busily engaged in their work beneath the watchful and maternal gaze of a supervisor aroused in her heart the desire to take her place among them in order to counsel and guide them. This attraction would press her even more strongly the day Fr. Brisson invited her to visit the Oeuvre ouvrière. On April 18, 1866, Léonie joined the Oeuvre Saint-François de Sales along with a former Visitation Monastery classmate, Lucie Canuet. On October 30, 1868, the young foundress was clothed with the religious habit and received the name Sister Françoise de Sales. This name indicated what would be her life's work as she expressed in her personal notes: "St. Francis de Sales, you have chosen me to be at the head of this little group; give me your spirit, your heart... Grant me a share of your union with God and of that interior spirit which knows how to do everything in union with Him and nothing without Him" (August, 1871). The "little group" that she guided placed itself under the protection of the saintly Bishop of Geneva and completely adopted his method of spirituality and of pedagogy. Hence the name that it chose for itself: the "Oblate Sisters of St. Francis de Sales," which means, "offered to God and to neighbor by means of their whole life." On October 11, 1871, Sister Françoise de Sales professed her vows. The following year, she was elected Superior General of the new congregation, which was thus canonically established and able to expand rapidly. Under her guidance, the community grew in numbers and the social apostolate developed. At the same time, grade schools were opened in parishes; and in Paris, the first boarding school for young ladies was also opened, which Mother Aviat directed for eight years. The apostolate of the Oblate Sisters extended to the different classes of society and to all forms of education; and from the very first years of its foundation, to the missions ad gentes as well. In 1893, after a period of effacement that brought to light her humility, Mother Françoise de Sales was again elected Superior General: an office she held until her death. During this time, she endeavored to develop the apostolate of the Congregation in Europe, South Africa and Ecuador. She lavished her untiring solicitude on every community and on each of her Sisters. She also coped with the persecution of religious orders in France (1903). While maintaining the houses of her Congregation that could be kept in France, she transferred the mother house to Perugia, Italy. In 1911, she secured the final approbation of the constitutions of the institute from Pope St. Pius X. On January 10, 1914, she passed away in Perugia with serenity, totally entrusting herself to God. To the very end, she remained faithful to the resolution made at the time of her profession: "To forget myself entirely." To her daughters in every age, she left this very Salesian precept: "Let us work for the happiness of others." She was beatified on September 27, 1992; and canonized by Pope John Paul II on November 25, 2001.

St. William of Bourges(Archbishop († 1209))

SAINT WILLIAM Archbishop( 1209) William Berruyer, from the ancient counts of Nevers, was educated by Peter the Hermit, Archdeacon of Soissons, an uncle from his mother's side. From his infancy, William learned to reject worldly vanity and human errors (hedonism, materialism, consumerism and more). He thought only lightly of pleasure, and glorified God in all circumstances. His greatest delights were the norms of piety; and his studying was accomplished in the spirit and fervor of the saints. He was made a canon: first in Soissons and later in Paris. Afterward, he resolved to abandon the world and give everything to God and the power of prayer. He retired to Grandmont and joined an austere Order. Later, he joined the Cistercians who were in a state of sanctity. He was later chosen Prior of the Abbey of Pontigny and afterward Abbot of Chaalis. On the death of Henri de Sully, Archbishop of Bourges, William was chosen to succeed him. The announcement of this dignity overwhelmed him; and he would have declined had not the pope and his general, the abbot of Citeaux, ordered him. Archbishop William's first care was conforming his intellect and will to the Divine. He redoubled all his austerities, saying it was incumbent to do penance for others as well as for himself. He always wore a hair-shirt under his religious habit and never added to his clothing in winter or diminished it in summer. He never ate meat, though he had it at his table for both guests and strangers. When Archbishop William was near the end, he was, at his request, laid on ashes in his hair-cloth. In this state, he passed away on January 10, 1209. His body was interred in his cathedral, and being honored by many miracles, was taken up in 1217. In the following year, St. William was canonized by Pope Honorius III.

Bl. María Dolores Rodríguez Sopeña((1848-1918))

