The LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity. If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall see his descendants in a long life, and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.
Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; Through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team
A number of young catechumens were arrested, Revocatus and his fellow slave Felicitas, Saturninus and Secundulus, and among them Vibia Perpetua, a newly married woman of good family and upbringing. Her mother and father were still alive and one of her two brothers was a catechumen like herself. She was about twenty-two years old and had an infant son at the breast. Now from this point on the entire account of her ordeal is her own, according to her own ideas and in the way that she herself wrote it down. While we were still under arrest (she said) my father out of love for me was trying to persuade me and shake my resolution. “Father,” said I, “do you see this vase here, for example, or water-pot or whatever?” “Yes, I do”, he said. And I told him: “Could it be called by any other name than what it is?” And he said: “No”. “Well so, too, I cannot be called anything other than what I am, a Christian.” At this my father was so angered by the word “Christian” that he moved towards me as though he would pluck my eyes out. But he left it at that and departed, vanquished along with his diabolical arguments. For a few days afterwards I gave thanks to the Lord that I was separated from my father, and I was comforted by his absence. During these few days I was baptized, and I was inspired by the Spirit not to ask for any other favour after the water but simply the perseverance of the flesh. A few days later we were lodged in the prison at Carthage; and I was terrified, as I had never before been in such a dark hole (…). I was tortured with worry for my baby there (…). I tried to comfort my brother and gave the child into his charge. I was in pain because I saw them suffering out of pity for me. These were the trials I had to endure for many days. Then I got permission for my baby to stay with me in prison. At once I recovered my health, relieved as I was of my worry and anxiety over the child. My prison had suddenly become a palace, so that I wanted to be there rather than anywhere else.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team
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. For he remembered his holy word to his servant Abraham.
And he led forth his people with joy; with shouts of joy, his chosen ones.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team
Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.
But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.
Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say.
For the holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team
Brothers and sisters: It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us,
as it is written, “I have made you father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist.
He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “Thus shall your descendants be.”
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,” and you took away the guilt of my sin. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just; exult, all you upright of heart.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team
At that time: So many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. He began to speak, first to his disciples, “Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees.
There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.
Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more.
I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.
Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.
Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.”
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team
God is sending me the cross (…). May it be blessed, as Job says, “We accept good things from God and should we not accept evil?” (2:10). Everything comes to us from him, health and sickness, earthly goods, difficulties and misfortunes; everything, absolutely everything, is perfectly ordered. If at times the creature rebels against God’s design it commits a sin, for everything is necessary, everything is well done, and laughter is as necessary as tears. We can draw profit for our perfection from everything provided we see, in a spirit of faith, God’s work in it all and remain in the hands of the Father like little children. Because all by ourselves, where would we go? (…) Obviously, I’m not trying to free myself from the feelings [my trials inspire in me]: but what God wants is to bring them to perfection in me. For this purpose he leads me hither and thither like a plaything, causing me to let go, just about everywhere, of pieces of my heart. God is great and accomplishes everything perfectly! How much he loves me, and how badly I repay him! His providence is infinite and we must entrust ourselves to it unconditionally.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team
Brothers and sisters: What then can we say that Abraham found, our ancestor according to the flesh?
Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works, he has reason to boast; but this was not so in the sight of God.
For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due.
But when one does not work, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
So also David declares the blessedness of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record.”
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team
The Lord said: “Woe to you! You build the memorials of the prophets whom your ancestors killed.
Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building.
Therefore, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and persecute’
in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who died between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!
Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”
When he left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things,
for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team
