This feast was established by pope Pius V in thanksgiving for the Christian victory over the Turks at the naval battle of Lepanto (1571), credited to the recitation of the Rosary. Our Lady is daily honoured in the prayer, which also invites us to meditate the mysteries of the life, death and resurrection of Christ…

Saint Bruno, optional memorial 1st Reading: Galatians 3:1-5 Is the Spirit received by law-abidingness or by trusting faith? You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by…

1st Reading: Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14 Paul openly corrects Peter for compromising the principle of the equality of all believers Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up in response to a revelation. Then I laid before them (though only in a private meeting…

Saint Francis of Assisi, memorial 1st Reading: Galatians 1:13-24 Paul persecuted the church but is converted, then goes to meet Cephas in Jerusalem You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. I advanced in Judaism beyond many among…

Blessed Columba Marmion, optional memorial 1st Reading: Galatians 1:6-12 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel…

Saint Therese of the Child Jesus. memorial 1st Reading: Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17 After Job repents of his complaining, he is blessed more than before Then Job answered the Lord: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’…

biblical.ie Saint Jerome, memorial Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5 Only if Job is himself divine, with the knowledge of hidden things, can he challenge God. Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place,so that it might take hold…

Some angels are given proper names to denote their special service. Thus, Michael means “Who is like God”; Gabriel is “The Strength of God”; and Raphael is “God’s Remedy” 1st Reading: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 The vision of the Ancient One and the Son of Man, in glorious splendour As I watched, thrones were set in…

biblical.ie 1st Reading: Job 9:1-12, 14-16 God’s omnipotent control of the universe and his mysterious guidance of life Then Job answered: “Indeed I know that this is so but how can a mortal be just before God? If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand. He is…

biblical.ie Saint Vincent de Paul, memorial 1st Reading: Job 3:1-3 Job’s anguished lament at the misfortunes heaped upon him. After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. He said: “May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’ “Why did I not perish…

biblical.ie Saints Cosmas and Damian, optional memorial 1st Reading: Job 1:6-22 Job’s patience is tested, first with loss of property and then with the death of his children One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come…

biblical.ie 1st Reading: Qohelet 11:9,12:8 A wise man’s lament about the encroachments of old age. Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the inclination of your heart and the desire of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will…

biblical.ie Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, memorial 1st Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 There is an appointed time for everything under the sun. Yearnings stir in the human heart. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and…

Check out biblical.ie 1st Reading: Ecclesiastes (Qohelet) 1:2-11 Nothing is new under the sun. Vanity of vanities; all is vanity! Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but…

Check out biblical.ie 1st Reading: Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13 Of all gifts of God to the Church, the apostles have the task of spreading the faith I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience,…

Check out biblical.ie Saint Andrew Kim and companions, memorial 1st Reading: Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13 Advice about self-control from Solomon’s proverbs. The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. All deeds are right in the sight of the doer, but the Lord weighs the…