Saint of the day · July 2
Ferial Day in Ordinary Time
Liturgical colour : Green
Today in the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar is a 'ferial' day, which means it is an ordinary weekday not assigned to any particular saint's memorial or major feast. During Ordinary Time, which falls outside the major liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, ferial days provide an opportunity for the faithful to focus on the routine yet essential aspects of Christian life. The Church invites her children to grow in faith by listening to the daily Scriptures and participating in the liturgy even when there is no specific commemoration.
The readings of Ordinary Time generally progress through books of the Bible in a continuous fashion, offering a chance to encounter the breadth of God's Word and its relevance to daily living. The color green, used for vestments on these days, symbolizes life, growth, and hope—reminding Christians to persevere in their spiritual journey. Though there are no special customs or prayers attached specifically to a ferial day, each one is considered a gift of God’s grace, calling the faithful to live out their baptismal vocation in the ordinary circumstances of life. These days underscore that holiness is not reserved to particular times or extraordinary persons, but is available to all who seek God in the daily routine.
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The liturgical day
Mass readings
“Go, you shall be a prophet for my people” — Am 7, 10-17
In those days,
Amaziah, the priest of Bethel,
sent word to Jeroboam, king of Israel:
“Amos is plotting against you
in the very heart of Israel;
the land can no longer bear all his words,
for this is what Amos says:
‘King Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel shall go into exile far from its own land.’”
Then Amaziah said to Amos:
“You, seer, go away from here,
flee to the land of Judah;
that is where you can earn your living
doing your work as a prophet.
But here, at Bethel, stop prophesying;
for this is a royal sanctuary,
a temple of the kingdom.”
Amos answered Amaziah:
“I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son;
I was a herdsman, and I took care of sycamore trees.
But the Lord seized me while I was following the flock,
and it was he who said to me:
‘Go, you shall be a prophet for my people Israel.’
So now hear the word of the Lord,
you who say to me:
‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
do not speak against the house of Isaac.’
Very well, this is what the Lord says:
Your wife shall become a prostitute in the city,
your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword,
the land that belongs to you shall be divided by lot,
you yourself shall die on an unclean soil,
and Israel shall be exiled far from its own land.”
– The word of the Lord.
Ps 18b (19), 8, 9, 10, 11
The law of the Lord is perfect,
it revives the soul;
the decree of the Lord is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
they gladden the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
it brings light to the eyes.
The fear he inspires is pure,
enduring forever;
the judgments of the Lord are true
and altogether just:
more desirable than gold,
than a heap of purest gold,
sweeter than honey
dripping from the combs.
“The crowds gave glory to God who had given such authority to men” — Mt 9, 1-8
At that time,
Jesus got into a boat, crossed over,
and came to his own town of Capernaum.
And behold, some people brought to him a paralyzed man,
lying on a stretcher.
Seeing their faith,
Jesus said to the paralyzed man:
“Take heart, my child,
your sins are forgiven.”
And then some of the scribes said to themselves:
“This man is blaspheming.”
But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said:
“Why do you harbor evil thoughts?
Which is easier to say:
‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say: ‘Rise and walk’?
But so that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins…”
– then Jesus said to the paralyzed man –
“Rise, pick up your stretcher,
and go home.”
He got up and went home.
Seeing this, the crowds were filled with awe,
and gave glory to God
who had given such authority to men.
– Let us acclaim the word of God.
Liturgical texts: © AELF — aelf.org