Catholic Missal of the day: Wednesday, June 22 2016
Wednesday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time
Wednesday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time
1. Reading2nd book of Kings
22,8-13.23,1-3.]The high priest Hilkiah informed the scribe Shaphan, "I have found the book of the law in the temple of the LORD." Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who read it.
]Then the scribe Shaphan went to the king and reported, "Your servants have smelted down the metals available in the temple and have consigned them to the master workmen in the temple of the LORD."
]The scribe Shaphan also informed the king that the priest Hilkiah had given him a book, and then read it aloud to the king.
]When the king had heard the contents of the book of the law, he tore his garments
]and issued this command to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, son of Shaphan, Achbor, son of Micaiah, the scribe Shaphan, and the king's servant Asaiah:
]"Go, consult the LORD for me, for the people, for all Judah, about the stipulations of this book that has been found, for the anger of the LORD has been set furiously ablaze against us, because our fathers did not obey the stipulations of this book, nor fulfill our written obligations."
]The king then had all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem summoned together before him.
]The king went up to the temple of the LORD with all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: priests, prophets, and all the people, small and great. He had the entire contents of the book of the covenant that had been found in the temple of the LORD, read out to them.
]Standing by the column, the king made a covenant before the LORD that they would follow him and observe his ordinances, statutes and decrees with their whole hearts and souls, thus reviving the terms of the covenant which were written in this book. And all the people stood as participants in the covenant.
Psalms
119(118),33.34.35.36.37.40.]Instruct me, O LORD, in the way of your statutes,
that I may exactly observe them.
]Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.
]Lead me in the path of your commands,
for in it I delight.
]Incline my heart to your decrees
and not to gain.
]Turn away my eyes from seeing what is vain:
by your way give me life.
]Behold, I long for your precepts;
in your justice give me life.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew
7,15-20.]Jesus said to his disciples: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.
]By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
]Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
]A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
]Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
]So by their fruits you will know them."
St. Thomas More(Martyr (1478-1535))
SAINT THOMAS MOREMartyr(1478-1535) The life and martyrdom of Saint Thomas More has been the source of a message spanning the centuries, and which speaks to people everywhere of the inalienable dignity of the human conscience, which (...) is "the most intimate center and sanctuary of a person, in which he or she is alone with God, whose voice echoes within them" (Gaudium et Spes, 16). Whenever men or women heed the call of truth, their conscience then guides their actions reliably towards good. Precisely because of the witness which he bore, even at the price of his life, to the primacy of truth over power, Saint Thomas More is venerated as an imperishable example of moral integrity. And even outside the Church, particularly among those with responsibility for the destinies of peoples, he is acknowledged as a source of inspiration for a political system that has as its supreme goal the service of the human person. Thomas More had a remarkable political career in his native land. Born in London in 1478 to a respectable family, as a young boy he was placed in the service of the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Morton, Lord Chancellor of the Realm. He studied law at Oxford and in London, and broadened his interests in culture, theology and classical literature. He mastered Greek and enjoyed the company and friendship of important figures of Renaissance culture, including Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam. His sincere religious sentiment led him to cultivate virtues through asceticism. He also befriended the Observant Franciscans of the Friary in Greenwich and lived at the London Charterhouse, which were main centers of religious fervor. Feeling himself called to marriage, family life and dedication as a layman, he married Jane Colt in 1505. They had four children together before Jane passed away in 1511. Thomas then married Alice Middleton, a widow with one daughter. Thomas was an affectionate and faithful husband and father. He was deeply involved in his children's religious, moral and intellectual education. His house offered a welcome to his children's spouses and his grandchildren, and was always open to his many young friends who were searching for truth or their calling. Family life gave him ample opportunity for prayer in common and lectio divina, as well as for happy and wholesome relaxation. He attended daily Mass at the parish church, but his austere penances were only known to his immediate family. Thomas was elected to Parliament for the first time in 1504 under King Henry VII. King Henry VIII renewed Thomas' mandate in 1510, and even made him the Crown's representative at the capitol. During the following decade, the king sent Thomas on several diplomatic and commercial missions to Flanders and the territory of present-day France. Having been made a member of the King's Council, presiding judge of an important