Mk 6,30-34
At that time the apostles whom Jesus had sent out gathered together again with him and reported all that they had done and taught. Then he said to them: “Come with me to a lonely place where we can be alone and rest for a while. For they did not even find time to eat, so numerous were the people who came and went. So they took the boat to a lonely place to be alone. Read More
Mk 6, 14-29
At that time King Herod had heard about Jesus, since by now his name was well known. Some were saying, ‘John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him. Others said, ‘He is Elijah,’ others again, ‘He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have. But when Herod heard this he said, ‘It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead! Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ Read More
Mk 6, 7-13
At that time Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs, giving them authority over unclean spirits. And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff — no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. They were to wear sandals but, he added, ‘Don’t take a spare tunic.’ And he said to them, ‘If you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. And if any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the dust under your feet as evidence to them.’ So they set off to proclaim repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them. Read More
St. Agatha
Lk 9, 23-26
At that time Jesus said to the crowd: “If anyone wants to be my disciple, deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What good is it to a man if he wins the whole world, but loses himself and suffers harm? For whosoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his majesty and in the majesty of the Father and of the holy angels.
Today we meet again a young saint, who, under terrible persecution, became a martyr for the love of Christ. In St. Agatha (+ 251 under emperor Decius) we discovere a loving soul, as well as in St. Agnes, whom we recently commemorated. They, having put into practice the words of today’s Gospel, are a model for us in following our Lord.
Lk 2,22-40
When the day came for them to be purified in keeping with the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord observing what is written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is prescribed in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to the restoration of Israel and the Holy Spirit rested on him. Read More
Mk 4.35-41
With the coming of evening that same day, he said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. Then it began to blow a great gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped. But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. Read More
St. Don Bosco
Phil 4.4-9
Always be joyful, then, in the Lord; I repeat, be joyful. Let your good sense be obvious to everybody. The Lord is near. Never worry about anything; but tell God all your desires of every kind in prayer and petition shot through with gratitude, and the peace of God which is beyond our understanding will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Read More
Mk 4, 21-25
At that time Jesus said to the crowd: Do you light a light and put a vessel over it or put it under the bed? Do you not put it on the candlestick? There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear! He said, “Pay attention to what you hear. According to the measure by which you measure and distribute, it will be distributed to you, and even more will be given to you. Read More
Acts 22, 3-16
I am a Jew’, Paul said, ‘and was born at Tarsus in Cilicia. I was brought up here in this city. It was under Gamaliel that I studied and was taught the exact observance of the Law of our ancestors. In fact, I was as full of duty towards God as you all are today. I even persecuted this Way to the death and sent women as well as men to prison in chains as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify. I even received letters from them to the brothers in Damascus, which I took with me when I set off to bring prisoners back from there to Jerusalem for punishment. Read More
St. Francis de Sales
Ps 37,3-4.5-6.30-31
Put your trust in Yahweh and do right, make your home in the land and live secure. Make Yahweh your joy and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit your destiny to Yahweh, be confident in him, and he will act, making your uprightness clear as daylight, and the justice of your cause as the noon. Wisdom comes from the lips of the upright, and his tongue speaks what is right; the law of his God is in his heart, his foot will never slip. Read More
