Thursday of the First week in Ordinary Time

Letter to the Hebrews

The holy Spirit says: "Oh, that today you would hear his voice,
'Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion in the day of testing in the desert,
where your ancestors tested and tried me and saw my works
for forty years. Because of this I was provoked with that generation and I said, "They have always been of erring heart, and they do not know my ways."
As I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter into my rest."'"
Take care, brothers, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God.
Encourage yourselves daily while it is still "today," so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin.
We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end.

Psalms

Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
Forty years I was wearied of that generation;
I said: “This people's heart goes astray,
they do not know my ways.”
Therefore I swore in my anger:
“They shall never enter my rest.”

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. 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. She was blessed 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 was inspired to withdraw from the world and to consecrate herself to the service of the Church. With that unchanging fidelity to what she sensed was God's will, she set about discerning her specific vocation. She registered 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 town. While conducting apostolate, she learned about the foundation of Ville Marie (Montreal) in Canada. The year was 1642 when she received the first call to missionary life. This calling was affirmed in 1652 when she met Monsieur de Maisonneuve, founder and governor of the settlement in New France. He was searching for someone to volunteer for the instruction of French and Native children. Our Lady, the Holy Virgin Mary, reaffirmed Marguerite's calling when she said: "Go, I will not forsake you." Marguerite left Troyes in February 1653 with a spirit of complete detachment. She arrived in Montreal 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 expressions of faith, she restored the Cross on Mount Royal after its destruction by hostile tribes. She also began the construction of a chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame de Bon Secours. Convinced that the family is an essential institution, and the importance of women's role, she devoted herself to those with a vocation for motherhood. In 1658, she opened the first school in Montreal in a stable given to her by the governor. She also organized an extern Congregation, patterned after the one in Troyes, but adapted to local needs. In this way, she would respond to 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 establish homes in Montreal; and she became a real mother to them. Thus began a school system and network of social services that gradually extended to the whole country, which led people to refer to Marguerite as "Mother of the Community." On three occasions, Marguerite made trips 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 the time. Their foundation occasioned much sacrifice, but 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 being assured, Sister Bourgeoys could leave the work to others. She passed away in Montreal on January 12, 1700, acknowledged for her sanctity of life and heroic virtues. Forty members of the Congregation de Notre-Dame were there to continue her work. Her last generous act was to offer herself as a sacrifice of prayer for the return to health of a young sister. 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," convinced of the perils his soul faced in the world. Upon entering the Cistercian Order, his yearning for sympathy tempted him to forget the rule of perpetual silence. He broke the rule just once: interrupting the focus of his brother, Simon. Immediately, Aelred prostrated himself. He repented 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 poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Mat. 5:1-12). 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 2023 / Catholic Missal of january 2023