Wednesday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time

2nd book of Samuel

24,2.9-17.

King David said to Joab and the leaders of the army who were with him, "Tour all the tribes in Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba and register the people, that I may know their number."
Joab then reported to the king the number of people registered: in Israel, eight hundred thousand men fit for military service; in Judah, five hundred thousand.
Afterward, however, David regretted having numbered the people, and said to the LORD: "I have sinned grievously in what I have done. But now, LORD, forgive the guilt of your servant, for I have been very foolish."
When David rose in the morning, the LORD had spoken to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying:
"Go and say to David, 'This is what the LORD says: I offer you three alternatives; choose one of them, and I will inflict it on you.'"
Gad then went to David to inform him. He asked: "Do you want a three years' famine to come upon your land, or to flee from your enemy three months while he pursues you, or to have a three days' pestilence in your land? Now consider and decide what I must reply to him who sent me."
David answered Gad: "I am in very serious difficulty. Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful; but let me not fall by the hand of man."
Thus David chose the pestilence. Now it was the time of the wheat harvest when the plague broke out among the people. (The LORD then sent a pestilence over Israel from morning until the time appointed, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba died.)
But when the angel stretched forth his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD regretted the calamity and said to the angel causing the destruction among the people, "Enough now! Stay your hand." The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
When David saw the angel who was striking the people, he said to the LORD: "It is I who have sinned; it is I, the shepherd, who have done wrong. But these are sheep; what have they done? Punish me and my kindred."

Psalms

32(31),1-2.5.6.7.

Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
For this shall every faithful man pray to you
in time of stress.
Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark

6,1-6.

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.
When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house."
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.

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St. John Bosco(Priest (1815-1888) - Memorial)

SAINT JOHN BOSCO Priest (1815-1888) Born in the diocese of Turin in 1815, he worked hard to provide the youth with opportunities that he lacked due to his underprivileged childhood. When his vocation emerged, St. John Bosco answered the call and devoted his life to educating the working youth. He founded religious congregations: the Salesian Order and the Congregation of the Helpers of Mary. These institutions spanning the globe contribute persons of character and worth: shifting the needle toward the modern progressive and egalatrian societies we find today. St. John Bosco's mystical experiences were only known after his death. Like Jesus, he never displayed his gifts to make an impression or satisfy others' curiosity. He passed away on January 30, 1888, at the age of 72. His extant works are a treasure trove of wisdom, inspired thinking and grace.

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St. Marcella(Widow (325-410))

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SAINT MARCELLA Widow (325-410) St. Marcella, whom St. Jerome called the glory of Roman women, was widowed after only seven months of marriage. By grace, she grew determined to consecrate the remainder of her days to the service of God. She rejected the hand of Cerealis, the consul and uncle of Gallus Caesar, and resolved to imitate the lives of the Eastern ascetics. She abstained from wine and meat, employed all her time in pious reading and prayer, and visited churches. She also never spoke with any man alone. Soon, her example was followed by women who placed themselves under her direction. When the Goths under Alaric plundered Rome in 410, St. Marcella was scourged to make her divulge the location of treasures. She had already donated and distributed them in years prior. St. Marcella trembled only for the innocence of her dear spiritual daughter, Principia. By St. Marcella's wisdom and God's grace, the Goths spared Principia; and conducted the Saint and her pupil to the Church of St. Paul, to which Alaric had granted the right of sanctuary, along with that of St. Peter. St. Marcella lived a only a little while longer, passing away in St. Principia's arms at the end of August, 410.

misalcatolico.com

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