tribunal, deputy treasurer and a knight, in 1523 he became Speaker of the House of Commons. Highly esteemed by everyone for his moral integrity, sharpness of mind, humorous character and extraordinary learning, Thomas was appointed lord chancellor by the king in 1529. He was the first layman to occupy this position, which was especially challenging because of King Henry VIII's contentious relationship with the pope. In 1532, not wishing to support Henry VIII's intention to take control of the Church in England, Thomas resigned. He withdrew from public life and accepted poverty with his family and desertion by many false friends. Given Thomas' inflexible firmness in rejecting any compromise with his own conscience, the king imprisoned him at the Tower of London in 1534. He refused to take the oath requested of him since it would have involved accepting a political and ecclesiastical arrangement that prepared the way for despotism. At his trial, he made an impassioned defense of his own convictions on the indissolubility of marriage, the respect due to the juridical patrimony of Christian civilization, and the freedom of the Church in her relations with the State. Condemned by the Court, he was beheaded. Thomas More and 53 other martyrs, including Bishop John Fisher, were beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886. They were canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935, on the fourth centenary of Thomas' martyrdom. Saint Thomas More's life clearly illustrates a fundamental truth of political ethics. The defense of the Church's freedom from unwarranted interference by the State is at the same time a defense, in the name of the primacy of conscience, of the individual's freedom vis-á-vis political power. Here we find the basic principle of every civil order consonant with human nature. Therefore, after due consideration and willingly acceding to the petitions addressed to me, I establish and declare Saint Thomas More the heavenly Patron of Statesmen and Politicians, and I decree that he be ascribed all the liturgical honors and privileges which, according to law, belong to the patrons of categories of people.(St. John Paul II - Apostolic letter issued Motu Proprio proclaiming Saint Thomas More Patron of Statesmen and Politicians - October 31, 2000)
St. John Fisher(Bishop and Martyr (1459-1535))
SAINT JOHN FISHERBishop and Martyr(1459-1535) St. John Fisher was born in Beverly, Yorkshire, and was educated at Cambridge University. He received a Master of Arts in 1491 and occupied the vicarage of Northallerton from 1491 to 1494. He became Cambridge University's proctor. In 1497, Father John was appointed confessor to Lady Margaret Beaufort, the mother of Henry VII. He became closely associated in her endowments to Cambridge: creating scholarships, introducing Greek and Hebrew into the curriculum and bringing in the world-famous Erasmus as professor of Divinity and Greek. In 1504, he became the bishop of Rochester and chancellor of Cambridge. He also tutored Prince Henry, the future King Henry VIII. From 1527 onward, Bishop John steadfastly resisted King Henry VIII's encroachment on the Church. He opposed Henry's takeover as head of the Church in England. He also opposed Henry's divorce proceedings against Catherine and refused to take the oath of succession acknowledging Henry's mistress Anne as the legitimate heir to the throne. In retaliation, Henry imprisoned Bp. John at the Tower of England in April 1534. The next year, Bp. John was made a Cardinal by Pope Paul III. Henry retaliated by having Bp. John beheaded later that month. A half hour before his execution, Bp. John opened his New Testament for the last time and read the following words from St. John's Gospel: "Eternal life is this: to know You, the only true God, and Him Whom You have sent, Jesus Christ. I have given you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. Do you now, Father, give me glory at your side." Closing the book, he observed: "There is enough learning in that to last me a lifetime."
St. Paulinus of Nola(Bishop (353-431))
SAINT PAULINUS OF NOLABishop (353-431) Paulinus was from a family of senators, prefects and consuls. His eloquent writings and prose were admired by St. Jerome and St. Augustine. He had more than doubled his wealth by marriage. He was a friend of saints and was devoted to St. Felix of Nola. Paulinus received baptism and later moved to Spain. After a period of contemplation, he and his holy wife sold their vast estates in various parts of the empire. St. Jerome says the East and West were filled with their alms. Paulinus was ordained, retired to Nola in Campania and rebuilt the Church of St. Felix.In 409, he was consecrated bishop. He served for more than thirty years during an age of many great and wise bishops. St. Gregory the Great tells us that when the Vandals of Africa descended on Campania, Bp. Paulinus spent everything to relieve the people's distress and ransom them from slavery. After becoming bankrupt, he exchanged places with a poor widow's son who had been captured by the Vandal king's son-in-law. He toiled as agardener for some time until the Vandal king learned that the bishop of Nola was his son-in-law's slave. The Vandal king freed Bp. Paulinus and Nola's townsmen. Bp. Paulinus' devotion to martyr-saints inspired others to venerate them. His building projects, patronage of the arts and participation in synods were signs of an exemplary pastor. He passed away in 431, but is still celebrated in Nola, southern Italy, and by Italian-American communities.
Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2016 / Catholic Missal of june 2016
Published: 2026-07-14T18:16:08Z | Modified: 2026-07-14T18:16:08Z