Saint of the day · July 8
Feria in Ordinary Time
Liturgical colour : Green
Today is a weekday in Ordinary Time, commonly called a 'feria' in the Church's liturgical calendar. In Ordinary Time, when there is no obligatory saint or special feast, the daily Mass focuses on the unfolding story of salvation seen in the cycle of daily Scripture readings. These ferial days allow the faithful to enter more deeply into the rhythm of regular Christian life—marked by prayer, work, and attention to God's Word.
The green liturgical color signifies growth and hope, inviting the Church to meditate on the ongoing mystery of Christ present in the world and in the life of each believer. There is a certain simplicity and quiet beauty to these days; they remind us that holiness is often found not just in extraordinary events or great feasts, but in the steady, faithful walking with God in the midst of our daily duties. The Ordinary Time weekday liturgies nourish the soul with Scripture, prayer, and the Eucharist, fostering spiritual growth in all seasons of life.
As there is no particular saint or feast commemorated today, Catholics use this time to reflect more generally on the teachings of Jesus, especially as found in the Gospel of the day. The Church’s observance of ordinary ferial days underlines that every moment of life is touched by God’s grace, no matter how seemingly ordinary.
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The liturgical day
Mass readings
“It is time to seek the Lord” — Os 10, 1-3.7-8.12
Israel was a luxuriant vine,
that bore much fruit.
But the more its fruit increased,
the more Israel multiplied the altars;
the more beautiful its land became,
the more he adorned the pillars of false gods.
His heart is divided;
now he will pay for it:
the Lord will overthrow his altars;
the pillars, he will destroy.
Now Israel will say:
“We are without a king,
because we did not fear the Lord.
And if we had a king,
what could he do for us?”
They have vanished, Samaria and its king,
like foam on the surface of the water.
The sacred places will be destroyed,
they are the crime, the sin of Israel;
thorns and thistles will cover their altars.
Then they will say to the mountains: “Cover us!”
and to the hills: “Fall on us!”
Sow seeds of justice,
reap a harvest of faithfulness,
break up your fallow ground.
It is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes to shower upon you
a rain of justice.
– The word of the Lord.
Ps 104 (105), 2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Sing and make music for him,
recount his wonders without end;
glory in his holy name:
joy for hearts that seek God!
Seek the Lord and his strength,
constantly seek his face;
remember the wonders he has done,
his marvels, the judgments he pronounced.
You, the offspring of Abraham his servant,
the sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.
The Lord, he is our God:
his judgments govern all the earth.
“Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” — Mt 10, 1-7
At that time,
Jesus called his twelve disciples
and gave them authority to cast out unclean spirits
and to heal every disease and every infirmity.
These are the names of the twelve Apostles:
the first, Simon, called Peter;
Andrew his brother;
James, son of Zebedee,
and John his brother;
Philip and Bartholomew;
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Zealot
and Judas Iscariot, the very one who would betray him.
These twelve Jesus sent out
with the following instructions:
“Do not take the road that leads to the Gentiles
and do not enter any Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
On your way, proclaim
that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
– Let us acclaim the word of God.
Liturgical texts: © AELF — aelf.org