Thursday of the First week in Ordinary Time

1st book of Samuel

The Philistines gathered for an attack on Israel. Israel went out to engage them in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek.
The Philistines then drew up in battle formation against Israel. After a fierce struggle Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who slew about four thousand men on the battlefield.
When the troops retired to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD permitted us to be defeated today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the LORD from Shiloh that it may go into battle among us and save us from the grasp of our enemies."
So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of God.
When the ark of the LORD arrived in the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth resounded.
The Philistines, hearing the noise of shouting, asked, "What can this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" On learning that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp,
the Philistines were frightened. They said, "Gods have come to their camp." They said also, "Woe to us! This has never happened before.
Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with various plagues and with pestilence.
Take courage and be manly, Philistines; otherwise you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they were your slaves. So fight manfully!"
The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; every man fled to his own tent. It was a disastrous defeat, in which Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.
The ark of God was captured, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were among the dead.

Psalms

Yet now you have cast us off and put us in disgrace,
and you go not forth with our armies.
You have let us be driven back by our foes;
those who hated us plundered us at will.
You made us the reproach of our neighbors,
the mockery and the scorn of those around us.
You made us a byword among the nations,
a laughingstock among the peoples.
Why do you hide your face,
forgetting our woe and our oppression?
For our souls are bowed down to the dust,
our bodies are pressed to the earth.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean."
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean."
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.
Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them."
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

St. Theodosius(The Cenobiarch (423-529))

SAINT THEODOSIUS, THE CENOBIARCH (423-529) Theodosius was born in Cappadocia (present-day Turkey) in 423. The example of Abraham inspired him to leave his country and follow Jesus in a religious life. He therefore became Longinus' disciple. The latter was a holy hermit: who instructed Theodosius and had him govern a monastery near Bethlehem. Unable to bring himself to command others, Theodosius departed and settled in a cavern, where he lived for penance and prayer. His great charity, however, forbade him from rejecting disciples. Though few at first, their numbers swelled. Eventually, he built a large monastery and three churches. He later became the superior of Palestine's religious communities. Theodosius accommodated himself so carefully to the characters of his disciples that his reproofs were loved rather than dreaded. His sense of justice was seriously tested when he had to exclude a monk who was guilty of mortal sin from communion with others. Rather than accept the sentence, the offender pretended to excommunicate Theodosius. Theodosius did not act in indignation, but meekly acknowledged the false excommunication. This affected the accuser so much that he submitted and confessed his faults. Theodosius never refused assistance to the poor and the afflicted. On some days, the monks laid more than a hundred tables for the needy. In times of famine, he gave alms and miraculously multiplied provisions. He also built five hospitals, where he lovingly served the sick. By spiritual reading, he maintained perfect recollection. Theodosius successfully opposed the Eutychian heresy in Jerusalem. In retaliation, the emperor banished him. He suffered a long and painful malady; and although never cured, called it a salutary penance. He passed away at the age of a 106 and joined the Church Triumphant in heaven.

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Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2024 / Catholic Missal of january 2024