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. Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700)()

SAINT MARGUERITE BOURGEOYS 1620-1700 Foundress of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre-Dame Marguerite Bourgeoys was born in Troyes, in the province of Champagne, France on Good Friday, April 17, 1620. She was baptized in the church of Saint-Jean, near her home. Marguerite was the sixth of twelve children. Her parents were Abraham Bourgeoys and Guillemette Gamier; and she was privileged to grow up in a milieu that was middle class and Christian. Marguerite was nineteen when her mother passed away. The following year, in 1640, during the course of a procession held on October 7 in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, she had an unforgettable experience. Her eyes rested on the statue of the Blessed Virgin, and at that moment she felt inspired to withdraw from the world and to consecrate herself to the service of God. With that unchanging fidelity to what she believed to be God's will for her, she set about discerning her specific vocation. She registered, at once, as a member of the extern Congregation of Troyes, an association of young girls devoted to the charitable work of teaching children in the poor districts of thetown. While conducting apostolate, she learned about the foundation of Ville Marie (Montreal) in Canada. The year was 1642; and at that time she sensed a first call to missionary life. This call was rendered concrete in 1652 when she met Monsieur de Maisonneuve, founder and governor of the settlement begun in New France, who was in search of someone to volunteer her services for the gratuitous instruction of the French and Native children. Our Lady confirmed the call addressed to her: "Go, I will not forsake you," she said. Thus assured, Marguerite left Troyes in February 1653 with a spirit of complete detachment. She arrived in Montreal on the following November 16 and without delay set to work promoting the best interests of the community. She is rightly considered co-foundress of Montreal, with the nurse, Jeanne Mance, and the master designer, Monsieur de Maisonneuve. In order to encourage the community in expressing faith, she arranged for the restoration of the Cross on Mount Royal after it had been destroyed by hostile tribes, and she undertook the construction of a chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame de Bon Secours. Convinced of the family's importance, and the significance of the role played by women, she devoted herself to the task of for those with a vocation to motherhood. In 1658, in a stable which had been given to her by the governor for her use, she opened the first school in Montreal. She also organized an extern Congregation, patterned after the one in Troyes, but adapted to their needs. In this way, she could respond to the needs of women as far as the instruction of children were concerned. In 1659, she began receiving ladies who were recommended by "les cures" in France, or endowed by the King, to come to establish homes in Montreal, and she became a real mother to them. Thus were initiated a school system and a network of social services which gradually extended through the whole country, and which led people to refer to Marguerite as "Mother of the Community". On three occasions, Marguerite Bourgeoys made a trip to France to obtain help. In 1658, the group of teachers who associated themselves with her in the life of prayer, heroic detachment, and untiring devotedness to the service of others, presented the image of a religious institute. The group was inspired by the "vie voyagere" of Our Lady, and desired to remain uncloistered - the concept of an uncloistered community being an innovation at that time. Such a foundation occasioned much sacrifice, but the work progressed. The Congregation de Notre-Dame received its civil charter from Louis XIV in 1671, and canonical approbation by decree of the Bishop of Quebec in 1676. The Constitutions of the Community were approved in 1698. The foundation having been assured, Sister Bourgeoys could leave the work to others. She passed away in Montreal on January 12, 1700, acknowledged for her holiness of life. Her last generous act was to offer herself as a sacrifice of prayer for the return to health of a young Sister. Forty members of the Congregation de Notre-Dame were there to continue her work. The educative and apostolic efforts of Marguerite Bourgeoys continue through the members of the community that she founded. More than 2,600 Sisters of the Congregation de Notre-Dame work in fields of action according to the needs of time and place - from schools to colleges or universities, in the promotion of family, parish and diocesan activities. They are on mission in Canada, the United States, Japan, Latin America, Cameroon; and most recently, they have established a house in France. On November 12, 1950, Pope Pius XII beatified Marguerite Bourgeoys. Pope John Paul II canonized her on October 31, 1982 - giving the Canadian Church its first woman saint.

St. Aelred(Abbot (1109-1167))

SAINT AELRED OF RIEVAULX Abbot (1109-1167) "One thing thou lackest." In these words God called Aelred from the court of a royal, David of Scotland, to the silence of the cloister. He left the king, the companions of his youth, and a friend most dear, to obey the call. Aelred was "sent," and had conviction in the perils his soul faced in the world. Upon entering the Cistercian Order, his yearning for sympathy tempted him to forget a rule: In Aelred's case, the rule of perpetual silence. After breaking Simon's focus, Aelred prostrated himself to say sorry. He was repentant for not listening to others' hearts; and resolved to let nothing interupt his communion with God and Mary. At his superior's behest, Aelred composed his great works, the Spiritual Friendship and the Mirror of Charity. In the latter, he says that true love of God is only to be obtained by joining ourselves in all things to the Passion of Christ. "Blessed are the meek, the poor in spirit... for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Aelred founded Rieveaux Abbey in England and served as its abbot. Before he passed away in 1167, he was superior of some three hundred monks.

St. Benedict Biscop(abbot (c. 628 – 690))

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Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2022 / Catholic Missal of january 2022