Saint of the day · July 30
St Peter Chrysologus
Optional memorialThursday, week 17 in Ordinary Time
Liturgical colour : Green
Saint Peter Chrysologus, whose name means "golden-worded," was a fifth-century bishop of Ravenna, in Italy. He is celebrated for his clear, inspiring homilies which earned him the title Doctor of the Church. Little is certainly known of his early life, but he served as bishop at a time when Ravenna was an important religious and political center. Peter worked to foster peace and unity in the Church during times of theological controversy and tumult, notably opposing heresies such as Monophysitism with gentle clarity rather than polemical debate. Hailed for his pastoral wisdom, he encouraged reverence for the sacraments and devotion to the Virgin Mary. Tradition holds that he died around the middle of the fifth century. The Church commemorates St. Peter Chrysologus as a model pastor whose preaching brought the light of faith to his flock, and whose teachings continue to illuminate hearts today.
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Mass readings
“As clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand” — Jr 18, 1-6
The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:
“Get up, go down to the potter’s house;
there I will let you hear my words.”
So I went down to the potter’s house.
He was working at his wheel.
The vessel he was making of clay
was spoiled in the potter’s hand.
Then he reworked it into another vessel,
as it seemed good to the potter to do.
Then the word of the Lord came to me:
“House of Israel, can I not do with you
as this potter has done?
– says the Lord.
Yes, as clay is in the potter’s hand,
so are you in my hand, house of Israel!”
– The word of the Lord.
Ps 145 (146), 1-2, 3-4, 5-6ab
Sing, O my soul, praise the Lord!
I will praise the Lord all my life,
I will sing hymns to my God as long as I live.
Do not trust in princes,
in mere mortals who cannot save!
When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
and on that day, their plans perish.
Blessed is he who relies on the God of Jacob,
who puts his hope in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth
and the sea and all that is in them!
“What is good is collected in baskets, and what is worthless is thrown away” — Mt 13, 47-53
At that time,
Jesus said to the crowds:
“The kingdom of heaven is also like
a net thrown into the sea,
and it collects every kind of fish.
When it is full, it is drawn ashore,
people sit down,
they put what is good into baskets,
and throw away what is worthless.
So it will be at the end of the world:
the angels will come out to separate the wicked from among the righteous
and throw them into the furnace of fire:
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
“Have you understood all this?”
They said to him, “Yes.”
Jesus then added:
“Therefore, every scribe
who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven
is like the master of a household
who brings out from his treasure what is new and what is old.”
When Jesus had finished these parables,
he left that place.
– Let us acclaim the Word of God.
Liturgical texts: © AELF — aelf.org