Blessed María Dolores Rodríguez Sopeña (1848-1918) Dolores Rodríguez Sopeña was born in Velez Rubio, Almería, Spain, on December 30, 1848, the fourth of seven siblings. Her parents, Tomas Rodríguez Sopeña and Nicolasa Ortega Salomon, had moved from Madrid to Velez Rubio for work. Don Tomas received his law degree at a young age, and because of this could not work as a lawyer. Instead, he worked as an administrator of the Marqueses de Velez farms. Dolores grew up in Andalucía where her father worked as a magistrate. Even though he was transferred often, she described this time of her life as a "lake of tranquility." In 1866, her father was appointed as the judge of Almería. Dolores was 17, and was formally introduced to society, though she did not relish the parties or the social life. She was more interested in works of mercy. In Almería, she had her first apostolic experiences: She attended materially and spiritually to two sisters who had typhoid fever and to a leper. She did not disclose the experiences to her parents because she feared they would prevent her from continuing. She also visited the poor of Saint Vicent de Paul with her mother. Three years later, her father was sent to Puerto Rico. There, he traveled with one of his sons while the rest of his family moved to Madrid. Dolores chose a spiritual advisor and began teaching the Catholic doctrine to women in prison, in the Princess Hospital and in Sunday schools. In 1872, the family reunited in Puerto Rico. Dolores was 23 and would remain in the Americas till she was 28. She began her contact with the Jesuits; and Father Goicoechea became her spiritual advisor. In Puerto Rico, she founded the Association of the Sodality of the Virgin Mary and schools for the disadvantaged. She taught reading and writing there as well as catechism. In 1873, her father was appointed as the state attorney of Santiago de Cuba. These were difficult times because of a religious schism on the island. Hence she was limited to visiting the sick in a military hospital. She requested admission to the Sisters of Charity, but was denied due to her poor eye sight. An eye operation at the age of 8 had left her with a permanent disability. Once the schism ended, Dolores began working in the poor neighborhoods. She founded the Centers of Instruction where she taught catechism and general instruction. She also provided medical assistance to the needy. Eventually, three centers were established in different neighborhoods. When Dolores' mother passed away in Cuba, her father retired soon after. In 1877, the family returned to Madrid. There, Dolores organized her life on three fronts: her home and the care of her father, her apostolic work (the same work she did before leaving Spain) and her spiritual life (she chose a spiritual advisor and annually participated in Saint Ignatius Spiritual Retreat). In 1883, her father passed away, and she struggled with her vocation. At the advice of her spiritual advisor, Father López Soldado, S.I., Dolores entered the convent of the Salesians, even though she had never thought of devoting her whole life to contemplation. After 10 days, she left the convent realizing it was not her vocation. She then gave her full attention to apostolic work. In 1885, Dolores opened a center similar to modern social work centers. There, the poor and needy could take their issues and have them resolved. During one of her visits to a woman who had just been released from prison, she became acquainted with the neighborhood of the Injurias. When she saw the moral, material and spiritual poorness of the people, she began visiting the neighborhood every week: inviting her friends to help her with the work. There, she founded the organization called Works of the Doctrines, later named Center for the Workers. In 1892, at the suggestion of the Bishop of Madrid, D. Ciríaco Sancha, she founded the Association of the Apostolic Laymen (today known as the Sopeña Lay Movement). The following year, she received approval from the government and expanded the work to eight neighborhoods. In 1896, she began activities outside Madrid. In four years, she took 199 trips all over Spain: establishing and consolidating the Works of the Doctrines. Simultaneously, she accompanied Father Tarin to Andalucía to help in the missions. In 1900, Dolores participated in a pilgrimage to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year. She attended a retreat at Saint Peter's tomb and received approval to establish a religious institute for Works of Doctrines. Cardinal Sancha, then Archbishop of Toledo, proposed founding it at his city. The Ladies of Catechistical Institute was founded on September 24, 1901. Dolores, with eight companions, had just completed the Spiritual Exercises in Loyola. In Toledo, on October 31, they started living as a religious community. In 1905, the Institute received the Degree of Praise from the Holy See. Today, the Institute is known as the Sopeña Catechetical Institute. During these years, Dolores' Works of the Doctrines were slowly changed to Centers for Workers' Instruction. This occurred because many of the workers that participated in the Centers were influenced by anti-clerical sentiments, and the instruction could not be called religious outright. Anti-clerical sentiment was an important facet in the Institute's decision not to wear a habit or any outward sign of religion. These changes were made with the end result in mind: to get close to the workers who were "alienated from the church," who had been unable to receive any cultural, moral or religious instruction and to unite those socially distant. One of the main objectives was to bring people together so they could learn from each other. Dolores' deep faith, rich in spirituality, was the reason for her commitment to serving others. Her commitment was born from the experience that God, the Father of all, loves us with infinite tenderness and wishes us to live as sons and brothers and sisters. From there, she had a great desire to "Make of all one family in Christ Jesus." Her total immersion in Christ allowed her to see Him in everything and feel Him in everyone, especially in those that were in the most need of dignity and love. Toward the end of the 19th century, it was difficult to find a woman who would go out to work in the poor neighborhoods. The secret of Dolores' fearlessness was her deep faith: her confidence without limit. She recognized this as her greatest treasure, and it made her feel that she was an instrument of God's will: the instrument of love, hope, dignity and justice. In a few years, she established communities and centers in industrialized cities. In 1910, her community celebrated the first general chapter and reelected her as superior general. In 1914, she founded a community in Rome; and in 1917, they opened their first house in the Americas. The following year, on January 10, 1918, Dolores passed away in Madrid. Talk had already began of her being a saint. On July 11, 1992, Pope John Paul II declared Dolores' life work heroic. On April 23, 2002, he certified the miracle attributed to Dolores Sopeña, which advanced her to beatification status. Currently, the Sopeña Family, encompasses three institutes: the Sopeña Catechetical Institute, the Sopeña Lay Movement and the Sopeña Social and Cultural Work. They are in Spain, Italy, Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

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