Thursday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time

Book of Genesis

God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am!" he replied.
Then God said: "Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you."
Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey, took with him his son Isaac, and two of his servants as well, and with the wood that he had cut for the holocaust, set out for the place of which God had told him.
On the third day Abraham got sight of the place from afar.
Then he said to his servants: "Both of you stay here with the donkey, while the boy and I go on over yonder. We will worship and then come back to you."
Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the holocaust and laid it on his son Isaac's shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife.
As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham. "Father!" he said. "Yes, son," he replied. Isaac continued, "Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the holocaust?"
"Son," Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the sheep for the holocaust." Then the two continued going forward.
When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD'S messenger called to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!" "Yes, Lord," he answered.
"Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger. "Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son."
As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.
Abraham named the site Yahweh-yireh; hence people now say, "On the mountain the LORD will see."
Again the LORD'S messenger called to Abraham from heaven
and said: "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies,
and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing--all this because you obeyed my command.'
Abraham then returned to his servants, and they set out together for Beer-sheba, where Abraham made his home.

Psalms

Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory,
because of your mercy, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
"Where is their God?"
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
They have mouths but speak not;
they have eyes but see not;
they have ears but hear not;
they have noses but smell not.
Their makers shall be like them,
everyone that trusts in them.
The house of Israel trusts in the LORD,
who is their help and shield.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town.
And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven."
At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why do you harbor evil thoughts?
Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" --he then said to the paralytic, "Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."
He rose and went home.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.

St. Maria Goretti(Virgin and Martyr (1890-1902))

SAINT MARIA GORETTIVirgin and Martyr(1890-1902) Born in 1890 at Ancone to a poor Italian family, St. Maria was murdered by an acquaintance who attempted to rape her. The killer, Alessandro Serenelli, made previous advances on the young girl, but was driven away by her fighting and crying. She was without protection or paternal care because of her father's death. When Maria was only twelve and watching over her younger sister, she was approached by Alessandro, who threatened to kill her if she would not sleep with him. Maria warned his actions were immoral, but Alessandro acted violently. When Maria resisted his advances, Alessandro drew his knife and stabbed her fourteen times. Maria's mother found her and carried her to the hospital, but the wounds were mortal. Before dying, Maria forgave Alessandro, saying, "I forgive him for the love of Jesus, and I pray that he may come with me to Paradise." While asleep in prison, Alessandro saw Maria in a vision. She was holding white lilies, which she gave to Alessandro, but they burned in his hands. Afterward, Alessandro received tbe Sacrament of Reconciliation. Already justified by grace, he attended Maria's canonization ceremony in 1950. St. Maria is the patron saint of victims, young girls and children.

St. Palladius(Bishop and Apostle of the Scots, (+ c. 450))

SAINT PALLADIUS Bishop, Apostle of the Scots ( c. 432) The name of Palladius shows this Saint to have been a Roman, and most authors agree that he was deacon of the Church of Rome. St. Prosper, in his chronicle, informs us that when Agricola, a noted Pelagian, had corrupted the churches of Britain by introducing that heresy, Pope Celestine, at the instance of Palladius the deacon, in 429, sent thither St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, in quality of his legate, who, having ejected the heretics, brought back the Britons to the Catholic faith. In 431, Pope Celestine sent Palladius, the first bishop, to the Scots then believing in Christ. The Irish writers of the lives of St. Patrick say that St. Palladius had preached in Ireland a little before St. Patrick, but that he was soon banished by the King of Leinster, and returned to North Britain where he had first opened his mission. There seems to be no doubt that he was sent to the whole nation of the Scots, several colonies of whom had passed from Ireland into North Britain, and possessed themselves of part of the country since called Scotland. After St. Palladius had left Ireland, he arrived among the Scots in North Britain (according to St. Prosper) in the consulate of Bassus and Antochius, in the year 431. He preached there with great zeal, and formed a considerable Church. The Scottish historians tell us that the Faith was planted in North Britain about the year 200, in the time of King Donald, when Victor was Pope of Rome. But they all acknowledge that Palladius was the first bishop in that country, and style him their first apostle. Bp. Palladius died at Fordun, fifteen miles from Aberdeen, about the year 432, only a year after his episcopal consecration.

St. Goar(Priest († 575))

SAINT GOAR Priest ( 575) St. Goar was born to a faithful, loyal family at Aquitaine, southwestern France. From his youth, he was noted for his earnest piety. When he was consecrated and received Holy Orders, he converted many through his preaching and sancity of life, but always first with his prayer. Wishing to serve God unbeknownst to the world, Fr. Goar went to Germany. Settling in the neighborhood of Trier, he shut himself away in a cell (attached to a church) as a religious ascetic. Fr. Goar was entirely rapt with God. Attaining to his highest purpose in life, his consult and sagely advice folllowing a confession made him a blessing to the Church now and far beyond the present age. Sigebert, King of Austrasia, wanted Fr. Goar to be consecrated Bishop of Metz: He summoned Fr. Goar to the court. Feeling like the new honors contradicted the life he led of serving God, Fr. Goar prayed to be excused. To the surprise of many, he passed away from fever in 575. He was canonized because of his heroic virtues and the miracles proceeding from his intercession.

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Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2023 / Catholic Missal of july 2023