Catholic Missal of the day: Thursday, March 17 2016

Thursday of the Fifth week of Lent

Thursday of the Fifth week of Lent

1. Reading

Book of Genesis

17,3-9.

]When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:
]"My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations.
]No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations.
]I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you.
]I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
]I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God."
]God also said to Abraham: "On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.

Psalm

Psalms

105(104),4-5.6-7.8-9.

]Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
]Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
]You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
]He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
]He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations.
]Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.

Gospel

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John

8,51-59.

]Jesus said to the Jews: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death."
](So) the Jews said to him, "Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.'
]Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?"
]Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.'
]You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word.
]Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.
]So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?"
]Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM."
]So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

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St. Patrick(Bishop (c. 385-461))

SAINT PATRICKBishop, Apostle of Ireland(c. 385-461) If the virtue of children reflects an honor on their parents, the name of St. Patrick is illumined by the countless lights of sanctity from Ireland's Church and the saints she sent to other countries. He was born in Bonaven Taberniæ, present-day Kilpatrick, at the mouth of the river Clyde in Scotland, between Dumbarton and Glasgow. He was a Briton and a Roman. His father's name was Calphurnius. He witnessed the Roman empire's collapse and Britain's separation from Rome in 409. Historians say that his mother was Conchessa, St. Martin of Tours' niece. St. Patrick was kidnapped when he was 16, taken to Ireland and forced to tend cattle in the mountains and forests. God quickened him with grace, new spiritual lights and fervor. After six years under one master, God told him to return to Scotland. He found a boat, but could not pay the fare. He was sent back - when the sailors suddenly called him on board. They sailed for three days and reached land. However, they lacked provisions and wandered for 27 days. St. Patrick said they would be saved if they prayed and gave their hearts to God; and later, they found a herd of swine. A few after returning to Scotland, St. Patrick was kidnapped again. He escaped after two months, returned to Scotland and received visions of Ireland's conversion. He became a religious, was formed in Gaul and Italy, met St. Martin and St. Germanus, and was blessed by Pope Celestine. His relatives and the clergy opposed his mission and consecration, yet he persevered. In the character and person of Christ, St. Patrick went to Ireland and preached the Gospel where idolatry and paganism were commonplace. He spread the faith without military force. The kings of Ireland received faith during and after St. Patrick's lifetime. Clergymen were ordained, married and unmarried people lived chastely, religious vocations blossomed and monasteries were founded. Persecution came in the form of piracy and enslavement. Prince Corotick plundered the country of St. Patrick's neophytes and enslaved them. St. Patrick declared that Corotick was separated from Jesus Christ after the neophytes were sold as slaves to the Picts and Scots. The writer Jocelin said that Corotick was eventually overtaken by divine justice. St. Bernard wrote that St. Patrick's metropolitan see was in Armagh. He founded a monastery in Armagh, another called Domnach-Padraig or Patrick's church and a third named Sabhal-Padraig. In the first year of his mission, he preached in the general assembly of the kings and states of all Ireland. The assembly took place yearly in Tara, the chief king's island residence and the principal seat of the Druids. The chief king, the son of Neill, was hostile to St. Patrick, but the Icings of Dublin, Munster and the seven sons of the king of Connaught converted. St. Patrick nominated St. Benignus' father in line for kingship. St. Patrick was buried in Down, Ulster. His relics were rediscovered at his church in 1185. Glastonbury, Lindisfarne, Ripon and Malmesbury in England received Catholicism thanks to Ireland's apostles. Irish saints like Columban, Fiacre, Gall and others evangelized France and Switzerland. In recent times, America and Australia received Catholicism thanks to the sons and daughters of St. Patrick. His monastery of Iona Abbey in western Scotland is a coastal pilgrimage site.

misalcatolico.com

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Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2016 / Catholic Missal of march 2016