Feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop, Doctor of the Church
August 1, 2018
First Reading: Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21
10Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet all of them curse me. 16Thy words were found, and I ate them, and thy words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by thy name, O LORD, God of hosts. 17I did not sit in the company of merrymakers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because thy hand was upon me, for thou hadst filled me with indignation. 18Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Wilt thou be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail? 19Therefore thus says the LORD: “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them. 20And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the LORD. 21I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”
Psalm: Ps. 59:2-4, 10-11, 17-18
1Deliver me from my enemies, O my God, protect me from those who rise up against me, 2deliver me from those who work evil, and save me from bloodthirsty men. 3For, lo, they lie in wait for my life; fierce men band themselves against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD, 9O my Strength, I will sing praises to thee; for thou, O God, art my fortress. 10My God in his steadfast love will meet me; my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies. 16But I will sing of thy might; I will sing aloud of thy steadfast love in the morning. For thou hast been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. 17O my Strength, I will sing praises to thee, for thou, O God, art my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.
44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Reflection for the day: ‘Our Lord wishes us to have great charity for our neighbor, for whom we should pray as for ourselves; it is one of the characteristic effects of this devotion to reconcile hearts and to bring peace to souls.’-St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
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